LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – When you think of curling, you might think of a rather unusual sport that’s really popular in Canada, but it enjoys a growing number of players in the U.S. as well.
Las Vegas too seeing an increasing number of enthusiasts. So much so, the local curling club had to get itself a full-time, sport-dedicated facility.
“We had such a demand for our curling activities that we had to leave where we were renting because we couldn’t get enough time, but now we’re full-time here,” shares Curl Vegas President Brad Whitlock. “We’re thrilled, we’re absolutely thrilled. We’re able to offer lessons to all kinds of people who couldn’t get to us before. That includes youths and seniors. We even have a wheelchair program that we’re wanting to implement.”
The new facility won’t open until Thursday, but this weekend some folks got a sneak peek at the south Valley center. For some it was the first time playing a sport that dates back centuries.
It’s a 600 year old sport that has its roots in Scotland, but of course it’s evolved from those days. Very popular in Canada, they have more than million curlers up there,” says Whitlock.
“It’s a sport that you can play for an hour to two hours, and do a full game that way, so it doesn’t take a lot of investment of time. But it’s also good exercise,” he shares. “It’s a little deceiving, but it’s a real sport. You get a workout when you play.”
And, Whitlock says it’s an easy sport to learn, without a lot of equipment.
“I think people are just looking for experiences, and curling is a great experience. (2:03) It’s friendly, it’s a fun sport, you can learn it quickly, it doesn’t cost a lot of money. You can come out and you can learn it and you can start playing in a league within a week.”
The facility will hold it’s grand opening Thursday, May 2 at 5:30, with the first league playing that night at seven.