Question of the Day - 07 January 2024

We still get questions about what Area15 is and frankly, it's hard to put into words.

It's a destination, a platform, an experience.

It’s a content box for the 21st century, the gateway into a new economy.

It's retail, entertainment, and art redefined. 

It’s a portal into a wholly reimagined world weaving together events, art, brands, technology, and design that will make you forget everything you know about what an event venue is supposed to be. 

At least all that’s the hype that’s been splashed around the web and print media since Area15 was announced in 2018.

What it actually (as opposed to virtually) turned out to be when it opened at 3215 S. Rancho Drive just west of I-15 in fall 2020, delayed a year due to the pandemic, is a nearly 200,000-square-foot mall of sorts whose name not only refers to the interstate, but reverses the digits of Area 51. To sum it up succinctly, it's a two-story experiential retail and entertainment complex, whose black box of a building off the freeway features a couple of dozen storefronts, most jutting off from what's called "the Spine," the psychedelic main corridor that boasts one-of-a-kind art installations and a distinct see-and-be-seen vibe.  

The "anchor" attraction is Omega Mart, an interactive art installation that pretends to be a supermarket with all kinds of surreal elements. Other activities are Birdly, a flight simulator; Brainstorm, "reaction centers" that respond to your thoughts, hopes, and dreams; motion simulators and VR experiences; axe-throwing, golf simulator, and arcade; a zipline above the Spine; and more.

The Beast is a Todd English restaurant and bar "in the belly of a dragon," Kaia Handroll is the Japanese eatery and bar, bars and lounges are dotted around the place, and event spaces host DJs and concerts.

Outside is Liftoff, a slow-moving observation-tower-type ride that raises you 100 feet in the air; it has a bar nearby and you can take your drinks on the ride. In another building is Illuminarium, a 30,000-square-foot space with two immersive museums, bars, gift shop, and a cafe in the building, Lumin, run by the James Beard award-nominated local husband-wife team of Elizabeth Blau and chef Kim Canteenwalla.

And there's more to come, much more. A groundbreaking ceremony took place late last year for a long-planned 20-acre 110,000-square-foot expansion that will encompass "immersive experiences, curated retail, unique entertainment, and adventurous food and beverage destinations." In addition will be a year-round Universal horror attraction, announced a few years ago and named "Universal Horror Unleashed," and work is already under way on a cannabis lounge.

People, mostly younger than, say, 35, come from all over the country to visit Area15, which is a pilgrimage of sorts for scene-makers. It's dark, loud, brash, and never fails to overload our senses within minutes of walking into the place. In other words, it's not for everyone, but if you've never been there, mere words can't do it justice. You have to experience it to really know what it's all about.

And it's branching out from Vegas. A second 17-acre location is slated to open in Orlando toward the end of this year.