The first permanent ice lounge in the United States has opened at Mandalay Place, adjacent to Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
The 2,000 sq. ft. Minus 5 Experience welcomed its very first patrons with an “Elvis sighting,” an unveiling of a life-sized ice Elvis, complete with signature pompadour, glasses, side-burns, and guitar. On a day when the temperature topped 90 degrees in Las Vegas, the inside of the newly opened Minus 5 ice lounge pushed the mercury to a frigid 23 degrees Fahrenheit, or, true to its name “minus 5″ Celsius.
Owned and operated by the Minus 5 Group, a New Zealand-based company that has “ice-cool” attractions with six other Minus 5 ice lounges currently in operation in three countries around the globe, the new Ice Lounge, located in Mandalay Place adjacent to Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino is certain to be one of the new “must experience” attractions in Las Vegas.
“Las Vegas is the perfect city to launch Minus 5 in the United States – it creates a great juxtaposition of a frigid, winter wonderland in the hot arid desert,” said Craig Ling, president and founder of Minus 5. “We are excited to introduce what is a truly unique experience to an American audience and we believe Las Vegas is the ideal destination.” Since opening in 2002, the Minus 5 locations in Australia and New Zealand have become one of the most visited man-made attractions in their respective cities.
Guests are invited to come in from the Las Vegas heat and don Minus 5-issued parkas and booties over their t-shirts and flip-flops. Then the arctic adventure begins, as patrons enter the ethereal blue and white world of the shimmering Minus 5 ice lounge. An icy wonderland of intricately hand-crafted ice sculptures and architecture, guests are promptly served an ice glass filled with exotic vodka-based cocktails (”mocktails” are also available for non-drinkers). Then, guests can relax on ice couches and enjoy what is literally the coolest lounge on the planet where the temperature is a constant -5 degrees Celsius or 23 degrees Fahrenheit.
“Our focus at Minus 5 is the art of ice,” said founder and president, Craig Ling. “We have our own ice carvers who change the lounge and sculptures every six-to-eight weeks. This also provides us with the ability to tailor-make sculptures for any function or event. With the ability to create anything from a company logo to an actual-sized replica automobile that you can sit in, the possibilities for the Minus 5 ice experience are only limited by your imagination.”
After enjoying the wonders of the sub-freezing environment, visitors can make their way to the Minus 5 Lodge, a warm, rustic pub adjacent to the Minus 5 Experience that is themed after great arctic explorers. The Minus 5 Lodge features ironwood beams, river stones, leather seats and an open-hearth to create an earthy, natural environment and a welcoming ambience that also features artifacts from famed explorers and ski huts of old. Group function catering is available with a sumptuous menu by celebrated chef Rick Moonen of rm seafood restaurant at Mandalay Place. The Minus 5 Lodge is a superb environment where guests can warm up in style and reflect on their Minus 5 encounter - the perfect end to an entirely unique experience.
Restrain yourself from making jokes about cold feet, but Minus 5 will certainly be the only Las Vegas venue to perform “ice wedding” ceremonies. With stained “ice” windows and pews, beautiful ice sculptures and ice candelabra, the Minus 5 ice-chapel creates an unparalleled setting for a romantic wedding ceremony. Brides are outfitted with an elegant white satin fur-trimmed cape to keep warm, and all ceremonies are organized in conjunction with the wedding professionals from the Mandalay Bay wedding department.
Inside the shimmering ice lounge, the proprietary climate control engineering allows the Minus 5 Experience to maintain its frigid environment using a monitored amount of power. In addition, the operators import ice from Canada, ensuring the ice is the clearest and purest available, and use pure New Zealand artesian water for the ice glasses which are imported in their frozen form to ensure that an ice lounge in the Mojave Desert maintains a responsible environmental footprint and does not encumber the limited Las Vegas water supply. Minus 5 also supports environmental conservation programs, and their international “Adopt a Penguin” program will soon be offered to U.S. patrons.
The Las Vegas location will be the first of many U.S.-based Minus 5 ice lounges, with other locations currently in the development stage in New York, Miami, Hawaii, and Los Angeles. Reservations, group, corporate and wedding arrangements can be made by calling 702.632.7714.