Westpac Stadium is undergoing a major transformation, with a full-size international ice hockey rink being constructed on its turf.
Promoter Kerry Goulet told Newshub it's the first time an ice rink has been constructed in an outdoor stadium in the southern hemisphere.
"To think that we'd be able to turn a professional rugby field into an ice hockey rink and have guys skating one week after the French played the All Blacks here, it's a testament," he said.
Construction started just before midnight Wednesday and the rink needs to be completed and frozen in time for the game between the US and Canada on Saturday afternoon.
The floor is custom-made off-shore. Once the sub-floor is done, there'll be 50 people taking 24 hours to install the matting system that freezes the water. Around that there'll be 'dasher boards' and plexiglass.
"The puck travels at around 100km/h so we've got to protect everybody that's sitting outside of it," Mr Goulet said.
Around 60,000 litres of water will go into the rink.
"It takes roughly three days to have it in, play a game, and out," Mr Goulet said. He estimates getting the rink here has cost $750,000.
The rink is much smaller than the pitch at 55 x 26 metres, so spectators will be seated at the southern end of the stadium only.
Stadium Turf Manager Hagen Faith is a little anxious how the grass beneath the rink will hold up, just 13 days out from a Super Rugby match between the Hurricanes and the Blues.
There are three layers of protection - a geofabric layer, followed by a single layer of ply, then a plastic membrane.
Mr Faith said it's absolutely testing the limits of the turf. Worst-case scenario would see him having to re-turf on Sunday.
"But we have our own turf farm and there's plenty ready to go," he said.
While acknowledging that ice hockey is far from a national game in New Zealand, Mr Goulet said he doesn't see much difference between rugby and hockey fans.
"We've got a lot of converted hockey fans, with in excess of 9,500 tickets sold for Saturday's game."
The game starts at 4pm and there'll be a curtain-raiser between the Ice Blacks and the Ice Blacks Allstars at 1pm.
Mr Goulet, who played the game professionally for 14 years, now heads an organisation called Stop Concussions. Proceeds from the touring games will go towards promoting safe practices in all contact sports.
Newshub.
