18 Fremont

I think one turd in the punchbowl which will affect the success of this new venue is the large homeless population living in the area several blocks to the north. The common theme I've read, over and over, from strip-only tourists who venture downtown, is how great Fremont is, except for the riff-raff. Staggering around bumming money, cigarettes, oozing dirt and alcohol from every pore, flopping around in front of the stage bands... You've all seen it and experienced it, I'm not telling youse anything you don't already know. And I don't have an answer as to how to help them, or at least isolate them and keep them from scaring the shit out of the new customer base. But if we can get the "entertainers" into a circle so we can at least avoid them if we choose, it seems like Las Vegas could begin to enforce whatever vagrancy laws are already on the books. Its time to nip it in the bud.

 

This guy managed someway / somehow to have a new off ramp approved from the highway to a nonexistent destination. I think he is a long range planner / activist toward his goals. "Cleaning" up the streets is probably on that list for the reasons noted above.
It is a fine line to travel as you have the ACLU observing also. Not a bad thing or barrier but a factor to be dealt with as well as city codes and other factors that allow the current situation.

 

I'm surprised that the Fremont St Experience or the casinos haven't gotten the city to vacate the right of way on Fremont and allow either Fremont St. Experience or the casinos to own the land under the canopy. Much of the reason the porn slappers and performers are less of a problem on the strip is that many casinos now own the land right to the street. Once it's private land, you can trespass people causing problems.

The city vacated several alleys to allow the Golden Gate expansion as well as to make the 18 Fremont parcel contiguous.

 

Good idea but it would screw things up for Main Street Station, Plaza, El Cortez and Downtown Grand and other off Fremont nightclubs, Restaurants etc. As all the undesirables would be concentrated then in a smaller area. I still think it's a good idea.

TomTWI

 

I floated this idea some time ago here on VMB... the only reason I could find for them not doing so is the security & risk-management expense the casinos would have to assume if Fremont Street became private property.
They would be liable for any injuries/accidents, and they would have to provide private security to 'patrol' the area under the canopy - currently provided by LVPD.
Still - I think they should do it.

 

If it were private property maybe they could allocate the dollars contributed to the Fremont experience security to security outside their own properties. I believe better lighting on streets connecting MSS the Grand pizza rock etc would greatly increase the comfort level for pedestrians. Currently too many shadows. But never had a problem

 

For me personally the street performers downtown or the strip are a non issue. They don’t bother me in the least, they don’t harras anyone. Their not burdensome on anyone. Their just people who are trying to make a living. If you don’t like them just keep walking no big deal. As far as safety downtown I think it’s much better than it’s ever been. Since the FSE expanded down to the El Cortez it’s never been easier to visit that particular property. It’s no longer a few blocks from the action it’s well lit with lots of foot traffic and business all the way to their front door. I also find the walk to Ogden st and the casinos their to be fine. Never had an issue anywhere downtown. I do understand depending where you grew up “dangerous” and “scarey” and “bad” are relative terms.

 

I agree, we used to stay/play at the D but the loud music is such a turn off that we stopped.

 

I thought there was a private security company patrolling Fremont St in addition to LV Metro. I think a friend's son had a job with them for a while.

 

We're downtown now. Looks like a mix of cops and private security.

 

To be honest, I used to think the dislike here for the loud music was just old folks being old folks but I saw how the loud music totally ruined playing for a friend. He's a new player trying to focus on making the right calls in blackjack and the sensory overload totally stressed him out.

 

The group of people that ran Las Vegas before the suits took over would have had a solution to the undesirables loitering around the FSE.

 

They achieved closing that street off by using eminent domain hence it is considered a park. I don't know if they could transfer it to private ownership. Maybe they could but it would be a lot more complicated than someone just buying it.

 

Derek Stevens surely doesn't need any suggestions from me, but if I was building this new hotel/casino, I would carve out space for a "Mermaid's Snack Bar", and sell deep fried twinkies, cheap hot dogs, the whole menu from the original, and maybe even put a couple girls in silly costumes out front handing out party beads. Couldn't miss on the nostalgia factor alone!

 

Las Vegas City Council gave 18 Fremont the go-ahead today. Vital Vegas tweeted site prep work should commence by late August.

https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/downtown-casino-plan-gets-quick-ok-from-las-vegas-city-council/

 

Thanks for posting. This was interesting...

"The hotel-casino project comes as the Fremont Street Experience is planning a $33 million overhaul of its canopy LED display, including new content and interactive elements."

Combine the overhaul of FSE, with the new casino, with the new off ramp, with the new parking garage...

Good for the Stevens brothers.

Although our Vegas trips have slowed down in the past couple years, I'm looking forward to visiting downtown when it's all done.

I hadn't really thought about that theme for 18 Fremont but maybe it will be Sassy Sally's?

"Goodman has said the project will transform Fremont Street’s west end. The Sassy Sally figure, a cowgirl which used to kick her leg high over Glitter Gulch and Fremont Street, will be resurrected and again mounted at the site."

https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/downtown-casino-plan-gets-quick-ok-from-las-vegas-city-council/

 

Hope he does better customer service with this one. Was in the Golden Gate this morning and they didn't have a drink waitress on the floor. We gambled for over three hours and didn't get offered a drink once. Your machines in my opinion are not going to fill up with such poor service. I will continue to watch this thread with interest but it really put a damper on the birthday celebration today. I do think a new property would do well downtown and spur interest in Fremont Street but I hope they keep downtown a place that is different than the strip. If its the same odds why gamble downtown anymore? As it is my solution simply to switch casinos. I was pleasantly surprised to see the upgrades at some of the other casinos. The whole side of Binnions was shut down this morning replacing carpeting and looked good what was going in.

 

That's a shame. I haven't had the "best" luck with drink service at GG compared to The D. Step it up GG!! You expanded your casino and refuse to add a restaurant, so drink service is really key!!

 

Or turn it back into an actual street. Can't panhandle or otherwise be a vagrant in a traffic lane.

 

No thanks.
There’s some Friday and Saturday nights where you can hardly walk down Fremont now it’s so crowded. Can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like if all that pedestrian traffic was pushed up on sidewalks.
How about no one patronize the buskers and panhandlers instead?
Eventually they would leave if they’re not making money.