Downtown ‘dead zone’ obstacle for Neonopolis

Diana Sahagun

Monday, Aug. 5, 2002 | 10:51 a.m.

It's been called the "dead zone" by Las Vegas officials -- the uninviting downtown block where the Fremont Street Experience ends and Neonopolis begins.

At that intersection, Fourth Street -- which passes through some of the city's newest projects downtown -- acts as a barrier that divides the old Las Vegas from the new.

Officials say enticing tourists to cross Fourth Street by stepping beyond the shaded canopy of the Experience is a challenge for nearby businesses, and the city's business development office may step in to help.

On Wednesday the City Council will consider the office's request to provide $50,000 to enhance the intersection with a stage and lights in hopes of increasing foot traffic to Neonopolis and a planned entertainment district in the area.

What seems like a simple request, though, is expected to be prefaced by a lengthy discussion on the city's role in helping Neonopolis.

The allocation was postponed last month, after Mayor Oscar Goodman said he was leery of the request. Goodman said before the council decides on the allocation, the members should have a frank discussion about how far the city should go to protect its investment in Neonopolis.

"We're going to have future discussions about spending taxpayer dollars out here, and I hope it never gets to the point where it's going down a bottomless pit," Goodman said. "I think there comes a time when we have to draw a line and the private sector really has to step up and ultimately be responsible for the success in that area."

The city is at a crossroads with Neonopolis, having invested $32 million for an underground parking garage and waiting to see whether its investment will pay off. While Neonopolis features a movie theater, shops and several restaurants, its second anchor tenant, Jillian's, is still months away from opening.

Mark Paris, president of the Fremont Street Experience, said the intersection is also hindered by a lack of retail tenants at the Experience's parking garage. But in the next several days, Paris expects to announce the first of several tenants, he said.

"I think once you get that space filled and Neonopolis gets Jillian's open in the fall, you will see some more activity and that will help," he said. "Having live entertainment helps pull people closer to East Fremont Street and it will encourage businesses to move in also."

Lesa Coder, the city's business development director, said the $50,000 request is similar to other incentives that her department provides to bring in new businesses.

And the entertainment venue is not just for the sake of Neonopolis, she said, but for the city's plans for a district with bars, shops, and restaurants east of Fremont Street.

"To me, it's a stepping stone to continue moving further east," she said. "You have to start with the nucleus of the core and move outward."

Neonopolis officials could not immediately be reached for comment on the proposal.

Although Goodman had asked Coder to define how much the city should provide for private projects, Coder said such a policy would be nearly impossible to craft.

"Every considered investment or action for benefit of redevelopment is really a judgment call individually, based on its own merits," she said.

"I told (the mayor) you never know when enough is enough. What you do is you make an investment and you monitor it and you nurture it and if it works, good. If it needs a little more fertilizer or water then you add that. Hopefully you take it to the point of being successful."