Temporary Plan Unveiled To Battle Overheating At DECC Arena

DULUTH, Minn. — After two recent weekends of unbearable heat inside the DECC Arena, Exec. Dir. Dan Hartman says he’s made the “tough decision” to rent a temporary AC unit until $2.8 million in state bonding money can be used to install a modern-day AC system for that side of the DECC.

Hartman said the project could take up to two years to get installed because of current supply chain issues.

The AC rental for the next year will cost $100,000.  It’ll arrive in the next few weeks from Chicago, according to Hartman.

In the meantime, for Saturday’s Harbor Monsters game, DECC engineers will perform additional pre-cooling in the DECC Arena by funneling Amsoil Arena’s AC days in advance and keeping garage doors closed as much as possible.

At the last game, the doors were open all morning for Viking Cruise business, according to officials.

More large fans will also be rolled in, and misting stations will be set up out on the decks.

Hartman said two of three ice plants from the 1960s and 1970s broke down over the past three years.  He said those ice plants were re-configured to act as AC units at times in the 1990s and early 2000s by past management when actual DECC AC units broke down.

Hartman said those two ice plants should have been replaced when Ronald Regan and Bill Clinton were president.