Question of the Day - 23 November 2024

Ah, Neonopolis, downtown's (and Oscar Goodman's) big boondoggle. This three-story 250,000-square-foot mall at Fremont and Fourth is, and always has been, even on opening day, a bit tattered around the edges.

Plans for Neonopolis were announced in December 1997, but it didn't open until May 2002 at a cost of $100 million. It was an almost immediate failure, an ill-designed hulk of a mall (from the outside, it looks more like a bunker) that was intended to diversify downtown's appeal. But it was far less than full with tenants when it opened and those who were there soon fled or went under.

Only four years later, it was sold to a second group of dreamers for $25 million, but they quickly got into trouble.

Case in point: The original 14-screen Crown Theaters (reduced to 11 screens when Galaxy took over) on the third floor closed three years later in 2009. They blamed the lack of air conditioning when the owner got behind in paying the electric bill. Ooops. The theater also had to subsidize the cost of patrons' parking and cinema goers got spooked by having to traipse through a ghost town to see a flick. 

The mall was briefly rebranded as Fremont Square, but after temporarily closing in 2010 for redevelopment, then undergoing renovations and reopening in 2011 with mostly new tenants, the original name was resurrected. 

Those tenants had just as little chance of survival as the originals. Remember Krave Massive? Supposed to be the largest gay nightclub in the world, it took over the movie theater, but never fully opened and closed completely after several months due to a tax dispute (though the sign remains). 

How about Jillian's two-story restaurant and bar? Or Las Vegas Rocks, which took over Jillian's space? The Poker Dome? Cannabition Museum? Millennial Esports Arena? Dick's Last Resort ("Putting the F.U. in FUN since 1985!")? Banger Brewing? All opened and closed in short order. Other attractions (Star Trek: The Experience) never materialized. 

Anyway, yes, the wreck is still alive and if not actually thriving, perhaps looking up a little. A recent visit (to answer this question) revealed the following.

On the first level along Fremont Street, the Heart Attack Grill, which has survived for many years despite its arteries being completely clogged ("Over 350 Pounds Eats Free"), has been joined by the equally cholesterol-flourishing Fat Sal's (which we tried and will review soon) and Dirt Dogs (the loaded hot dog shop). Denny's flagship location is still there after 12 years and features a wedding chapel. A little more hidden in the interior are Hammered Harry's sports bar ("Service with an Attitude"), Toy Shack, a tattoo parlor, Ultimate Sports Cards and Memorabilia, Gene Woods indoor go-kart racing, and Don't Tell Mama piano bar.

The escalator up to the second level actually works; the down doesn't. On that level are Axehole Vegas (axe-throwing attraction), another wedding chapel, and Cat's Meow karaoke club (second location of the long-established New Orleans club). 

Both escalators are working to and from the third level, where we found Notoriety, having taken over the movie theater space, with several rooms hosting concerts, comedy nights, magic shows, and other events (such as SkankFest 2024). Also on the third level is Crash and Burn Las Vegas, a multi-event and food complex, and Aero Vegas indoor skydiving attraction, which is advertising a winter opening.  

So though it's not the most attractive mall in Vegas and has plenty of empty storefronts, it's managing to pay the electric bills -- at least that's the way it looks to us from the outside.