Florida
Florida hotel opens outdoor ice skating rink that will 'stay frozen'
The Sunshine State may be lacking in snow, but that does not mean it is lacking in the magic of the holiday season.
Floridians and travelers have the chance to participate in holiday festivities, including ice skating outdoors.
The Ben Hotel in West Palm Beach, Florida, has transformed its outdoor space into a Winter Wonderland.
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“The rink will stay frozen thanks to a state-of-the-art refrigeration system developed by Ice America, using aluminum coils to continuously freeze the ice, ensuring a high-quality skating experience,” a press release said.
The Ben Hotel in West Palm Beach, Fla., launched a Winter Wonderland, bringing an outdoor ice rink to the Sunshine State. (Palm Beach Influence)
Ice skates are available for rent, and the rink, open to all ages, accommodates up to 70 skaters per 90-minute session.
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“We are incredibly excited to bring this magical experience to the local community. The Ben Hotel thrives on creating moments that are truly unexpected in South Florida, and this Winter Wonderland is no exception,” Bernardo Neto, general manager, said in a press release.
Lisa Enochs, executive director of event production and training at Ice America, told Fox News Digital the ice floor technology was developed in the Netherlands.
“The highly engineered system utilizes a combination of aluminum piping, foldable hose sections, high flow and low pressure to achieve substantially improved chilling capacity, enabling us to freeze water in high heat load locations where previously available systems could not,” said Enochs.
Ice skates are available for rent, and the rink, available to all ages, accommodates up to 70 skaters per 90-minute session. (Palm Beach Influence)
Underneath the Florida palm trees, visitors can enjoy holiday music, festive décor and seasonal treats.
The Winter Wonderland offers a snack chalet, a Top Shelf Elf bar with drinks and festive cocktails, a stand with hot cocoa and apple cider and more.
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The Winter Wonderland offers a snack chalet, a Top Shelf Elf bar with drinks and festive cocktails and a stand with hot cocoa, apple cider and sweet treats. (Palm Beach Influence)
“From the real ice skating to the festive food and chalet-inspired ambiance, we are providing a space where families and friends can gather and make memories that will last a lifetime,” Neto added.
Last year, the hottest winter day in Florida reached 83°F with an average high temperature of 71°F, according to the Florida Climate Center.
The Ben Hotel’s Winter Wonderland exhibition will run until March 1, 2025. (Palm Beach Influence)
On the West Coast, outdoor ice skating during the winter months can be found in the Golden State too.
The Downtown Sacramento Ice Rink will be returning to Ali Youssefi Square, giving Californians a chance to lace up their skates and enjoy a winter day.
In Arizona, CitySkate Holiday Ice Rink opens in Phoenix Nov. 23, and Desert Ice Skating Rink opens its ice rink in Scottsdale Nov. 19.
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The Ben Hotel’s Winter Wonderland exhibition will run until March 1, 2025.
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Florida on Tuesday announced a criminal probe into whether artificial intelligence played a role in a deadly mass shooting at a university in the US state.
“If ChatGPT were a person, it would be facing charges for murder,” Uthmeier said.
Florida law allows anyone who assists or counsels someone in the commission of a crime to be treated as an “aider and abettor” bearing the same responsibility as the perpetrator, according to Uthmeier.
In exchanges with ChatGPT, the accused shooter sought advice on what type of gun and ammunition to use, as well as where and when on campus a lot of people would likely be found, the state attorney general said during a press briefing.
“Last year’s mass shooting at Florida State University was a tragedy, but ChatGPT is not responsible for this terrible crime,” an OpenAI spokesperson said.
A massive wildfire in Putnam County in northern Florida left Amtrak passengers stranded on a train for more than 24 hours.
One train heading to New York City was forced to turn around, arriving back in Miami Monday night, including one passenger who said he had been on that train for about 38 hours.
He says he and other passengers were left uncertain about what was going on.
“Angry, confused, uncertain, in the dark,” said John Reardon.
Reardon, who lives in New York City, says he boarded the train around 7 a.m. Sunday to go back home. He said around 3 p.m. Sunday, the train stopped near Jacksonville.
“Finally, after about 5 hours, they said we’re not going to New York, we’re going back to Miami,” Reardon said. “One stop at a time.”
Amtrak said for the safety of its passengers, the train couldn’t continue going north because of the fire.
“Amtrak sends a notification to the phone saying, ‘Hey, there’s an issue with the wildfire, it’s too close to the railway,’” said passenger Katrinia Wheeler.
Multiple crews are battling multiple fires in two Florida counties, leaving at least 3,000 acres burned.
“I saw that there was a lot of smoke coming from the woods, and then I saw the fire trucks and emergency services,” Wheeler said.
The train that left Miami at 7 a.m. on Sunday returned around 9 p.m. on Monday, leaving passengers frustrated.
Amtrak corporate says they made the decision out of safety for their customers and said customers would receive full refunds and vouchers.
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