Fremont Street Experience facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Fremont Street Experience
Fremont Street

Glitter Gulch
The FSE with the neon lights on
Owner	FSE, LLC
Length	0.8 mi (1.3 km)
Location	Las Vegas
East end	Las Vegas Boulevard
West end	Main Street
Construction
Construction start	September 16, 1994
Completion	July 1995
Inauguration	December 14, 1995
Other
Designer	Jon Jerde

The Fremont Street Experience (FSE) is a super cool outdoor area in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. It's like a giant walking street, also called a pedestrian mall. This exciting place covers five blocks of Fremont Street. It includes the famous "Glitter Gulch" area, known for its bright lights.

The main attraction here is a huge arched roof, like a tunnel, called a canopy. It's about 90 ft (27 m) high and stretches for four blocks, which is about 1,375 ft (419 m) long.

Las Vegas is famous for its bright lights that are always on. But for the shows at Fremont Street, all the building lights under the canopy turn off. This makes the light show even more amazing! For safety, a street that crosses the area is closed during each show.

You can also catch free concerts on three different stages. The Fremont Street Experience is a major attraction in downtown Las Vegas. It's also home to the exciting SlotZilla zip line and hosts the city's big New Year's Eve party. This party even has fireworks on the giant screen!

History of Fremont Street Experience

Fremont Street in 1983, before the canopy was built

Fremont Street has a long and interesting history in Las Vegas. It was home to the city's first hotel, the Hotel Nevada, back in 1906. It also had the first telephone in 1907 and the first paved street in 1925. The first legal gambling license in Nevada was given to the Northern Club on Fremont Street.

This area also saw the first traffic light and the first elevator in the Apache Hotel in 1932. The Fremont Hotel, built in 1956, was the city's first tall building. Because of all its bright neon signs, the western part of Fremont Street was nicknamed "Glitter Gulch."

Why the Fremont Street Experience Was Built

By 1992, most visitors to Las Vegas were going to the Las Vegas Strip. The hotels and casinos in downtown Las Vegas wanted a new attraction to bring more people back. They decided to create the Fremont Street Experience.

A company called FSE, LLC was formed to build and manage this project. It was a team effort by eight downtown hotels and casinos. They worked together to pay for and run the new attraction.

Designing the Giant Canopy

The famous architect Jon Jerde designed the Fremont Street Experience. He was paid about $900,000 to create a show idea for the downtown area. His first idea was a "sky parade" with floats hanging from the canopy.

However, this sky parade idea had some problems. It would have been hard to see properly from the ground. Also, the canopy could create strong winds, making it dangerous for people on the floats. Desert sand could also cause problems for the moving parts.

So, a new idea was needed quickly. Architect Mary Kozlowski came up with the idea for a huge light show on the underside of the canopy. She grew up in Las Vegas and knew the area well. Her idea was loved by everyone involved.

Building the Fremont Street Experience

The canopy was expected to cost $63 million. Downtown casino owners promised $18 million to help pay for it. The city also helped with money for a parking garage and street improvements.

On September 7, 1994, a five-block section of Fremont Street was closed to cars forever. Construction began on September 16. Workers dug up the street and put in the support poles. By February 1995, the roof started to take shape. The last part of the canopy was put in place in July 1995.

The Fremont Street light canopy during the day

The official opening of the light show was on December 14, 1995. The first New Year's party under the canopy was held on December 31, 1995.

In the early 2000s, permanent stages were added for concerts. This meant they didn't need to set up temporary stages anymore. The sound system was also made better in June 2001.

Upgrades and Improvements

On June 14, 2004, a big $17 million upgrade was finished. This new display used 12.5 million LED lights. These lights could create many more colors than the old ones.

These improvements have really helped downtown Las Vegas. More than 60% of visitors to the area come because of the amazing light and stage shows. They then stay to enjoy the nearby casinos and attractions.

In May 2019, a $32 million renovation of the video screen began. New LED lights made the screen much clearer and brighter. There were also plans for a phone app. This app would let visitors choose the next song to play on Fremont Street. It would also let them watch the canopy show on their phones. The work on the canopy was finished by December 2019.

Major Features of Fremont Street

Viva Vision Light Show

The giant LED screen, called "Viva Vision," runs along the Fremont Street Experience. It stretches from Main Street to Fourth Street. Sixteen huge columns hold up the canopy. Each column weighs 26,000 pounds and can hold up to 400,000 pounds!

A small part of this canopy is as big as the world's largest electric sign! The original canopy had about 2.1 million lights. After the $17 million upgrade, it now has over 12 million LED lamps. Inside the canopy, there are 220 speakers. These speakers are powered by 550,000 watts of sound!

The amazing light and sound shows happen every night, starting when it gets dark.

SlotZilla Zip Line Adventure

SlotZilla at Fremont Street Experience is a 12-story tall zip line. It looks like a giant slot machine! SlotZilla has two levels for "flyers." The lower "Zipline" is 77 feet high. The upper "Zoomline" is 114 feet high.

The lower lines go halfway down the walking area. The upper lines go the whole length of the mall, which is 1,750 feet! On the upper "Zoomline," you fly like a superhero, lying on your stomach. SlotZilla cost $17 million to build. Its launch tower has huge dice, a martini glass, a pink flamingo, and two 37-foot-tall showgirls.

Pedestrian Mall Fun

The Fremont Street Experience became a walking-only area in September 1994. When the light and sound shows aren't playing, music fills the air. There's also free entertainment every night on three stages along the mall.

Parking Plaza

There's a parking garage at the east end of Fremont Street. It's owned and run by Fremont Street Experience. This garage has about 1,430 parking spots.

Neonopolis Shopping Center

Neonopolis is a shopping complex near the Fremont Street Experience. It's located where Las Vegas Boulevard South meets Fremont Street. It's a separate place but right next to the fun!

How the Technology Works

Fremont Street by night, with the canopy lit up

The first display had about 2.1 million lightbulbs. These were controlled by 32 computers. The sound system had 350,000 watts of power.

Making the images look real on the curved screen was a challenge. New ways were found to make these low-resolution images look good from the ground. For example, images moved slowly across the display to prevent blurring.

In 2001, the sound system was upgraded to 555,000 watts. The 2004 upgrade brought in 12.5 million LED lights. These lights allowed for many more color combinations. A central control room with 10 computers replaced the old system.

FSE Casino/Hotels

Many famous casino/hotels are located right on the Fremont Street Experience:

• Binion's Gambling Hall and Hotel
• Circa Resort & Casino
• The D Las Vegas
• Four Queens
• Fremont Hotel and Casino
• Golden Gate Hotel and Casino
• Golden Nugget Las Vegas

Some casinos that used to be here include:

• La Bayou (closed in 2016)
• Las Vegas Club (closed in 2015)
• Mermaids Casino (closed in 2016)
• The Mint Las Vegas (closed in 1988; now part of Binion's)
• Pioneer Club Las Vegas (closed in 1995; now a gift shop)

Map of the Area

Images for kids

• 

  SlotZilla zip lines above the street

• 

  Fremont Street by night

See also

In Spanish: Fremont Street Experience para niños