The Park. Is Las Vegas now using green scenery?

Before it became what it is today, The Park was just a vehicle passageway to the parking lots of the New York-New York casinos and the former Monte Carlo , now known as Park MGM . But everything changed in 2012, when MGM Resorts International and AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group) began exploring the possibility of building a multi-purpose arena without public financing .

This is where the need to connect the Strip with a pedestrian space leading to the arena arose. And what better way to do it than to create a large open-air concourse with retail, shade, and a bit of art? What began as a simple connector eventually became a social space , ideal for strolling and relaxing, even when there weren't any events.

The project was designed by Populous , the same architects of the arena, in collaboration with ICON Venue Group , Thornton Tomasetti , ME Engineers , and Hunt-Penta as general contractor. Dakota Development and DesignAgency are also credited for the design of the streetscape, bars, and terraces.

With an approximate cost of 100 million dollars and a construction time of around two years , The Park was inaugurated in April 2016 , two days before the official opening of the T-Mobile Arena.

Some of the restaurants you can visit in The Park:

• Beerhaus

• Shake Shack

• Hello Kitty Cafe

• Top Round

• Luke's Lobster

• Tom's Watch Bar

Beerhaus

Shake Shack

The permanent centerpiece is a 40-foot-tall sculpture by artist Marco Cochrane , titled Bliss Dance . It is especially enjoyable at dusk or at night when it is fully illuminated.

Bliss Dance, obra del artista Marco Cochrane

What was originally intended to be just a pedestrian connection to restaurants for arena-goers has now become a place to socialize outdoors , even without tickets to any event. The shade , so necessary in Las Vegas, and the vegetation , which helps cushion some of the hustle and bustle of the Strip, make this space an urban oasis. Without a doubt, a place to visit if you're in Las Vegas.

Hopefully, more developments in the future will embrace this “green scenery” idea.

Did it sting a little or did it click?

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