North America’s first ice lounge opens in Las Vegas

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Mike Styles
on September 7, 2008
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A lounge made entirely of ice will open at Mandalay Place in Las Vegas, located adjacent to Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas this September.

The first permanent ice lounge of its kind in the U.S., the 2,000 sq. ft. Minus 5 Experience is a sub-freezing ice lounge that is 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.

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Sheffield ski village to add bowling facility

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Mike Styles
on September 7, 2008
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Sheffield Ski Village, which claims to offer Europe’s largest artificial surface ski and boarding area, and previously had plans to convert to an indoor snow centre as part of a plan involving a large scale housing development which was ultimately rejected by local councillors, is now planning to add a bowling centre under new ownership.

Pullan Developments have been given the green light by councillors in Sheffield for a two-storey extension to form a bowling alley with a children’s play area on the lower ground floor. The idea is to try to widen the ski village’s appeal by pulling in more families, who may be attracted by more mainstream activities but could then be tempted to try skiing.

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New snowmaking slated for Igls

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Mike Styles
on September 6, 2008
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The double winter Olympic skiing facility, Igls, Austria is preparing to introduce a number of improvements for the upcoming winter ski season.

The resort has installed an advanced snow making system with a new lake to feed it meaning that snow can be made quickly as soon as the temperature drops low enough.

A kids snow park with magic carpet conveyor-belt lift and a new training lift has been created for young children, whilst a ski and training centre for older children and teenagers complete with a new t-bar and ski run has been created.

In addition the top panorama restaurant has been rebuilt with sun terrace, and at the valley station of the main lift an Intersport shop added offering convenient rentals and service as well as a ski school office.

The resort is included on the Innsbruck Olympic Regional Ski pass which includes nine resorts around the Tyrolean capital and a free bus service linking them.

Britanny to get ski slope in September

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Mike Styles
on September 6, 2008
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Siblu’s Domaine de Kerlann holiday parc in Brittany, a region known for its fantastic crêperies and inspiring the artist Gauguin, is bringing snow sports to Pont Aven this month. The resort will open a 50m ski slope, luge track, biathlon course and ice rink to holidaymakers for the week of September 27th to 4th October).

Karim Belahmadi, Domaine de Kerlann parc director said, “Experienced skiers will stick to the famous pistes of the Alps and Pyrenees but we think that anyone who wants a week of fun before winter draws in will enjoy seven-nights in Brittany.

The ski slope is an extra reason to come, but our parc is packed with pools, tennis courts, children’s clubs and all sorts of other activities for a carefree week away

Each of the ski and skating activities will be manned by experienced coaches ready to give tuition to newcomers. For parents travelling with children, there are kid’s clubs that play host to wide range of extra activities.

Domaine de Kerlann is situated close to the stunning Côte de Cornouaille on Brittany’s south coast. The parc has a huge amount to offer young families who love the seaside, food and history. Concarneau, a medieval walled town and one of France’s largest fishing ports, and Carnac, France’s version of Stonehenge, are both nearby.

Ski passes will cost €30 per person for the week and mobile home accommodation starts from £287, including Dover-Calais ferry travel.

www.siblu.com

Australian Ski Area Extends Season

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Mike Styles
on September 5, 2008
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Mt Baw Baw in Victoria, Australia has increased its snow depth over the past few days with the top of the Summit now buried 125cm (Four feet, two inches) deep. This snow is proving to be the best that Mt Baw Baw has seen in years and due to the current depth of snow and expected further snowfalls, the resort has announced it will be extending its snow season to 5pm October 5th.

Today, on returning back to the office after finding an hour out of her busy schedule to hit the resort’s three boxes on her snowboard, Leona Turra, CEO of Mt Baw Baw said, “There is heaps of the stuff, its everywhere, the conditions are fantastic out there”.

Night life has also found a new high with the ’1 Meter’ party celebrations heating up as the late night temperature cools down. These celebrations have also paved the way for the re-birth of the resort’s fabled ‘Shot Ski’ (the drinking aid for only the keenest of drinking quartets). Anyone planning a not so quite drink at Mt Baw Baw, and are intrigued please ask Maz at the Alpine Hotel (Baw Baw’s local watering hole).

Mt Baw Baw‘s lift prices have taken a completely different direction to the snow level, with a full day of lift access dropping to less then 50 dollars for an adult and 29 dollars for a child.

If you spend your days at home or work with your head in the clouds dreaming about the picturesque white slopes, there is no place more accessible (only 2.5 hours from Melbourne) and wallet friendly than Mt Baw Baw

” says Sallie Jones, Marketing Officer.

www.mountbawbaw.com.au

Bluestone opens and promises snow at Christmas

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Mike Styles
on September 5, 2008
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The long awaited bluestone leisure park has opened in Wales, the facility is due to add the country’s first indoor snow centre, although the timetable for that remains vague. However the park has announced that it will offer tubing on snow this Christmas.

Currently Bluestone contains over 180 hundred log cabins (the figure will eventually almost double) centred around a £10m water park. This features a central wave pool, lazy river ride, three slides and indoor and outdoor spa pools. The facility has been very, very popular since opening and the centre is currently urging people to phone ahead and book, rather than turn up and risk being turned away because the facility is full.

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First Choice Put Onus on Families

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Mike Styles
on September 4, 2008
in Ski UK and Snowlife
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First Choice, one of the UK’s five biggest tour operators and now owned by the same company that owns Crystal and Thomson, has launching its biggest ever family programme and will introduce 11 new childcare facilities this winter, offering 13 crèches and nine Kids’ Clubs in total in the Alps.

The new crèches are in key resorts including: Kitzbühel, Mayrhofen, Niederau, St Anton and Zell am See (Austria); Courchevel 1850, La Plagne, Belle Plagne, Les Deux Alpes and Tignes (France); Claviere (Italy) for children from six months to four years.

The seven new Kids’ Clubs are in: Niederau (Austria); Courchevel 1850, La Plagne, Belle Plagne, Les Deux Alpes and Tignes (France); Claviere (Italy), bringing it to a total of nine, for children aged four to eleven years.

First Choice have other initiatives right across theior programme aiming to make ski holidays easier and more affordable for families at every level. They include a ‘family concierge’ service aiming to providean ‘extra pair of hands’ when arriving in resort, helping with ski equipment and advising on family attractions, as well as organising early check-in to hotel and provide a reservation service.

“We make a magical holiday in the mountains available to everybody,” said Ian Davis, Product Director First Choice Snow. “From our family-friendly resorts, to well-thought out childcare and prices designed to make it easy for parents to take their children skiing. This season we undoubtedly offer more choice, better facilities and a more flexible programme to match the needs of every family than ever before.”

www.firstchoice-ski.co.uk