On April 23, 1005, the New York Times (
visit link) ran the following story:
"Las Vegas Upgrading Dowdy Fremont Street
By KENNETH B. NOBLE
Published: April 23, 1995
LAS VEGAS, Nev.— In contrast to the new generation of mega-hotels along Las Vegas's southern strip -- notably the Mirage, the Luxor and the MGM Grand -- Fremont Street, the five-block stretch of downtown and the historic birthplace of gambling in the city, has become decidedly dowdy. Its silver and gold-sequined casinos with their wall-to-wall cigarette smoke, X-rated "grind" joints and neon palm trees, are not only considered a bit archaic these days, but also increasingly unprofitable.
Once high-rollers are dazzled and pampered into profligacy by the hulking newer structures on the strip, with their sumptuous suites and upscale dining, many find it hard to return to the shabby streets surrounding the Golden Nugget, Horseshoe and other older casinos.
Now, in an effort to recapture some of its original quirky charm, Fremont is under going a $70 million revitalization. Most of the street has been closed to automotive traffic since last September when crews began building a pedestrian mall to be completed by the end of the year. "The Fremont Experience," as it is being called, will feature walkways shaded by palm trees, outdoor cafes, shopping and entertainment, all beneath a canopy comprised of more than a million light bulbs. The project will also include a new 1,500-space parking lot and a shopping mall.
"The downside of the new mega-resorts is that you park your car and you have to walk 400 yards to get inside," said Mark Brandenburg, managing partner of the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino. By contrast, he said, the new Fremont Street will remain the place where you can walk from one casino to the next. "They're right next door," he said. "You can be at the Golden Gate, with its 99-cent shrimp cocktails and then walk 40 yards and be in the Golden Nugget, with its brass and marble."
Mr. Brandenburg added: "It will still be the Las Vegas experience: neon. Casinos can preserve their individual identity. When you're walking down Fremont street you'll be walking through a show."
Many of the older hotels in the downtown area are also racing to upgrade their gambling complexes. In recent months the Golden Gate, which is still operating out of its original 1905 structure, has begun an extensive face lift, and the Fremont Hotel and Casino has just completed a $30 million renovation. Similarly, the Las Vegas Club is planning to double its casino space, add two restaurants and build a 20-story hotel tower. And the California Hotel and Casino has already increased its number of rooms from 635 to 781 and has acquired an empty 400-room hotel across the street.
Meanwhile, Fitzgeralds Casino and Hotel is giving its exterior an Irish pub look and has announced plans to acquire an adjacent block of retail space that would add 600 rooms to the resort. The Four Queens has recently completed $5 million in improvements and plans to spend another $2 million over the next several months.
Planners are also hoping to differentiate the new Fremont Street from the strip by attracting a distinctly different type of clientele.
"We're targeting adults," said Mr. Brandenburg. "I respect the mega-resorts and how they've targeted to families. But that's not what the Fremont Street expansion is. This is where adults come to play."
Perhaps just as important, the Las Vegas City Council recently passed an ordinance against panhandling and loitering designed to keep shoppers and gamblers in the area from being bothered. It makes it unlawful to solicit within 20 feet of a retail or commercial business and automated teller machines. Visitors to downtown can get a preview of the finished project at Jackie Gaughan's Plaza, where a trailer has been installed featuring a 22-foot long model."