From subsequent correspondence, we learned that this query was sent to us by a New York police officer whose wife is a survivor from the North Tower (1) and that the couple had previously left their own tributes at the memorial for fallen friends and comrades. Hence, this QoD turned out to be particularly personal and poignant.
We're happy to report that the memorial is in safe hands and is currently in storage courtesy of UNLV's Special Collections Department, which is looking after all the informational materials and personal contributions that comprise this tribute to the victims of 9/11. Formerly located at the base of the hotel's Statue of Liberty, it has been a focal point for first responders, grieving families, visiting/relocated New Yorkers, and many others since the 2001 tragedy.
What first started as a spontaneous tribute, as people left notes, t-shirts, flags, photographs, and other keepsakes in the immediate aftermath of the attack on the World Trade Center, was later formalized into a memorial with the help of the university's Gaming Studies Department. The artifacts donated were cataloged and then displayed -- in rotation, since there are more than 6,000 items -- in protective cases in front of the wrought-iron fence that surrounded the themed casino's replica of New-York harbor. But its location, at the corner of Tropicana Avenue and the Strip, was one of the final spaces to be incorporated into the ongoing $100 million construction project that will see the area in front of New York-New York and the Monte Carlo transformed into a public meeting place, retail complex, and outdoor entertainment plaza called The Park, due for completion next spring, leaving many to question what had or would become of the memorial.
The answer is that the property is still looking for an appropriate permanent home, in conjunction with the Las Vegas firefighting community, but its temporary removal should not be taken as a sign of disrespect. On the contrary, as the resort's president stated to the Las Vegas Review-Journal on the 2013 anniversary of the 9/11 attack, "I think that we have been very careful from the beginning. It was very, very important for this resort to be respectful and find a way to handle the objects that were left to preserve them for the future. First and foremost, we do not market [the memorial]. We do not have any events regarding it. This is a tribute to the people who are connected to 9/11. We're proud they choose us and we do everything to respect their wishes."
In the meantime, while the memorial is not on public display at UNLV, it's accessible to anyone who would like to view the items that members of the public have contributed in private, personal tribute to those who lost their lives. We spoke with the university, who requested that anyone who wishes to do so should make a prior appointment by calling 702-895-2234, so that the necessary arrangements can be made in advance of their visit. The Special Collections Department is located in the Lied Library building at 4505 South Maryland Parkway.
Images appear courtesy of: Jeff Schied/Las Vegas Review-Journal and Julie Jacobson/AP.
