It’s All Downtown

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

I don’t mean to get Petula Clark’s “Downtown” stuck in your head (you “Seinfeld” fans are already humming the lyrics), but exciting things are happening in downtown Las Vegas. And, no, I’m not talking about the Strip.

When former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman took office in 1999, one of his primary goals was to make the city more of a cultural attraction. Mission accomplished, as this year a number of art and educational attractions will open near Fremont Street, what locals refer to as “Old Vegas.” Goodman’s wife, Carolyn, succeeded him as mayor last year, and he will be by her side to celebrate a number of openings and renovations that will reveal another side of Las Vegas, a sophisticated complement to the “What Happens Here, Stays Here” identity that permeates the city’s reputation.

One of those attractions is The Mob Museum, which you will read about in this issue’s feature story. One of the first things Goodman did as mayor was inquire about the former U.S. Post Office and federal building on Stewart Avenue. More than a decade later, the historic 1933 building is now home to The Mob Museum, which will open this Valentine’s Day. Goodman gleamed like a proud papa during a November interview with us about the project.

The new museum is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what’s on the horizon for downtown. Goodman is scheduled to open a steakhouse, Oscar’s, in the recently renovated Plaza Hotel. The 41-year-old hotel, which anchors the popular Fremont Street Experience, boasts 10 new restaurants and bars and fully renovated rooms.

On March 10, the city will unveil its Smith Center for the Performing Arts, which is being billed as the centerpiece of cultural life in Las Vegas, offering a blend of performances by resident companies and touring attractions. The five-acre cultural campus, part of the 61-acre Symphony Park, will contain indoor and outdoor stages. Additionally, a new Discovery Children’s Museum will open at Symphony Park later this year. The Smith Center stands out nobly among other new-ish buildings such as the World Market Center, Cleveland Clinic, and Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health.

In October, Fifth Street Gaming CEO Seth Schorr, who is overseeing the redevelopment of the historic downtown Lady Luck property, announced that the property has been renamed Downtown Grand. The removal of the historic Lady Luck neon sign marked the beginning of the property’s transformation. Speaking of neon signs, still to come in mid-2012 is a new and improved Neon Museum visitor’s center, housed in the shell (literally) of the former La Concha Motel. As well, the Las Vegas Shakespeare Company is in the midst of converting the former Reed Whipple Cultural Center into the Las Vegas Shakespeare Theatre.

This is not to mention the fascinating museums and educational institutions already existing in Southern Nevada, which you’ll read about in this issue’s other feature story. A nice steak dinner and a world-class show without ever having to take on the Strip? And an informative and educational experience to boot? It’s happening in downtown Las Vegas.

Matthew B. Brown, Editor
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)