Big SNOW on Friday became the first entertainment venue at the upcoming American Dream mega-mall to announce pricing.
The 180,000 square foot, 16-story, climate-controlled indoor ski and snowboard park is scheduled to open at the shopping and entertainment complex in the Meadowlands on December 5.
For first-timers, they’ll offer a package starting at $49.99 with advanced purchase. It includes equipment rentals, helmets, ski pants and a jacket, a slope access ticket and a complimentary introductory lesson through SNOW Operating’s proprietary Terrain Based Learning method of instruction.
For those who have their own equipment, a slope access ticket those ages 7 and up will cost $34.99 for two hours or $49.99 for four hours. Tickets purchased online will be available at a reduced rate, although the company didn’t say how much of a discount.
Capacity in the ski slope area is 500 people, a spokesperson for Big SNOW said.
Big SNOW American Dream will be operated by New Jersey-based SNOW Operating, which runs Mountain Creek. This indoor ski and snowboarding facility will be the first of its kind in the United States or Canada.
“American Dream is a true destination for family entertainment, and we’ve partnered with the best in the business for all of our major entertainment venues,” said Don Ghermezian, American Dream’s CEO. “SNOW Operating partners with and is supported by some of the most well-respected ski resorts and brands in the industry and we know that Big SNOW will deliver an experience like no other.”
American Dream has not announced pricing for its Nickelodeon Universe theme park or ice skating rink, which will open Oct. 25. Nor have they disclosed pricing for the DreamWorks Waterpark, opening Nov. 27, despite being asked by NJ Advance Media.
The announcement Friday about pricing for the ski and snowboard park came directly from the vendor who will operate it.
The ski slope at American Dream has been iconic because of it’s ugly orange, red and yellow paint scheme, which last month started being primed for its latest incarnation with developer Triple Five. It’s expected to be all white on the outside by the time the complex begins its chaptered opening.
Its 4 acres of snow-covered slopes -- equal to the size of 11 hockey rinks or half as big as the Lincoln Memorial’s reflecting pool -- will have a 160-foot vertical drop, a graduated degree of pitch ranging from 0% at the base to 26% at its steepest point and 1,000 feet of length for skiers. Guests will get to the top of the slopes using four surface and aerial lifts.
The temperature inside Big SNOW will be kept at a constant 28-degrees Fahrenheit, ensuring a consistent and optimal snow condition year-round. The center’s slopes will be filled with more than 5,500 tons of snow and shaped to an average snow depth of 2 feet throughout. Specially-designed radiant cooling in the floor and snow melt systems will both maintain the snow texture and reduce environmental impact at the center, Big SNOW said in a press release.
“We could not be more excited to be bringing Big SNOW to the public this December,” said Hugh Reynolds, vice president of marketing and sales, SNOW Operating.
“Big SNOW is a game changer for skiing and snowboarding in the United States. The unprecedented access to year-round snow combined with the center’s unrivaled location and the overall appeal of American Dream will allow us to provide opportunities never before seen, and to move the needle on growing the sports in a big way. Our goal is to introduce more than a quarter million new skiers and snowboarders to the sports in the next year. It’s going to be truly amazing.”
Before opening, Big SNOW expects to hire 300 people including retail workers, guest services and ticket agents, ski and snowboard instructors, lift operators and more.
The company will hold two hiring events at the Hilton Meadowlands -- one on October 13 and another November 10. Both will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AllisonPries. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips.