‘BOARDING PARTY

ANAHEIM — The idea of a $40-million, four-story snowboarding and skate park at the proposed Anaheim Sportstown complex has city officials and some local residents and businesses giddy with excitement.

Building the gigantic attraction would not only help keep kids busy after school but also spur the local economy, they say.

Although city officials would not discuss the specifics of the deal and cautioned that an agreement has not been signed, they said any attraction like the proposed Gotcha Glacier would be a welcome addition to the city’s tourist industry.

“Sports-themed entertainment and shopping and restaurants all complement what we already have,” Mayor Tom Daly said. “The popularity and demand for these types of projects is the reason Sportstown Anaheim was conceived. That is why we fought so hard for so many years to develop that part of the stadium property. It is in a fantastic location.”

Daly added that an attraction that size could help generate more businesses and employment in the area.

Some local merchants also welcomed the project, saying it would help keep tourists in Anaheim longer, and therefore bring in more money.

Said Ron Marshall, owner of Mr. Stox restaurant a mile from the proposed Sportstown complex: “Although we are a little bit of a high-end restaurant, this will still help us a lot because it will bring people into the area and maybe cause them to stay another night in Orange County. “I think they will do the Disneyland thing and spend a day going to the Sportstown.”

But Don Myers, managing partner of the Catch Seafood Grill and Hop City Steakhouse, directly across the street from Anaheim Stadium, said the type of crowds a snowboarding complex would attract would not help his business.

“These are the Generation Xers that are fast-food diners. They are not going to be doing me any good,” he said. “I would’ve much rather seen a stadium cinema or something that caters to the baby boomers.”

Todd Ament, director of the Anaheim YMCA, said having a fun place to spend the afternoon hours could help keep youngsters out of trouble.

“If it’s going to keep youth active during the crucial hours after school, it will be a very positive program,” he said. “If they have positive alternatives, it’s been proven that they avoid some of those negative alternatives.”

Added former councilman and current Boys and Girls Club volunteer Frank Feldhaus: “We’ve always said that Sportstown was going to develop and was going to attract ideas like this. Anything that serves children is a wonderful idea. We need to give these kids attention and places to do things.”

Glacier Sports Center of America, a San Juan Capistrano-based company, is in the final stages of negotiations with Forest City Development, the Cleveland-based company that is overseeing the development of Sportstown. The project then would require city approval.

Currently, the world’s only indoor snow mountain is in Japan.

The Gotcha Glacier would comprise a 100-foot mountain and two 250-yard half-pipe snowboard runs built to meet the competitive standards of the International Snowboard Federation and the Olympics. A 1,500-seat spectator area also is planned in hopes of making the facility a stop on the professional snowboarding tour.

The 275,000-square-foot project would hold 4,700 people, including 450 on the indoor mountain. It also would have areas set aside for snowboard jumping and sledding.

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‘BOARDING PARTY

The proposed $40 million, four-story Gotcha Glacier would be the first indoor snowboarding park in the world. Plans call of the 275,000-square-foot structure to be one of the main attractions at the Sportstown Anaheim complex being developed near Edison International Field. The project, which still requires city approval, would take about two years to build.

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THE FACILITY

Exterior: resembles a giant glacier

Height: 100 feet

Grounds: Surrounded by trees and a children’s play fountain

Total floorspace: 275,000 square feet

Capacity: 4,725

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BOARD ROOM

(Shown larger than scale)

Snow: blown daily from ceiling-mounted guns

Base: 12” to 48”

Temperature: 32 degrees, 10 degrees during snow making

Lifts: Slow quad chair and a conveyor for beginners

Hours: 8 a.m. to midnight

FIRST FLOOR

Skating: 25,000-square foot skate park

Shopping: several retail stores

Area of first floor: 75,000 square feet

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SECOND FLOOR

Skating: ice skating and roller hockey rinks

Exercise equipment: fitness club

Seating: bleachers at both rinks and skateboard park

Extras: arcade, kids play area and pro shop

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THIRD FLOOR

Balcony: near restaurant, overlooks ice skating rink

Exercise equipment: lifecycles, treadmills and stairmasters

Seating: view of skateboard park below

Extras: birthday suites available, arcade and dressing area

Source: The Gotcha Glacier of Anaheim