Vegas project nears completion
Las Vegas — Construction of the Fremont Street Experience, a $70-million project in the heart of downtown, is past the halfway point on time and on budget.
When finished in December, the Fremont Street Experience will feature a state-of-the-art light and sound show, a landscaped pedestrian mall and special events to complement the gambling, dining and entertainment opportunities available at the hotels and casinos lining the mall.
The area includes a four-block “space frame” that towers 90 feet and includes nearly 2.1 million lights and 40,000 watts of sound from a series of speakers within the frame.
A computer-generated light show will consist of images that will parade along the 1,400-foot length of the space frame, which will encompass an area of about 200,000 square feet.
Additionally, sidewalks are being removed, and cul-de-sac improvements are in place on First and Third streets. Fremont Street itself eventually will be replaced with decorative paving. A five-story parking structure will include the Plaza Shops, with 50,000 square feet of retail space.
Ten nearby hotels have contributed nearly $25 million toward development of the project.
Another $8 million was provided by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, and the city is chipping in with nearly $28 million — $22.4 million of that in redevelopment funds.
