Creative Spa Design Las Vegas has been a Southern Nevada institution since 1979, building custom spas and hot tubs that combine luxury, quality, and innovation. But the story behind this legendary company is as high-octane as its owner’s other passion: drag racing. Jim Shue, founder of Creative Spa Design Las Vegas, isn’t just a businessman—he’s a drag racing legend who campaigned the famous Hellfire funny car. From nitro-fueled weekends to custom hydrotherapy installations, Jim’s journey represents the best of Las Vegas entrepreneurship, grit, and passion.

Hellfire & Hydrotherapy: Creative Spa Design Las Vegas’s High-Octane Story

CREATIVE SPA SOLUTIONS EST 1979

The High-Octane Life of Jim Shue

From Nitro to Neon, One Man’s Drive Fuels Las Vegas and Beyond

By Candice Wiener

When you meet Jim Shue, you don’t just meet a businessman — you meet a builder, a racer, and a living legend of grit and horsepower. He’s the owner of Creative Spa Design, one of Southern Nevada’s original custom spa companies, and the proud owner of Hellfire, one of the most famous funny cars in drag racing history.

For over four decades, Creative Spa Design Las Vegas has been the go-to destination for custom spa installations across Southern Nevada.

It’s a story that began far from the bright lights of Las Vegas.

From Missouri to the Mojave

Born in Missouri, Jim moved to Las Vegas when he was just three years old. His father, a culinary leader who headed major hotel kitchens in the late 1950s and early 60s, brought the family west after serving in the military. Vegas was a small base then — a desert town built on ambition and opportunity — and it shaped the foundation for Jim’s lifelong hustle.

As a teenager, he was already working. At 14, he started in the grocery business, stocking shelves and unloading boxes, learning early that success is built on long hours and unrelenting effort.

These early lessons in hard work and customer relationships would later become the foundation of Creative Spa Design Las Vegas, where personal service remains paramount.

Later, Jim joined the Las Vegas Sun, working under the famed Greenspun family as a circulation manager and one of the city’s best promoters, he had a knack for drawing new subscribers and building relationships across town — a talent that would serve him in every career that followed.

But the ink-stained hands of the newspaper world weren’t enough to contain his need for speed.

The Drag Strip Dream

In the late 1960s, Jim followed a different calling — the roar of engines and the rush of nitro. He became a professional drag racer, campaigning his now-legendary Hellfire Corvette Funny Car on a show car he had to sell.

For a year and a half, he chased the dream — no big sponsors or deep pockets, just pure determination. But with a wife, a child, and mounting bills, he eventually sold the Hellfire and returned to the newspaper business.

“I loved it, but I had to feed my family,” Jim says, matter of factly.

Decades later, in 2019, he got a call that changed everything. Someone had spotted a Hellfire Corvette Funny Car up for auction in Des Moines. The car hadn’t sold — but the name on the chassis stopped Jim cold: Jim Shue’s Hellfire.

He made the trip. There it was — the car he’d once poured his soul into.

Jim called his longtime mechanic and friend, Dave Mandella, and set to bringing Hellfire back to life. Their mission: to make it the loudest, most crackling car on the planet. Together with other gearheads and crew, they completely restored the car in Jim’s own garage.

The restoration was more than nostalgia — it was resurrection. The car’s original driver had passed away in 2019, but his spirit lives on every time Jim fires it up for a crowd.

Cacklefests, Crowds, and Nitro Glory

Today, Jim and fellow racer Ruth Delling (who lives in Utah) own Hellfire and its twin on display at car shows around the country. They’re fixtures at Cacklefests, where they ignite with cars in synchronized, thunderous spectacle — drawing massive crowds, signing autographs, and selling merchandise.

At events like Vegas Auto Fest and Hot August Nights in Reno, Hellfire is always the star. “We light it up, and you can feel it in your chest,” Jim laughs. “That’s what people come for.”

Running on 35-a-gallon nitro and burning through 55 gallons of it at a time, the car is raw, unapologetic power. Jim works twelve-hour days for a week straight at these events, giving out posters, chatting with fans, and living every second of the adrenaline he fell in love with half a century ago.

“The car itself has records that still can’t be beat,” he says, proudly. “We rebuilt everything ourselves, right here in my home garage. I’ve been fortunate to have seen Hellfire bring so many smiles to people’s faces. It’s famous birthday parties where he always puts on a show for hundreds of his closest family and friends while loudly celebrating the day of his birth. It simply never gets old!”

Building Creative Spa Design Las Vegas from Scratch

But speed wasn’t Jim’s only passion. When he finally hung up his racing gloves, he found himself — once again — looking for a new challenge.

He’d spent over 13 years in the newspaper industry, building circulation for the Las Vegas Sun, and even worked in Colorado Springs before returning home. Burned out but not broken, he knew it was time to create something of his own.

That’s when Creative Spa Design was born. Partnering with Michael Mack and Larry Lieberman, Jim opened his first store on Maryland Parkway. From day one, he built it from scratch — designing, promoting, and installing high-end spas that were anecdotal at the time.

What started as a small operation on Maryland Parkway has grown into Creative Spa Design Las Vegas, recognized throughout the region for innovative designs and uncompromising quality.

“I designed my own molds, changed designs for six months straight if I had to,” he says. “Everything we did was deeper, stronger, and more comfortable than anything else out there.”

While competitors sold cookie-cutter tubs, Jim was revolutionizing the industry with semi-inground hot tubs and frontline life decks that looked like works of art. His displays at home shows were massive, drawing crowds the way his race cars once did.

“I was aggressive,” he admits. “I worked my ass off, but that’s what it takes.”

The Creative Spa Design Las Vegas Legacy of Excellence

Creative Spa Design quickly became a name synonymous with luxury and quality. Jim designed his own products, engineered his own molds, and spent decades perfecting details most competitors never even noticed.

Today, Creative Spa Design Las Vegas continues to lead the industry with custom-engineered molds and cutting-edge hydrotherapy systems that competitors struggle to match.

His granddaughter, Christina, who is also his sister-in-law, now runs operations in Reno and uses the same formula he built from the ground up. “I gave her the blueprint,” Jim says, proudly. “She’s keeping the legacy alive. He promises she will inherit everything he continues to build, which makes my heart happy for her and her loved ones.”

The commitment to excellence that defines Creative Spa Design Las Vegas extends to every installation, every customer interaction, and every product that leaves the showroom.

Jim’s loyal crew has been with him for decades. His general manager, Paul, has worked alongside him for 21 years. His crew chief, Emanuel, has been there at least 15. Together, they’ve seen the company through every evolution of the spa industry — from early prototypes to today’s high-tech hydrotherapy systems.

At one point, Jim ran three stores across Nevada. Today, he’s content with one flowing location, preferring quality over quantity. “It’s a great business,” he says. “I’m proud of what we built.”

Why Choose Creative Spa Design Las Vegas for Your Custom Spa

What sets Creative Spa Design Las Vegas apart in a market filled with mass-produced hot tubs? The answer lies in four decades of innovation, custom engineering, and unwavering commitment to quality.

Unlike competitors who offer standard models from catalogs, Creative Spa Design Las Vegas specializes in custom solutions tailored to each client’s specific needs. Whether you’re looking for a semi-inground installation that becomes a backyard centerpiece, or a high-end hydrotherapy system with cutting-edge features, Jim and his team design, engineer, and install every spa with precision.

The company’s proprietary molds, developed and refined over years of experimentation, create deeper, more comfortable spa experiences than off-the-shelf alternatives. Every jet placement, every seating configuration, every design element is intentional—crafted to deliver not just relaxation, but therapeutic benefits that last.

With a team that averages over 15 years of experience, Creative Spa Design Las Vegas brings expertise that shows in every installation. From initial consultation to final testing, clients work with professionals who understand both the technical requirements and the lifestyle desires that drive spa ownership in the Nevada desert.

Two Worlds, One Philosophy

On the surface, drag racing and spa design seem worlds apart. One is all noise, speed, and adrenaline. The other is tranquility, comfort, and relaxation. But for Jim Shue, both pursuits share the same core values: precision engineering, attention to detail, and a refusal to accept anything less than excellence.

“Whether I’m rebuilding a nitro funny car or designing a custom spa, it’s about doing it right,” Jim explains. “You don’t cut corners. You don’t settle. You build something people remember.”

That philosophy has earned him legendary status in two completely different industries. At car shows, he’s the guy with Hellfire—the car that makes the ground shake. In Southern Nevada homes, he’s the craftsman behind countless backyard sanctuaries where families gather and unwind.

Both require the same meticulous approach, the same commitment to quality, and the same passion for creating something extraordinary.

The Drive That Never Fades

Whether it’s the Hellfire roaring under the Nevada sun or a custom spa bubbling under the desert stars, Jim Shue’s life has always been powered by passion — and by a determination that doesn’t quit.

Whether you’re looking for a custom spa installation or want to see the legendary Hellfire funny car, Creative Spa Design Las Vegas represents the passion and precision Jim Shue brings to everything he touches.

“I’ve been lucky,” he says, smiling. “I’ve had fast cars, great people, and a career I built with my own two hands.”

From drag strips to dream backyards, Jim Shue remains one of those rare few who can say they truly lived life in the fast lane — and brought the heat with them every step of the way.