Downtown Las Vegas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Downtown Las Vegas
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Downtown Las Vegas, looking south
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 Downtown Las Vegas
Location in Downtown Las Vegas
Downtown Las Vegas
Location in Las Vegas Boulevard
Downtown Las Vegas
Location in Nevada
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| Country | United States |
| State | Nevada |
| County | Clark |
Downtown Las Vegas (often called DTLV) is the main business area and old heart of Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. It's where the city first began. This area was the main place for gambling before the Strip became famous.
As the central part of the Las Vegas Valley, Downtown Las Vegas has many tall hotel and office buildings. You'll also find cultural spots, old buildings, and government offices here. There are also new homes and shops. Downtown is in the middle of the Las Vegas Valley. It's just north of the Las Vegas Strip. The area is centered around Fremont Street, the Fremont Street Experience, and Fremont East. The city says the area is bordered by I-15 to the west, Washington Avenue to the north, Maryland Parkway to the east, and Sahara Avenue to the south.
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History of Downtown Las Vegas
The first people to visit the Las Vegas area were ancient Paleo-Indians. They traveled here about 10,000 years ago. They left behind petroglyphs, which are drawings carved into rocks. Later, Anasazi and Paiute tribes arrived at least 2,000 years ago.
The area was named Las Vegas, which means the meadows in Spanish. This name was given in the 1800s because of the many wild grasses and fresh spring water. These springs were important for travelers heading west.
In 1844, John C. Frémont arrived. His writings helped bring pioneers to the area. Downtown Las Vegas's Fremont Street is named after him.
Eleven years later, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chose Las Vegas. They built a fort here. It was halfway between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. The fort was used for gathering supplies. It was left empty several years later. You can still see parts of this fort today. It's at the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park. This park is at Las Vegas Boulevard and Washington Avenue.
Las Vegas officially became a city in 1905. This happened when 110 acres of land were sold. This land was next to the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. It became the downtown area. In 1911, Las Vegas became an incorporated city.
The year 1931 was very important for Las Vegas. Nevada made casino gambling legal that year. This year also saw the start of building the nearby Hoover Dam. Many construction workers and their families came to Las Vegas. This helped the city avoid big money problems during the Great Depression. The dam was finished in 1935.
After World War II, fancy hotels, casinos, and famous entertainers became popular in Las Vegas.
In the 1950s, the Moulin Rouge Hotel opened. It was the first casino-hotel in Las Vegas that allowed people of all races.
In 1951, the first test of an atomic device happened. It was at the Nevada Test Site, about 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas. People in the city could see the large mushroom clouds. This continued until 1963. After that, tests had to be done underground.
During the 1960s, large companies and powerful business people, like Howard Hughes, bought and built hotel-casinos. Gambling started to be called "gaming." It became seen as a serious business.
In 1989, a businessman named Steve Wynn changed the Las Vegas gaming world. He opened The Mirage. It was the first huge casino resort on the Las Vegas Strip. This made more visitors go to the Strip instead of downtown.
In 1995, the Fremont Street Experience opened in downtown Las Vegas. This covered, five-block area has 12.5 million LED lights. It also has 550,000 watts of sound. Shows happen every hour from dusk until midnight.
Many efforts were made to improve downtown. Because of this, 2012 was called “The Year of Downtown.” Projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars opened then. These included The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, Discovery Children’s Museum, the Mob Museum, and the Neon Museum. A new City Hall complex also opened.
Neighborhoods and Attractions
Fremont Street Casino District
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Fremont Street is where most of downtown's hotels and casinos are. These were the first casinos in Las Vegas. They were here before the more famous Las Vegas Strip. The Fremont Street Experience is a covered street in downtown. Casinos are connected to the street and to each other in a special way. A system of over 2 million lights and a sound system creates nightly shows. Many events also happen here, including live concerts. You can also find various places to eat and have fun in this area.
Fremont East Entertainment District
Business owners have been working to improve Fremont Street. This is the area just east of the Fremont Street Experience. In 2002, the city of Las Vegas Redevelopment Agency worked with Fremont East owners. They created a special business improvement area. They also paid for $5.5 million in street improvements. This area is called the Fremont East Entertainment District. It has a cool mix of bars, clubs, and restaurants. This three-block area is centered on Las Vegas Boulevard at Fremont Street. It has streets that are easy for walking, nice plants, and old-style neon signs.
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Fremont East (2016), looking towards FSE
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Fremont East bar
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Beauty Bar on Fremont East
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The Arts District
This area is officially called 18b, The Las Vegas Arts District. It was named for the 18 blocks it first covered. This district is the center of the city's art scene. It has many art galleries, studios, and stores. Many shops here sell old items, vintage clothes, and unique furniture. The district is centered on Main Street and Charleston Boulevard. It hosts the popular First Friday festival every month. This festival features art, music, and other performances.
Symphony Park
Symphony Park is a new urban area. It is being built on land west of Fremont and Main streets. It will have shops, medical centers, hotels, and homes. The city of Las Vegas is developing this area. It bought 61 acres of land from the Union Pacific Railroad in 1995. This is a big project for the Las Vegas Redevelopment Agency and the city. Some projects are already finished and open at Symphony Park. These include the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, and the Discovery Children's Museum.
Las Vegas Medical District
Leaders are planning to make downtown's Las Vegas Medical District (LVMD) bigger. It is currently 200 acres. The plan is to expand it to at least 680 acres. It already has the most healthcare services in the Las Vegas valley. A bigger district would offer even more healthcare options. Planned expansion areas include the Charleston Boulevard corridor and Symphony Park. The main part of this bigger district will be the 260,000-square-foot UNLV School of Medicine. It will have an educational building and a library. The school was approved in late 2016. It started accepting students for its first class in 2017.
Financial District
This area is centered on Bonneville Avenue and Casino Center Boulevard. Most of it is filled with office and government buildings. There are several court buildings here. Because of this, many law firms and other legal businesses are in the area. The financial district is home to the Las Vegas City Hall building. It also has the Lloyd D. George U.S. Courthouse. Several bank buildings, like Bank of America, are also here. The Clark County Marriage Bureau is also located here.
Art and Culture
Downtown is a major center for arts and culture in the Las Vegas area. The main place for performances is the Art Deco-style Smith Center for the Performing Arts. Besides The Smith Center and the 18b Arts District, there are other educational places. These are in the Cultural Corridor, just north of downtown. They include the Las Vegas Natural History Museum, the Neon Museum, and the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park. Many old neon signs from former Las Vegas casinos are also here. They have been fixed up and placed on streets around downtown. You can also see them throughout the Fremont Street Experience. A famous neon sign in downtown Las Vegas is the Vegas Vic sign. It is also at the Fremont Street Experience.
- The Smith Center for the Performing Arts
- The Writer's Block
- DISCOVERY Children's Museum
- Mob Museum
- Neon Museum
- Las Vegas Natural History Museum
- Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park
Retail and Shopping
- Las Vegas North Premium Outlets
- Downtown Container Park
- Antique & Vintage stores
Cityscape and Buildings
Architecture and Design
Downtown has several important buildings. Las Vegas was founded in 1905, so it doesn't have as many old buildings as older cities. One special building is the Historic Fifth Street School. It was built in 1936 in the Spanish-mission style. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Also listed is the Las Vegas Post Office and Courthouse. This building now houses The Mob Museum. It is one of the few old neoclassical buildings in the city. The Las Vegas Academy of International Studies and Performing Arts was built in 1930. It is the city's best example of Art Deco architecture. The Morelli House, built in 1959, shows a great mid-century modern design. The building that used to be Las Vegas City Hall is also notable. It now holds the main offices for the online store Zappos.com. It is a good example of 1970s modern architecture.
As Las Vegas grew, newer buildings took ideas from different styles. The Clark County Government Center has a red stone outside. This design reminds people of the desert. The Smith Center for the Performing Arts opened in 2012. It is a modern example of Art Deco design. Architect Frank Gehry designed the building for the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. It has a deconstructionist style. It was finished in 2010.
Parks and Green Spaces
- Donald W. Reynolds Symphony Park
- Lewis Avenue Pedestrian Corridor
- Heritage Park
- Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park
- Clark County Government Center Amphitheater
- Cashman Field Center
Transportation in Downtown Las Vegas
Two major highways meet in downtown Las Vegas. These are Interstate 15 and Interstate 11/U.S. Route 95. RTC Transit is the public bus system. It provides bus service throughout Las Vegas, including the downtown area.
A special bus service called the Strip & Downtown Express started in March 2010. It has limited stops and runs often. It connects downtown Las Vegas, the Strip, and the Las Vegas Convention Center. It stops at the Bonneville Transit Center. This transit center was finished in 2012. It is a main transfer point for downtown. It has 16 spots for buses and 100 bike racks.
The Downtown Loop is a free shuttle. It serves many attractions in downtown Las Vegas. The Loop runs all the time during its operating hours. It arrives at each stop every 20 minutes. The hours are Monday through Thursday: 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Friday through Saturday: 3 p.m. to 12 a.m.; Sunday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The AAA Free Self-Driving Shuttle was a test program. It gave rides in the Fremont East Entertainment District from November 2017 to November 2018. This program was a partnership with Keolis, the city of Las Vegas, and the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada. The shuttle ran Tuesday – Sunday from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Its main stop was at the Downtown Container Park. Shuttle service was paused during August.
Economy and Growth
The economy of downtown Las Vegas has mostly been about gambling and entertainment. This is true for the larger Las Vegas Valley too. However, the smaller downtown casinos earn less money than the huge resorts on the Las Vegas Strip. As of 2014, many downtown resorts have been greatly improved. These include The Plaza, Golden Gate Hotel, Golden Nugget, El Cortez Hotel & Casino, the D, and the Downtown Grand.
Downtown Las Vegas also has some company offices. It is home to the World Market Center Las Vegas. This center often hosts trade shows and conventions. Recently, the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health opened. Also, the new Zappos headquarters moved downtown. These have started to bring new medical and technology businesses to the area.
Revitalization Efforts
In recent years, the downtown area has been less popular than the bigger and more famous Las Vegas Strip. The Strip is located a few miles to the south. The city has been working hard to make downtown better. They want to attract more visitors and people to live there.
The World Market Center Las Vegas has three very large buildings. They cover a total of 5.1 million square feet. The facility was designed by Jon Jerde. It hosts trade shows twice a year for the furniture industry. This is one of several things helping to make downtown Las Vegas's economy more diverse. It also helps create different types of jobs.
The World Market Center Las Vegas is bigger than both the Willis Tower in Chicago and the Empire State Building in New York City.
The city is also working to bring more events to the downtown area. Recent events include Helldorado and the Life is Beautiful festival.
In 2012, several new downtown projects were finished. The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, the new Mob Museum, and a new City Hall building all opened. The Discovery Children's Museum opened next to The Smith Center in 2013.
The Las Vegas City Hall now operates from a new building. This building, along with the Bonneville Transit center, can help bring new development to Main Street. Also, Main and Commerce streets in downtown Las Vegas are being made more beautiful. These improvements started in mid-2014.
The online store Zappos made big changes to the old Las Vegas City Hall. They moved their main offices into the building in late 2013. Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh took a personal interest in the downtown area. He gave $350 million of his own money to a big effort called the Downtown Project. This project invests in businesses like The Writer's Block.
Downtown Las Vegas in Film and Media
- The 1971 James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever shows a chase scene. James Bond drives a car through an alley onto Fremont Street.
- The 1987 music video for "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" by U2 was filmed on Fremont Street. It shows the band members walking around.
- Very Bad Things (1998) featured Fremont Street in the movie.
- Honey, I Blew Up the Kid (1992) showed Fremont Street a lot in the movie.
- Cool World (1992) showed animation coming from the Plaza hotel and going down Fremont Street.
- In 1994, Glitter Gulch was shown in the TV Miniseries The Stand.
- The 1997 comedy Vegas Vacation has some scenes on Fremont Street.
- In the 2004 movie Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Steve the Pirate is seen near the Plaza. This is close to the Fremont Street Experience.
- In 2005, Panic! at the Disco released a song about cheap motels on Fremont Street. It's called "Build God, Then We'll Talk".
- The 2007 film Next shows Nicolas Cage's character entering the Golden Nugget. He comes from the Fremont Street Experience.
- Ice Cube's music video for "Chrome and Paint" took place on Fremont Street. Ice Cube was in a lowrider car.
- In the video game, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas, Logan Keller and his team go into Fremont Street. They look for a news van.
- The Tom Waits song "Mr. Siegal" talks a lot about downtown.
- It was shown at the start of the TV Series CSI season 7 finale episode 24.
- It was featured in the opening credits of the TV series Vega$.
- Magician and illusionist Criss Angel has done many shows and TV specials there.
- The reality TV show Pawn Stars is filmed at the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop. This shop is on Las Vegas Boulevard. Other people from the downtown community appear on the show. This includes Jesse Amoroso from Cowtown Guitars. He is a guitar expert on the show.
