Will Las Vegas be the site for America’s first Authentic Sauna Spa?

We all know that Las Vegas is a tourist’s playground of excess.

Gamble heavy and party hard until sunrise, top restaurants and buffet troughs that go on forever.

Las Vegas is also an architect’s playground.

Massively large hotels rising like exotic desert plants.

When architects submit projects, instead of scaling back, clients ask “yes, but can we do more?”   The Cosmopolitan’s three level chandelier bar creates a light airy feel of waitless ness.  The fountains of Bellagio, like the purely natural Niagara Falls, mesmerize no matter how many times you experience them.

As I sit on the airplane back to reality in Minnesota, I wonder, could Las Vegas be the place for a kick ass authentic public sauna?

Groundwork for the attraction exists. There are already elaborate pools and spas.  Mandalay Bay created a wave pool for body surfing,

Which hotel wants to carve out some real estate for a truly authentic health & wellness sauna experience?

I suggest such a project will include:

1. Rooftop – offering compelling views and fresh (albeit) desert air.
2. Chill out zone – if Las Vegas can provide two zero degree ice bars, surely we can offer an awesome 40 degree relaxing area with real plants and trees and “rain” showers, simulating a Finnish or Northern Minnesota cool spring afternoon.  (Maybe even a snow room?)
3. Wood fired sauna stove.  TIP to designer: bring to Las Vegas city planning department plans for a rooftop wood fired pizza oven first, then, after approval, expand the proposal to also include the wood burning sauna.
4. Cold plunge.  Easy.  Layup work.
5. Saunameister.  Adds value, helps educate new users.  Bonus: can be a feeder program for Finnish Exchange Students majoring in hospitality management.

What do you think?

I’m submitting a plan and value your help.

Please forward this to anyone you may know in Las Vegas or in commercial architecture.

Can’t beat em, join em.

Let’s help carve out an authentic sauna oasis amongst the excess of Las Vegas.  We sauna enthusiasts will be calling for reservations.