The D Begins Construction on New Gateway to Downtown Las Vegas Events Center

By Scott Roeben, on June 11 2014

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The D Las Vegas, and its owner Derek Stevens, have big plans in store for downtown, and those include a new entertainment complex, the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center.

Just recently, demolition began in The D’s valet area. This entire “annex” of the hotel (formerly employee office space) will be retooled and transformed into a five-lane porte-cochère as well as an eye-popping gateway to the shiny new events center.

The new Downtown Las Vegas Events Center will be on the site of the former Las Vegas courthouse.

Stevens purchased the building, and a city block of land, at a cost of $10 million.

Demolition was finished in short order, and the site is currently being used as parking lot.

The orientation of the new events center is already pretty apparent. You can see both the location of what will be the stage (upper left in the photo below, next to the two blinged-out buses), as well as VIP cabanas and seating (currently a structure used as covered parking, near all the palm trees, on the right of the lot).

At the moment, the focus is on The D’s southwest facade.

While we can’t share the renderings of the new facade at The D, or the entryway to the events center on the other side of the street, we can say they’ll be slick, snazzy without being over-the-top, and create a natural, symmetrical flow to and from The D and Fremont Street Experience to this new sporting and concert venue.

Each gateway will be framed by large video displays and other decorative flourishes, including what appears to be a large art piece front-and-center on The D side.

Much of the work currently being done will be invisible to guests, as a false wall has been put up so work can go on behind it. It’s hard to explain, so let’s see a pic.

Here’s a shot of both sides of the construction wall simultaneously, because sometimes we rock it as much as we say we do.

One of the interesting aspects of the demolition taking place is that before The D was The D, it was Fitzgerald’s, and before that it was at various times a market, a shoe store, a men’s store, a drugstore and a jewelry store.

At some point along the way, a massive safe was installed, and the safe still stands in the part of The D being renovated (see below). We would say “dibs,” but we have already had several hernias, and this safe is going to be a pain to move. Security breach!

A handful of events have already been nailed down for the new Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, but The D wants to ensure their initial line-up has a “wow” factor, so they’re being tight-lipped as more events are being finalized.

One thing is for sure. Derek Stevens and his team are people who make good on their promises, and they know how to create offerings people don’t merely like, but love. (Stevens is also co-owner of Golden Gate, another of our favorite places to play and imbibe.)

There are exciting things in the works at The D and the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, and we can’t wait to see what’s next.