Las Vegas Village New Owners Vow to Respect 1 October Memorial

Posted on: January 3, 2023, 12:20h. 

Last updated on: January 3, 2023, 01:28h.

Philip Conneller @casinoorgphilc Read More
Expertise: Gaming Business, Regulation, Tribal Gaming.

The Native American group that acquired the Las Vegas Village festival grounds, the site of the Las Vegas massacre, says it will honor the 1 October Memorial, which is in the early planning stages.

1 October Memorial
Visitors pay their respects at the makeshift memorial in Las Vegas Village on the second anniversary of the massacre in 2019. The Mandalay Bay, from where Stephen Paddock opened fire on the crowd attending the Route 91 Harvest music festival, looms in the background. (Image: AP)

The North Dakota-based MHA Nation, also known as the Three Affiliated Tribes, said in a news release it doesn’t know exactly what it will do with the land across the Strip from the Mandalay Bay, but whatever it chooses to build, it will be respectful of the memorial space.

“Given our culture and who we are as a people, we understand and are sympathetic to the suffering that occurred five years ago, and it is our hope that whatever is determined to be developed on the site will be positive for the Las Vegas community and the millions of visitors who go to the area annually,” said MHA Nation Chairman Mark Fox.

Never Forget

The parcel on which the memorial will be built wasn’t part of the recent transaction between the MHA Nation and the previous owner of the land, MGM Resorts International.

MGM donated two acres of the plot to Clark County in August 2021 to use for the memorial. The 1 October Memorial Committee began receiving submissions for the project last summer.

Proposals, including a design concept, model, and programming summary with budget are expected to be unveiled in June 2023.

On Oct. 1, 2017, Stephen Paddock opened fire on crowds attending the Route 91 Harvest country music festival from his room at the Mandalay Bay. The shooting lasted for more than 10 minutes, killing 60 and injuring hundreds more, before Paddock turned the gun on himself. To this day, his motive remains a mystery.

The memorial will honor the victims and thousands of survivors who were part of the worst mass shooting in modern American history.

Investment in Reservation

For their part, the MHA could build a casino or a paid-parking facility on the land. The group currently owns and operates the 4 Bears Casino & Lodge on their Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota.

Revenues earned from a future venture will be invested into the reservation to improve and develop tribal land, the Nation said.

“The land acquisition represents a substantial opportunity for investment and return for the Nation. Revenue realized in this particular business venture will continue to help fund important tribal project and program development on Fort Berthold and for its membership,” it added. “This includes infrastructure for roads, housing, new schools, healthcare, and drug treatment facilities.”