Construction begins on much-delayed project

Erin Neff

Friday, Dec. 8, 2000 | 10:39 a.m.

The steel beams rising at the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Ogden Avenue don't look very inviting.

And although the corner was already supposed to be packed with shoppers and movie-goers at a $99 million center, the sight of any activity on the lot Thursday was holiday cheer enough for some city officials.

"I saw some cranes over there this morning, and I almost crashed," Mayor Oscar Goodman said of the construction activity he spotted while driving to City Hall on Thursday morning.

But it's not just Goodman's Mercedes that remains intact. The city's $32 million parking garage for the Neonopolis project seems more like an investment now than a money pit.

The city is proceeding with guarded optimism, hoping the beleaguered project does in fact get built.

The emergence of steel, cranes and hard hats -- although very late -- is being welcomed.

Neonopolis was supposed to open Thanksgiving weekend, but was beset with unforeseen problems. The project lost its anchor tenant in 1999 when Mann Theatres pulled out because of the bankruptcy of its parent company.

Without an anchor tenant, smaller stores and restaurants were hesitant to sign leases. Throw in some stiff competition for retailers from Strip developments and Neonopolis seemed doomed.

But World Entertainment Centers continued to plod on, marketing the project as a crucial plank in downtown's redevelopment efforts. On Tuesday, the developers will hold a third groundbreaking ceremony at the site -- this time, apparently, for real.