Centre ice · Seasonal
Centre ice in Concord: what spring is like
Same room, different month, different day out.
It is also the best place to watch from the rail: the whole rink is between you and them, and every lap comes back past you.
The drive back to Concord is where you find out what they actually thought. Children review an outing about twenty minutes after leaving it, never during.
Why this time of year
The middle of the rink is where the wall stops helping. Getting there is the milestone every new skater sets for themselves without being asked.
Space in the centre is what lets a child try a turn. Near the boards there is always somebody to avoid; in the middle there is only the turn.
What changes
It is also the best place to watch from the rail: the whole rink is between you and them, and every lap comes back past you.
Do not schedule anything immediately afterwards. An hour of concentrated play is tiring in a way that shows up in the car park, not in the room.
What to wear
The middle of the rink is where the wall stops helping. Getting there is the milestone every new skater sets for themselves without being asked.
Space in the centre is what lets a child try a turn. Near the boards there is always somebody to avoid; in the middle there is only the turn.
Planning around it
It is also the best place to watch from the rail: the whole rink is between you and them, and every lap comes back past you.
Two shorter visits teach a child more than one long one. The second time they already know what they want to try, and that is when the good part starts.
Questions parents ask
How long before a child leaves the rail?
Some in the first session, some in the fifth. Neither is unusual.
How do I get in touch?
By phone on +1 (424) 387-6232 or +1 (615) 968-4925, or by e-mail at info@newlife-entertainment.com.
Where is New Life Entertainment?
Two centres: 433 Opry Mills Drive, Nashville TN 37214, and 8111 Concord Mills Blvd, Concord NC 28027.
Planning your visit in Concord
A Concord school holiday runs out of ideas by about day three. This is a day-three answer rather than a day-one one.
The quietest hour of the week is the first one on a weekday morning in term time. The busiest is Saturday around midday.
If two adults are coming, split up rather than shadowing the same child. One at the rail, one free, and everybody has a better hour.
Parents from Concord tend to ask the same first question: how long will this hold their attention. Long enough to be worth the drive, and short enough to leave while they still want more.
The practical details
- XCAV ZONE — 433 Opry Mills Drive, Nashville TN 37214: four child-operated machines over a ball pit.
- ICE PARK — 8111 Concord Mills Blvd, Concord NC 28027: a real rink with bumper cars on the ice.
- Opening hours — 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday to Saturday, 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sunday.
- Phone — +1 (424) 387-6232 · +1 (615) 968-4925
- E-mail — info@newlife-entertainment.com
If a visit needs planning around a date, a group or a long drive, the centre is easiest to reach by phone: +1 (424) 387-6232 or +1 (615) 968-4925.