The Cosmopolitan’s rooftop ice rink invites visitors to take a spin

The Strip is famous for bright, bold, unusual sights. But Monterrey, Mexico, resident Adrian Bortoni didn’t expect a rooftop ice rink to be one of them.

“I saw the sign for an ice rink and thought it was a joke,” said Bortoni, 23, after discovering The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas’ rink. “There’s really an ice rink in the desert?”

On a recent Sunday, tourists and locals skated and socialized at the rink, which returned for the fifth straight year. The Boulevard Pool on the roof of the hotel, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. South, was converted into a winter wonderland high above the Strip. Cosmopolitan officials say the rink draws about 80,000 visitors per season.

“Coming here is a traditional thing, I bring all types of friends with me,” Stephanie Siclari, 34, of Summerlin said after twirling around on the rink. “It’s something different to do (during the holiday season).”

Alex Murphy, a 28-year-old Henderson resident, spun and jumped in her skates and said, “It doesn’t feel like I’m on the Strip. This reminds me of the German Christmas market, Vegas style.”

The Cosmopolitan rink, open to visitors ages 2 and older, will be open 3 p.m. to midnight Monday through Friday and noon to midnight on weekends through Dec. 19. Special holiday hours are noon to midnight Monday through Friday from Dec. 19 through Jan. 1.

All-day skating is $10 for locals, $15 for nonresidents and $5 to rent skates, but guests can bring their own. Entry into the area surrounding the rink is free.

On Mondays, the rink will host “Date Skates,” letting couples skate and see classic holiday movies on the hotel-casino’s digital marquee.

The romance isn’t confined to Mondays. On Sunday, Henderson resident Saladine Marshall, 30, sat taking a break from the ice, chatting with his date and soaking in the scene.

“It’s 65 degrees, we’re on top of a building, it’s lit up and there’s an ice rink next to a heated pool and bar,” he said. “I love it. It’s a nice mix — different.”

The rink was just the piece of home 22-year-old Kela Cook needed.

“I’m from Canada, so I couldn’t miss this opportunity, especially in Vegas and on a rooftop,” the now Orange County, California, resident said. “It’s a no-brainer, Vegas life in ice.”

The ice wasn’t only for adults. Children smiled, fell, frowned and laughed.

“(Skating is) pretty awesome,” said Ethan Deleon, 9, of Fontana, California, who was skating for the first time. “It was hard, and I kept falling.”

Fedor Banuchi, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas’ vice president of entertainment, said a giant blue compressor, a chiller, keeps the ice frozen.

Liquid glycol gets piped through the ice and the chiller runs around the clock to keep it frozen, Banuchi said by phone Monday.

“It’s like an air conditioner for your car, but much larger,” Banuchi said of the system.

Contact Raven Jackson at rjackson@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0283. Follow @ravenmjackson on Twitter.