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Visit the Fremont Street Experience

If you're vacationing in Las Vegas, be sure to visit the Fremont Street Experience, a $70 million pedestrian mall in the downtown area. Chosen by the Themed Entertainment Association for its "Outstanding Achievement" award, it's already considered one of the best themed attractions in the United States, yet efforts are being made to make it even better.

Officials with the venue announced, in September, plans for improvement with the intention of fulfilling requests made by patrons. Despite the outdoor mall's huge success, JSE President and CEO Mark Paris still recognized the need for some fine-tuning. The most common demands were for places to relax while at the mall, so Paris decided to add benches around palm trees and tables and chairs in the cul-de-sacs. "It gives people a place to where they can sit and enjoy the environment," Paris said. "That was one of the first things I tackled when I got here."

For those who fancy doing some serious shopping, they're also adding 200 to 300-foot kiosks as well as 25 to 30 retail carts. Downtown properties are considering adding outside cafes and places for people to sit and enjoy drinks or dinner along with the technological light show. Fitzgerald's Hotel & Casino is opening an Ice Cream and Coffee Pub covered patio along Fremont Street, with seating for 25.

Boyd Gaming Corp. is constructing a $2 million covered pedestrian bridge to connect Main Street Station and the California Hotel & Casino. Plus, a wider variety of outdoor entertainment is being featured within the five-block-long venue. Paris is particularly happy that Las Vegas showgirls have recently been seen in the area joining the festivities. "It's amazing to see how excited people get to be able to stand next to a Las Vegas showgirl and get their picture taken," Paris said. According to Paris, the mall has caused revenue in the downtown area to increase significantly, and he'd love to see the trend continue. "We want to keep the Experience growing," he said. For Paris and the JSE, the future is looking pretty nice.
Source: Nevada Gaming News

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