Warm weather puts Delano palace plans on ice

DELANO, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota's unusually warm temperatures have forced a lot of winter event cancellations and postponements and the second annual Ice Palace Minnesota is among those on hold for cold weather.

Families flocked to Delano last winter for 90,000 square feet of ice at the inaugural Ice Palace Minnesota. Colorful art and fire shows drew a lot of eyes, but the silky smooth tunnels are the real stars.

"It is no small feat," said Britton Youngstrom, whose family builds the palaces. "It is phenomenal to see what this water can produce."

Youngstrom has built local ice palaces for eight years, mostly in his home state of Idaho. This year, he made a trip to Minnesota to set it all up and went home when he couldn’t finish the job.

For now, there are only a few random chunks of ice at the site.

"It doesn't feel quite like Christmas season or winter season right now," said Delano city administrator Phil Kern.

He says the city banks on winter events. Its restaurants filled up with folks visiting the Ice Palace last year and with it moved to Central Park this year, they’re hoping for an even bigger boon.

But the warm weather is already shrinking the Ice Palace season, and they’re also concerned about Puck in the Park, the hockey tournament they host on the third weekend of January.

"We're hopeful that after the first of the year, the weather will cooperate, and we can get that going," Kern said.

The city needs at least two weeks of freezing temperatures to get ready. Youngstrom needs even less time, but he’s already lost at least two weeks of business.

"We are still anticipating a phenomenal season," he said. "The community support has been over the top."

Tickets are on sale to visit the Ice Palace as early as Jan. 11 if cooler weather comes. The palace gates are scheduled to close at the end of February.