Question of the Day - 10 June 2025

Yesterday, we followed the saga of the mining camp that became Nipton from its founding in 1905 up to the town’s purchase by Spiegelworld in late 2023.

Spiegelworld founder Ross Mollison told The Times of London that he planned to sink $20 million into “Circus Town,” where Spiegelworld talent would “undertake unfettered artistic experimentation which will feed into the creation” of new shows. His plans called for doubling the size of the local hotel to all of 10 rooms, along with opening a (new) general store and a restaurant.

Somewhat to his shock, however, Mollison found he’d bought a fixer-upper.

“Every structure needs a new roof or new floor or both or new windows. The town needs a lot of love and that’s what we’re slowly doing.” Emphasis on slowly, it seems. After all, with three shows currently playing on the Las Vegas Strip, including long-running Absinthe, the Australian producer is, not doubt, a busy man.

However, Mollison purchased some local goodwill by revamping the laundromat, restoring the water infrastructure, and buying a fire truck. He also has big plans for reclaiming the original ecosystem, telling a reporter, “I’m trying to strip it all out, then allow the very delicate system that exists out there to regrow, to restore the desert a bit. … We’re not building a cowboy town.”

The Guardian visited Nipton last winter and found signs of a low-key, but discernible, Spiegelworld presence. A half-dozen Ukrainian acrobats had stayed there recently, followed by “a posse of clowns,” then a pair of contortionists on unicycles. The news outlet also discovered a Spiegelworld rehearsal space, as cast members “filter into the remote town on a regular basis to come up with new acts for Spiegelworld shows in Vegas – and to simply escape from the stage for a few days.”

Mollison explained his rationale for putting down roots in Nipton. “With the diminution of religion for many people, there’s nowhere where we go to sing together anymore. The circus is a real community. We brought families, or individuals in some cases, to Vegas 15 years ago, who have been there the whole time and have now bought homes and had kids, and their kids are coming and working in the circus.”

In Nipton, Spiegelworld shows are rehearsed and previewed far from the prying eyes and wagging tongues of Las Vegas. “Being away from all the distractions and having that be your only job, with people who are that skilled—you can make so much,” explained actor Max Baumgarten, a member of Mollison’s troupe.

If you didn’t see evidence of Spiegelworld’s presence, it would appear that was by design. Mollison clearly isn’t out to create a tourist attraction, which would certainly clash with his achieved goal of incubating shows quietly and giving his troupe some R&R in the desert. His sole concession to tourism is a plan to convert some vintage trailers into accommodations for travelers.

Things remain placid in Nipton and that’s the way Mollison likes it. As he told The Guardian, “Especially when your life is putting on shows and running restaurants, it’s nice to just disappear out to the desert.”