Las Vegas Weekly

October 1, 2008 · 5:53 PM

Chillin’ and killin’: Inside Minus 5 and Fright Dome

By Robin Leach

Photo: Braintrust PR

Anthony Leenders and Craig Ling.

Photo: Braintrust PR

Craig Ling (middle) and a couple of Eskimo Girls.

A giant near life-sized ice sculpture of Elvis Presley complete with guitar, sunglasses, sideburns and pompadour dominates the new Minus 5 permanent ice lounge at Mandalay Place -- it’s the first in the United States although Minus 5 has six others in operation in three other countries. It was more than 90 degrees in our desert playpen when I skated into the 2,000-square-foot, 23-degree cold zone to chill out just hours after its official opening -– and the white-clad Eskimo snow bunnies were on hand to greet everybody.

Photo: Braintrust PR

Craig Ling speaks with reporter Ryan Slattery.

Photo: Braintrust PR

Craig Ling proposes an icy toast.

Photo: Braintrust PR

Elv-ice Presley.

I didn’t bother with the gloves and hooded parkas they give to customers. For wedding couples, there’s even white fur for the bride! I enjoyed an ice-cold Patron tequila at the ice bar from an iced glass made from frozen water from New Zealand as the sexy snow senoritas stretched out on deer-skin blankets on the couches made from ice blocks. After using the glasses they recycle for the environment by letting it melt on the gardens outside Mandalay Bay. After all you can’t put them in a dishwasher to get clean -- but if you think you can get it home before it melts take one for your freezer!

Craig Ling, who hails from “down under” New Zealand, is the founder and president of the Minus 5 concept. He told me: “We were packed opening night with over 300 customers at the bar. They love it. It’s an icy winter wonderland of intricately hand-crafted ice sculptures and architecture. We change out the lounge design and sculptures every six weeks with our own ice-carvers to keep it unique and different. We can custom make any company logo or make a replica of an automobile in ice for guests who want to take it over for private parties.

This unique environment can be found atop the escalator leading from the Mandalay bay hotel through Mandalay Place towards the Luxor, directly opposite celebrity chef Rick Moonen’s RM Seafood restaurant.

Photo: Mike Biggs

Fright Dome at Circus Circus.

Photo: Mike Biggs

Fright Dome at Circus Circus.

Photo: Mike Biggs

Fright Dome at Circus Circus.

Photo: Mike Biggs

Fright Dome at Circus Circus.

At the opposite end of the Strip the Fright Dome folks at Circus Circus began the audition process to find ghastly ghouls and ghosts, blood-stained severed limbs held by mad monsters, wicked witches and a host of other Halloween horrors!

Auditioning for Fright Dome requires characters going in full costume, which can be a little un-nerving if, you’re stuck in traffic alongside a foul fiend. Some who attended weren’t evil enough but I’m assured by the time the day ended and Dracula climbed back into his coffin that exactly the right number of brutal beasts had been booked for this years spooky spectacles.

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