Developer proposes downtown club

Las Vegas' new entertainment district is set to get another resident.

The proposed Venue of Vegas would house a comedy club and event/banquet space at the corner of Fremont and Eighth streets, near the Western Casino.

If the plan gains final approval, the club would be the latest of several new businesses in what's called the Fremont East District, a three-block area that runs from Las Vegas Boulevard to Eighth, next to the Fremont Street Experience.

It will be a different kind of entertainment destination, said co-owner Marty Olson, who runs a similar business in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The core of the business would be providing venues for events such as corporate meetings and parties, proms and bar mitzvahs. Olson focuses on the "subsets" of larger events, he said. For example, when a large convention is in town, individual companies will rent space for private gatherings.

"There's nothing sexy about what I do," he said. "We don't want to be on the Strip. We don't want Paris Hilton. That's not our model."

The 2,500-person capacity facility will also be arranged to host concerts, late-night dancing and local comedians.

Las Vegas planning commissioners gave the proposal a thumbs-up last week, and the City Council is expected to consider it this month.

Plans call for a two-story building with Mediterranean-style exterior.

The developers asked to have only eight parking spots on site (six for employees and two handicapped slots) because of the parking garages on Las Vegas Boulevard, on-street parking in the area and available public transportation.

After final approval, the existing building on the site -- most recently a carpet store -- will be demolished.

Construction is expected to start in January and finish by October 2008.

The Venue of Vegas would join nightspots like the Beauty Bar, the Griffin and the Downtown cocktail room in reclaiming a part of downtown long considered too dirty and dangerous to frequent.

In August, Las Vegas showcased the completion of $5.5 million in improvements to the area, including wider sidewalks, landscaping and new neon signs. Businesses and police report that foot traffic is up and crime is down.

Olson and his partner, Victor Perrillo, saw what the city was trying to do to revitalize downtown but were concerned about how long it might take.

"We were worried that it would be 10 years before it came around," he said. "But every time we go there, they're moving ahead."

Contact reporter Alan Choate at achoate@reviewjournal.com or (702) 229-6435.