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A rendering of the proposed amusement park across from Mandalay Bay. The plan calls for up seven amusement rides, including a 500-foot “sky wheel.”
Published Wednesday, March 2, 2011 | 9:59 a.m.
Updated Wednesday, March 2, 2011 | 4:21 p.m.
Amusement park
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KSNV coverage of proposed amusement park on Las Vegas Strip, March 2, 2011.
Developers have proposed plans for an amusement park on this 9.6-acre site across from Mandalay Bay. The site is the location of the former Cloud Nine balloon, which closed late last year. Balloon operators were marking their inaugural flight in this Oct. 8, 2009, photo.
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Clark County commissioners on Wednesday unanimously supported a proposed amusement park on the Las Vegas Strip.
Developers hope to build an entertainment and retail district that would include amusement rides on a 9.6-acre site across from Mandalay Bay. Commissioners, sitting as the county Zoning Commission, gave their approval for the project during their regular meeting Wednesday.
The proposal was submitted by Desert Land LLC and Desert Oasis Investments LLC, both of which are controlled by Las Vegas real estate developers David Gaffin and Howard Bulloch. The developers own more than 30 acres across from Mandalay Bay, including the land where the amusement park would be built.
Each county commissioner commended the developers for proposing a unique idea and for trying to bring a family-friendly attraction to the Strip.
“I commend you for thinking like this and trying to provide a venue that will not only bring people from out-of-state, but from out of the country,” County Commission Chairwoman Susan Brager told the developers.
The plan calls for up to seven amusement rides including a 500-foot “sky wheel,” similar to the London Eye, which the developers' attorney, Ed Garcia, called one of the most popular tourist attractions in London.
The wheel would carry 40, 12-by-18-foot gondolas that could accommodate between 20 and 25 guests each. Developers said the gondolas would be offered in several different configurations and could include dining.
The plan also calls for up to six additional amusement rides surrounding the wheel, which developers didn't detail during Wednesday’s meeting.
Developers plan to build the project in two phases with a temporary 200-foot “sky wheel” in the first phase, along with six other amusement rides. Garcia told the commission this is so they could get the project up and running, since the permanent 500-foot wheel would take about 18 months to construct.
Once the 500-foot wheel is constructed, the 200-foot wheel would be removed, along with two other rides to create space for the larger wheel.
Also included in Phase Two, developers hope to build a 21,000-square-foot convention center and a 139,500-square-foot venue for retail, restaurants and live entertainment.
“We know Las Vegas needs a new exciting development, and that’s why we are willing to do this on our very valuable Strip land,” Bulloch told the commissioners.
Bulloch and Gaffin, along with other investors, first acquired land across from Mandalay Bay in 2001. The developers had planned to build a resort development on the land called World Port Resorts that was expected to have a London theme.
A portion of the land was most recently used as the site for the Cloud Nine helium balloon ride, which closed late last year. The land was leased to Cloud Nine Entertainment to operate the ride.
Cloud Nine opened in October 2009 as the world's largest helium-filled, land-tethered balloon, but was plagued with wind issues from the start.
Denny Weddle, a spokesman for the developers, said no groundbreaking date is set, but the project would take about one year of construction. He wouldn’t comment on an estimated cost.
Weddle said the project would staff about 200 construction workers and have about 200 permanent positions once the facility is open.
Bulloch also told commissioners that with the additional land his company owns near the site, there is the potential to add a rollercoaster and other attractions. Those are not included in the current plan.
The commission expressed some concerns about getting foot traffic to the facility, but Bulloch said they would be willing to work with neighboring properties such as Luxor and Mandalay Bay to build a pedestrian walkway across the Strip.
Several Strip casinos such as Circus Circus, New York-New York and Sahara already have amusement rides, but the proposed amusement park could have even more competition. Caesars Entertainment announced last week it is seeking $400 million in financing to complete a retail and entertainment district between the Flamingo and O’Shea's. The project would also include a “sky wheel,” which Caesars Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman also described as an attraction similar to the London Eye. No groundbreaking date was announced.
Eight Rides and a building large enough for an Arcade = An Amusement Park in Las Vegas. Has anyone traveled to Florida and seen what a Real Amusement Park looks like. This is a roadside Carnival and they usually stay in town for a week before they wear out their welcome.
Good luck to them. Anything new is good for Vegas at this time. It is not Disney but they are using less then 10 acres, not 100's of acres.
Hope they do well.
I have an idea that would instantly solve all of Las Vegas' financial problems and would create a huge amount of profit for some outside corporation. This idea is so good, I am going to copyright it and call it the "TheKash idea". Who knows, I might even hire Righthaven to defend my copyright.
Any way, my idea is this: First the state legislature would pick an area of about 10 miles x 10 miles (100 square miles) just outside of Las Vegas, and mandate this area to be a "No Gambling" area where gambling would be illegal. Next, a large amusement park company, such as Disney would drop their aversion to the Las Vegas area because there is now a big adjacent area where there would be no gambling, and then build a big (and I mean big) amusement park. Las Vegas would now be both adult and family oriented at the same time, large numbers of people would come, everyone would make money, and I would be famous for proposing this idea.
#fail
Oh Boy, another convention center - at 21,000 sqft, it will hold flea markets..I am all for expanding business in LV, but do you really think a 21,000sqft conv center wil lbe used - especially with all the other hotels having space?
Space for offices, etc - common, we have a glut of office space and I imagine the restaurants will be all fast food...
I wish them the best, but......
To start Dinsey would never invest in any amusement park in Las Vegas! it's much to hot in the Dessert to have anything big, the rides can't take the heat, people won't stand in the sun to wait to get on a ride. locals would maybe go a couple times a yr. most people from the East Coast that come to Vegas want to enjoy themselfs, going outside with your kids unless there's a pool won't work. when I come to Vgeas I want to relax, forget the hot weather. July and August wow! it's hot! even at night it's 105. my kids love the pool. after 8 pm there knock out! build something small and you'll make money? keep your over heads down! middle age kids between the age of 21 and 28 only want to club and party! they can careless about any rides! the only ride they want is at 11pm from there hotel in a taxi to a night club to party there a** off! that's Vegas your not changing it! good luck! see you soon! almost ready to start coming there again the winter over!
Like Linus said to Charlie Brown just before he bought that little tree, " I don't know Charlie Brown" It would provide jobs for a little while and then theres the economy and another dead eyesore that nobody goes to. I wish them well and hope it works though.
Unfortunately, this is going to be another example of a failed amusement park in Las Vegas. If you're going to do something like this you have to do it right. Building a theme park using what will essentially be a collection of "carnival" rides on a 10 acre parcel is an example of how to do it wrong.
I don't mean to be negative but we've seen this before not only in our own city but all across america. Successful theme parks need innovative attractions and enough size to equal a full days worth of entertainment; Especially if they wish to command the high prices which I am sure they intend to charge.
No pedestrian over pass.
Yea entrepreneurship!
something for the kids and no more sin city lol
talk about pushing a string, they have no idea on what this town needs..
I'm ambivalent about this. Yes, I too think this is a dumb plan. It's just further proof (as if we needed any more) that the private markets can be just as wasteful and capable of destruction of capital as any government boondoggle. However, as long as it IS private capital, they're entitle to do with it as they want.
On the other hand, our gatekeepers sitting on the various government ruling bodies have been abundantly feckless, over the years. If they had done their jobs and ever asked to see if we're killing the goose that laid the golden egg, they'd have reined in the reckless building bubble that has gutted our local economy and home values for years to come.
Now, while I don't see any long-term damage from a dopey project like this failing, I DO see damage from a 500-hundred foot ferris wheel toppling over in the high desert winds and killing scores of tourists. An independent report on safety issues, paid for -- but not influenced by -- the applicants, should have been demanded as a prerequisite to review of this application.
Is this a joke? How can people with this much money to invest be so delusional?
What's the proposed name of the park, "Chapter Eleven?"
How much is this going to cost taxpayers? and don't say nothing.
I want to have an open mind on this and I really hope it works. But I just don't think it will.
What a stupid idea. Carny rides in 110 degree heat along with Carny food. I'd like to get the barf bag concession.
Whaaaaaat!? This will truly be a dog and pony show. BTW... The investors and tax payers are sure to fleeced on this one.
How is the FAA okaying the ferris wheel??
So there will be two competing sky wheels, one at the end of the Harrah's walkway, and this one.
Any private investment is and should be welcome in this town right now. If it works, great, if it doesn't, oh well. All you naysayers should have your head checked.
At 500ft, it sounds more like a viewing spot for the strip and not much of anything for kids. An indoor gondola Ferris wheel is not really a kid ride. I actually think it fits perfect to see one of the brightest cities in the world from a really cool view, and to see airplanes take off is an added bonus. I would love to have dinner in one.
This fits perfect with the adult vacation spot Vegas has become. Like they said, the Ferris wheel in London is the biggest attraction!
Waste - it won't be open year round. But, an indoor water park would be open year round. An amusement park with MORE retail space. Ugh!!
How could we argue with this? Pepsi, Sony, Chase and Sanyo have obviously already decided to advertise! Oh, wait, there's no groundbreaking, no dollar amount. Between this and the seventeen sports arenas they've proposed this year, there must be a sale on watercolors.
I previously thought it was impossible for anyone to be this stupid. David Gaffin and Howard Bulloch are obviously on a drug called Charlie Sheen.
hahaha... seventeen sports arenas. we can't afford to pay for teachers and basic govt. services, but we sure enough have about seventeen developer subsidy schemes to fleece to the citizens with. The merry go round never stops in Vegas.
I'm still waiting for that water park that was supposed to be built near The M Resort.
What was that arcade / put put place near Sahara and Rancho? Sandia or something like that. I see this place bringing in the same type of crowd. Not somewhere you would go after dark with your kiddos. I'll stick with Adventuredome if my kids want the amusement park atmosphere, even though it's not much better.
Ive always thought a theme park would do well in LV. Let the grand parents take the kids while mom and dad enjoy the city.
The size of this does seem more like a place to buy a holiday tree or pumkins though.
Have the developers ever stood in the las vegas sun May-Sept?
For those of you complaining about this absolute fantastic idea, go back to bed. Grouchy people that don't like things that will with no doubt bring more jobs and income to our community, should keep their opinions to their self. If you don't have anything nice to say, stand in front of a mirror and say it to yourself. Kids need something to do in this town especially since they took the water park away and what's really nice about it, is that the whole family can enjoy their self without having to walk thru a casino to get to it. I love the idea and looking forward to it. I used to love the sky screamer at the MGM but again, the park did not really have much and you had to walk thru a casino. I'm going to work on being one of the very first customers!!!
Kash, there is already a "no gambling" zone with plenty of land just outside of Las Vegas. It's called Boulder City.
I'm soooo glad the real movers and shakers in the community don't rely on the forum posters for ideas and advice. We never get anything off the ground!
Wait...Wait...what happened to "The MegaWheel!" (at the Rio) What happened to "VOYAGER!!" (various locations including the old Wet 'n' Wild lot on the strip) and all the other "proposed" giant wheels in Vegas? Why does everyone compare themselves to the "London Eye'? - because the London Eye is the ONLY wheel over 100 meters that has been successful in the world and all others have failed financially or structurally or are half built (Beijing) because of funding issues and lawsuits or cancelled altogether. Singapore Flyer is a complete financial failure, Melbourne Australia's 120M wheel failed structurally after only 30 days of operations and with less than expected attendance during that time. A 150 meter wheel will cost minimum of $150 Million dollars to build maybe more...and frankly it is ALL ABOUT LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION. London has a great location (and government funding during construction btw) - Singapore not so great. The location across from Mandalay Bay would basically make this "theme park" a stand-alone attraction and, as anyone who has been in Vegas long enough knows, stand-alone attractions never succeed. There's a reason a giant wheel hasn't be built in Vegas to date - it's just not financially feasible unless there are some very sweet tax deals and major concessions from the city and the tax payers of Las Vegas. Also - I don't think the FAA has been consulted on this project - there have been projects near the airport below the 500 foot marker that have been denied because of FAA restrictions of the airspace that close to the runways. My two cents - this is a DOA project - they'll never pull all the funding together.
Sure let's build more stuff having nothing to do with why people visit here. This will solidify our status at the bottom. In the meantime Adelson and the rest can take OUR product and ship it all over the World as Vegas sells Ferris Wheels and Lollipops.
It won't be long before Harry Reid will be proposing we stop legalized gambling here.
Yawn.
You know nooooooooooooo kidding, United! A 500 foot ferris wheel next to the airport! Does anyone in this town have a brain?
Here's a list of the rides:
The Burn Your Butt
Spin and Sweat
Heat Stroke Scrambler
The Fry Wheel
Sun Cancer Coaster
The Scorch and Scream
It's better than another nightclub. Will it create jobs? Yes. Will it bring people to spend? If it's as cheap as the other alternatives for kid's entertainment in the area, Excalibur and Luxor. As long as there's plenty of shade all around and a pedestrian bridge, it looks alright! Yeah, wet and wild is missed. There is room behind it to build (where the limo fight took place in Hangover). Where the Montecito "was."
And again with the big wheel! Rides are still a better ides than the hot air balloon petting zoo? No live animals at risk out in the heat with bratty kids.
interesting..http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2003/Nov-18-Tue-2003/news/22611131.html
I can't believe there is so many selfish, ignorant and poor spirited people posting here. First of all, what do you care of others ventures? Do you have successful businesses? You are just simple jealous losers that because you have failed in life, you want to diminish ideas or projects. Everyone does not think like you. Losers. There are families in town with different interests and people that want a different kind of fun, while mixing it with different experiences. If you even know what market research is for, maybe you would understand that before a project is done a lot investigation is done. It is not just like a stupid idea you guys might have and test it to work. It is completely idiotic to think that because you don't like something, won't work. Also think of the kids that live in town, they need this, they need places to go and forget all the vices around. Maybe the location is not the best but if they own the land they can do whatever they want with it. If you have a better idea, give it or build it Instead of giving bad comments or complaining. Give ideas and help not act like idiots.
matchpoint
it is nothing to do with personal thoughts,
this is a bad idea, poorly planned business and not big enough to be an attraction that will pay for itself let alone make a profit.
Nearly all minimum wage jobs. Taxes for the State will never happen because of all the write-offs, just money for the owners siphoned off for other places. Another liability for the Nevada Taxpayer.
Is it hotter in Vegas that Orlando's humidity in the summer? I think not. These guys have a good idea that will employ hundreds in the construction phase and hundreds more if the venture is successful. Its their money folks, somebody please explain why the taxpayer could lose on this deal.
Didn't we already have an amusement park that closed in the '90s, at the MGM Grand?
Stupidity gone to seed for both the city for approving it and the guy that proposed this.
So here's what I don't understand. It's alright to consider and approve placing this 500 foot ferris wheel within about 3000 feet of runway 25L/7R, and say that is within in a safe range of the airport and will not cause any possible flight pattern safety risks. However, a talked about second level to Interstate 15... let me rephrase that, an "overcrowded, completely congested Interstate 15" is considered a huge safety factor to the flight pattern of McCarran. Wow, I would sure like to know what type of factors the commissioners are looking at through their highball and martini glasses when they came up with this approval plan.
i think what we need is another place similar to town square, however without any high street chains, only small boutique shops which sell stylish goods.
There are a few small places in town which do very well
rocket fizz
scousers
to name two both these places offer something different with a good personal service
I hope they have the funds to complete and open the 500 foot ferris wheel. I would hate to see an unfinished 500 foot ferris wheel sitting there like the other unfinished properties around town.
STOP THIS NONSENE. IT WILL NOT GET OFF THE GROUND.
IT'S A PR JOB.
This is a awesome idea more money to the city now it will be a great
Vacation destination for families and it will make the city look a bit better.
don't be such a "debbie downer" acesbet. These people have done their research and this is what the market is screaming for. Betting Exchanges are so yesterday, online gaming is too confusing, instead what we need is a "Zipper" and a "Wacky Worm", lol. (those are actual amusement park rides btw).
I have trouble believing that McCarren would not have a problem with a 500 ft. ferris wheel so close to the airport.
What do you bet, if this project ever gets underway, that 200 ft. ferris wheel is never replaced with a bigger one.
And who wants to ride a puny 200 ft. ferris wheel?
I sense another Vegas fiasco. Put this in the file with the Fontainebleau and the Echelon.
When will officials finally learn that Las Vegas is NOT California and NOT Florida! It's too hot here in the summer, too cold in the winter, and too windy just about anytime.
Outdoor amusement parks depend on reliable, comfortable weather... which Las Vegas does not have, and never did.
If a private investor wants to put up his time and money for this project. Bless them. My 2 cents would be to do just the Ferris Wheel with some great views. I could see a lot of people doing that, but I would keep it really simple.
It was the county commisioners that gave this a yes vote! Remember them the next election! Buiders cannot build in this valley without the commisioners saying yes. That is where the blame lies. Vote them out! Let their next jobs be working in the carnival!
That is a great idea a 500 FT. ferris wheel right next to the airport. Didn't we goes through this with Commisioner Sisolak's brilliant idea of purchasing property near the airport and then realizing "Oh I can't build a 50 story casino right in the flight path of Mccarran". Then sue the county for 23 million because his property was devalued. 23 million of your's and mine taxpayer's dollars. I can see this going down the same path lol.
How long was the amusement park at MGM Grand open? I don't remember it being there. Why did it close?
Isnt there an airport steps away from the 500 ft wheel? I think it would be cool none the less...
@girlygirl -- The MGM Grand Adventures theme park closed September 4, 2000, after eight years of operation. It closed for the same reason that other companies close -- it wasn't making enough money.
I CAN NOT AGREE MORE. I have lived here my whole life. You would think that Vegas, being Vegas; there would already be a park and it would have to top all of the other well known parks in the us, or even the world! like real over the top....who cares if it is not on the strip!...SIX FLAGS OR SOMETHING! use some acres and do it for real... do something for the people who live here too!....VEGAS IS A LAME CITY TO LIVE IN