Facts About The Fremont Street Experience

Fremont Street

Established in 1905, Fremont Street is where Las Vegas began. Fremont Street has been the setting for many movies and television shows, including Casino, The Las Vegas Story, Diamonds are Forever (James Bond), Honey, I Blew Up The Baby, grand finale for The Stand, Best of the Best, Crime Story , Nasty Boys, Vega$, U2's I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, and commercials for Mercedes-Benz and Mountain Dew among many others.

Ten hotel/casinos are located on Fremont Street Experience.

Project Description

The Fremont Street Experience has created an entirely new environment for Fremont Street, while enhancing what the street already offers today -- world-class gaming in a friendly comfortable atmosphere.

Fremont Street has been transformed into a "people place" offering a unique blend of urban theater, shopping and a one-of-a-kind Light and Sound Show.

Primary Elements

The Space Frame, rising 90 feet in height and stretching almost 1,400 feet along Fremont Street from Main Street to Fourth Street, has created a spectacular foyer for the existing resorts. Holding the space frame aloft are 16 columns, each weighing 26,000 pounds and capable of bearing 400,000 pounds, and 43,000 struts.

The space frame is the venue for the Light and Sound Show. Set into the inner surface of the space frame are nearly 12.5 million LED's. Within the space frame are 208 speakers capable of producing 550,000 watts of sound. Thirty-two computers generate animated images perfectly syncopated to sound.

The Light and Sound Show is presented nightly on the hour from dusk until midnight.

The Pedestrian Mall was created when Fremont Street was closed permanently to vehicular traffic, making it the sole domain of people. The asphalt has been replaced by landscaping and patterned paving forming winding paths that encourage visitors to stroll through this unique outdoor venue.

When the Light and Sound Show is not being presented, music will play over the sound system.

The mall is staffed by crews of security and maintenance personnel, who will help make each visit to Fremont Street Experience more enjoyable.

The Parking Plaza at the eastern end of Fremont Street, is a 1,400-space parking structure built to accommodate the increase in visitors to downtown.

Project Designer

Jon Jerde, an acclaimed architect whose other work includes Horton Plaza in San Diego, "Metropolis" in Times Square, New York City, and City Walk at Universal Studios, Calif.

Cost

$70 million initial investment - $17 million upgrade in 2004

Financing

The project is a joint partnership between the Fremont Street Experience Company--which is owned by the collection of downtown hotel/casino operators, the City of Las Vegas, and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Construction Time Line

Construction began in September 1994.
The project was completed and open to the public in December, 1995.

Fremont Street Experience Officials

Joe Schillaci, Chairman of the Board of Managers
Jeff Victor, President

Fremont Street Experience Limited Liability Company

Comprising the eight owners of 10 downtown properties, the FSELLC is a private entity responsible for financing, developing and managing the Fremont Street Experience.

Fremont Street Experience Member Properties

Fremont Street Experience Development Team

Atlandia Design-- Owner's Representative
The Jerde Partnership-- Project Designer
Marnell Corrao Associates-- Construction Manager
Railton & Associates--- Designer of the Holiday and New Year's Eve Light and Sound Show
David Steinberg and Earshot Music Productions-- The Light & Sound Show Music Composer and Arranger
The Baer Animation Company, Inc.--- Designer of the Americana Light and Sound Show
Young Electric Sign Company--- Design and development of the graphic display system

Information provided by the Fremont Street Experience - Las Vegas (1995)