View of the SPINE from the entrance of AREA15. (Photo Credit: Laurent Velazquez)
AREA15 IN LAS VEGAS ANNOUNCES SEPT. 17, 2020 OPENING DATE
Guests Can Register to be Among First to Step Inside on Opening Weekend
AREA15, the world’s first purpose-built experiential art and entertainment complex will open its doors at 6 p.m. on Sept. 17, 2020. Guests wishing to be among the first to experience the ground-breaking complex should register here for available time slots on opening weekend Sept. 17, 18, 19 and 20 and moving forward. While AREA15 is free to enter, pre-registration and masks are required at this time in order to manage capacities and ensure a safe environment for all who enter.
Sept. 17 marks the initial phase of AREA15’s rolling opening, which will see the ongoing addition of new experiences and tenants through the fall, culminating with the early 2021 opening of Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart.
Located in the heart of Las Vegas and minutes from the Strip, AREA15 will offer immersive activations, monumental art installations, socially-distanced events, extraordinary design elements, unique retail, ground-breaking technology, bars, eateries and much more. The complex also houses 40,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space with more than 800 free parking spaces.
Experiences opening on Sept. 17 include:
- Art Island – The first-ever permanent gallery for the exhibition of large-scale, commercially available, festival-inspired artwork. A full list of the art on view may be found here.
- Birdly Virtual Reality Experience – Birdly mimics every aspect of the avian experience: from the wind beneath your wings to a bird’s-eye view of some of the richest landscapes in the digital world. Guests take a spin through the skies of New York or Singapore, explore prehistoric worlds, or test their flying skills in a futuristic racing game.
- Emack & Bolios – Boston-based Emack & Bolios makes its west coast debut at AREA15, serving ice cream, yogurt, homemade fudge and chocolate, micro-brewed sodas, vegan selections, and more.
- Gallerie 360 inside The Portal – A fully immersive audio and visual experience featuring world-renowned digital artists inside AREA15’s 360-degree projection mapped room, which doubles as a unique event space.
- Haley’s Comet – Created by Walltopia, Haley’s Comet is the first indoor, electric dual-track suspension ride in the United States. Taking thrill seekers for an exhilarating, bird’s-eye view of the unique art in The SPINE, this glider-ride positions two riders against one another in a race to the finish, reaching 8 miles per hour.
- Oddwood – Designed by Las Vegas entrepreneur Ryan Doherty of Corner Bar Management Group, giving inspiration to its name, at the heart of Oddwood will be the ever-changing, nearly 23-foot-high Japanese maple tree built by Color + Light A dramatic 28-feet-long by 17-feet-wide canopy with more than 5,000 twinkling LED lights will create the romantic, enchanting vibe in the space. Oddwood will serve a wide variety of premium beers and cocktails.
- Sanctuary by Ibuku Design Studio – Made from bamboo that’s been carefully selected from the islands of Bali and Java, Santuary offers a tranquil place to gather, rest and reflect. Taking its inspiration from the conical shape of a volcano, this earthy, airy dome is made from all-natural materials, acting as a living organism complete with lush plant life. Sanctuary is also available for private event bookings.
- Shogyo Mujo by Bart Kresa Studio and Joshua Harker – Welcoming guests as they enter the portal into AREA15, Shogyo Mujo is an interactive, 12-foot tall skull covered in 3D projection mapping and synched to music. It ventures into the fourth dimension, that of time, to give each guest a unique different experiene based on where, when, and how they view the piece.
- The Beast Pop-up Food Experience – AREA15’s outdoor event space, A-Lot, will be transformed into a one-of-a-kind outdoor dining experience. Guests will eat and drink under the desert stars surrounded by monumental art sculptures and art cars.
- The SPINE – The backbone tying everything together, The SPINE provides an ever-changing corridor filled with one-of-a-kind art installations, engaging brand activations, unique commerce and inspiring food and beverage offerings.
- Valyrian Steel by Henry Chang Design – Located in the heart of The SPINE, Valyrian Steel is a kinetic art car that is part Mad Max, part Mars Rover.
- Wild Muse Boutique – A unique retail bazaar inside The SPINE, Wild Muse Boutique features one-of-a-kind, handcrafted, sustainable apparel, accessories, art, and eco-friendly health and wellness products from both local and global creators.
“We set out to design something that has never been built before: a vast bunker to house the burgeoning experience economy” said Michael Beneville, Founding Partner and Chief Creative Officer, AREA15. “By creating and curating best-in-class experiences and partnering with immersive artists and makers at the vanguard of this movement, we have witnessed our vision come to life. This project embodies unbound innovation and creativity, and this opening will be the first step towards something truly magical. Come curious and leave different!”
In addition to Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart, many more experiences will open in the coming months including Lost Spirits Distillery, Dueling Axes, Emporium Bar and Arcade, Wink World, The Beast Food Hall by Todd English, Rocket Fizz candy shop, and the Intel Innovation Hub. In addition, more tenants which signed leases in recent months will be announced shortly.
AREA15 will follow the latest recommendations of leading health experts and government authorities, including the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And true to the insatiable hunger for all things inventive and groundbreaking, AREA15 will be using cutting-edge, state-of-the-art technology to help implement these recommendations, including an AI-driven thermal scanning platform that screens temperature accurately and non-invasively, detects the absence of a mask, and alerts staff when social distancing thresholds are not being met.
ABOUT AREA15
AREA15, located minutes from the Las Vegas Strip, is the world’s first purpose-built experiential entertainment complex offering live events, immersive activations, monumental art installations, extraordinary design elements, unique retail, ground-breaking technology, bars and eateries and much more. With a growing collection of dynamic destinations including Emporium, Oddwood, Dueling Axes, Lost Spirits Distillery, Wink World, The Beast Food Hall by Todd English and its anchor experience, Meow Wolf Las Vegas. AREA15’s ever-changing art, retail and entertainment attractions will draw locals and tourists of all ages when it opens in September 2020. AREA15 represents a collaborative venture between real estate development firm Fisher Brothers and creative agency Beneville Studios, both of New York. For more information visit www.AREA15.com.