NLV points way to downtown

Diana Sahagun

Friday, July 14, 2000 | 10:42 a.m.

If you want to coax residents and vendors to downtown North Las Vegas, first you have to tell them where it is.

That was the realization of the city's redevelopment staff while researching how to market the downtown area.

Most people aren't even aware that there is a downtown just a few miles away from Las Vegas, but city staff hopes by marketing the area it can encourage locals and outsiders to see what downtown has to offer.

It will also help direct funds to the specific area to assist with marketing special events and encourage new businesses to the area, redevelopment manager Kenny Young said.

City staff has officially designated downtown as the area bounded by Carey Avenue, Tonopah Avenue, Belmont Street and Interstate 15.

To help market downtown, the redevelopment agency has approved a new program that will consist of stringing banners on the heavily-traveled downtown streets to draw attention to the area.

The estimated cost of the program is $16,490 for 20 banners placed on light poles in high-traffic areas. One banner change will occur during the holiday season. The fabric banners usually have a life span of four years, Young said.

In the coming months the banners will run down Las Vegas Boulevard, Lake Mead Boulevard and along Civic Center Drive.

"Maybe people hadn't thought about looking downtown," Young said. "We want to give people the idea that maybe they should take a look and see what's around. If we can do that, it generates more traffic for retail stores."

Young rattled off a number of businesses already in the area, including Best Prices, Miller's Outpost, Factory 2-U, Heilig-Meyers Furniture Co. and Mac- Frugal's. The redevelopment agency hopes to draw in more similar services, some of which will target the Hispanic market.