A Silicon Valley-based company with the working title Snow Palace has announced plans to build an indoor snow centre within an existing building in the San Jose bay area of California, about an hour from San Francisco. The news comes within months of the collapse of the ambitious Gotcha Glacier project which had been slated to be constructed near Disneyland in Anaheim, south of Los Angeles and had lined up Mammoth Mountain ski area to produce its snow. Snow Palace would be the first permanent indoor snow slope anywhere in the Americas.

Unlike most snowdome proposals which require initially tens, even hundreds of millions of dollars/pounds to get started, Snow Palace plans to start small and grow organically with around a fiftieth of the investment required, but never found, for Gotcha. Initial investment will be less than $5 million with profitability by the second year.

Company spokesman Chuck Mondave commented,

"We want to start small and then expand after the business model has been proven. Our concept is to build this arena inside of a warehouse in the bay area. It will have a toboggan area, family snow play area, restaurant and possibly snowboarding."

One of the few similarities to Gotcha is that the facility, which will "have to be developed with less than a few million dollars" won't offer skiing. However whilst Gotcha was aimed at snow and water boarders, Snow Palace plans to use an existing building with a 25ft (7 metre) ceiling, so won't have the vertical for a ski slope. A decision on whether boarding will be available will be made close to opening date and will again come down to available clearance for a half pipe and jumps.

"Our initial plan is to find a facility with about 50,000 square feet and include rentals, concessions and equipment sales along with the arena admission." said Mr Mondave.

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