Long before Bugsy Seigel's Flamingo Hotel was hosting guests and way before the Las Vegas Strip was jam-packed with towers, pyramids and castles, there was an old Las Vegas. Incorporated in 1911, Las Vegas Downtown has been an integral part of the community and the origin of the gaming industry. Fremont Street Las Vegas had the first paved street, first traffic light, first high-rise, and first casino. When gambling was legalized in 1931, Nevada's first gaming license was issued to Down town Las Vegas' Northern Club and the Golden Nugget was the first structure designed and built from the ground up to be a casino.
Fremont Street Las Vegas is vintage Vegas. It's home to legendary casinos, free entertainment, and old-fashioned gambling hospitality. Some say they love Downtown Las Vegas Fremont Street because it is more intimate. Some say it's the free entertainment featuring famous bands, strolling showgirls, and amazing performers. Some say it's the historic, old-time neon signs that are scattered around Downtown Las Vegas. Others say it's the service and dining experience that bring them back. And one mustn't forget the gambling, where you can test your luck at The Lady Luck or Fitzgeralds casinos, known for loose slots and big winners. But, what attracts visitors to Las Vegas classic downtown these days is not nostalgia; it's the modern, over-the-top, glitzy, light and sound spectacular known as the "Fremont Street Experience."
You've probably seen it, even if you've never been to Downtown Las Vegas. The grand opening was way back in December 1995, and since then the Fremont Street Experience has been a New Year's Eve tradition and iconic celebration venue featured on FOX TV and broadcast nationwide.
The world-famous, one-of-a-kind Fremont Street Experience is a five-block long urban pedestrian mall that is covered by the world’s largest video screen (pictures of downtown Las Vegas shown above). The Viva Vision screen measures 1,500 feet long and is suspended 90 feet above the mall. The more than 12.5 million-light LED screen is accompanied by 550,000 watts concert quality sound system to produce an incredible array of eye-popping imagery and heart pounding music. Viva Vision shows are performed nightly, every hour on the hour, beginning at dusk. And, the shows are free to the public. Plus, there are plenty of other things to do downtown las vegas.
Under the canopy is a downtown las vegas shopping mall that connects the 10 hotel-casinos – Binion’s, California, Fitzgeralds, Four Queens, Fremont, Golden Gate, Golden Nugget, Main Street Station, Plaza and Vegas Club. Fremont Street is also lined with unique retail stores for great downtown las vegas shopping, two permanent performance stages and more than 60 restaurants. Las Vegas Downtown attractions include free concerts, special events, and roaming street performers who put on an entertaining Las Vegas show for the 17 million yearly visitors who come to experience Viva Vision, the amazing Las Vegas Downtown light show.