The Fremont Street Experience unveiled the world's largest LED display Monday night, with city officials hoping the light canopy will lure more people to the struggling downtown area. advertisement
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The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and city officials believe the $17 million investment will breathe new life into the downtown attraction built in 1996 for $70 million. The display's 2 million bulbs were changed to light emitting diode lamps, which Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman called "the difference between an old TV and a plasma (TV)." The new technology should provide a sharper image and cut electric costs by 60 or 70 percent, said Joe Schillaci, president of the Fremont Street Experience. The launch of the new system coincided with the premiere of Fox's reality television show, “The Casino.” The show is about the new owners of the Golden Nugget hotel-casino and their quest to run the legendary property. The visitors authority put up $7 million, and Schillaci said 10 downtown casinos operating the public-private pedestrian promenade contributed about $7.8 million. The remaining $3 million came from selling branding rights for the display to LG, the Korean parent firm of the electronics company that did the upgrade. Becky Adams, a 42-year-old tourist from Live Oak, Fla., said the upgrade might do the trick for downtown Las Vegas. “I don't think half these people would be downtown if it wasn't for this,"”Adams said during testing of the light show Sunday night. “I think the better it is, the more people will come.” © 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | MORE FROM U.S. AND CANADA |
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