Gateway arches illuminate downtown Las Vegas sky

After more than eight months of construction, the $6.5 million downtown gateway arches illuminated Wednesday as the sun set on the Las Vegas sky.

The pair of arches spanning Las Vegas Boulevard between St. Louis and Bob Stupak avenues at the base of The Strat are intended to mark the entryway into the city of Las Vegas’ jurisdiction.

“Las Vegas is known worldwide as the getaway for the best in entertainment, fun, dining and convention business,” Mayor Carolyn Goodman said in a statement. “What better way to invite everyone into historic downtown than by passing through this massive new archway into the heart of a revitalized Las Vegas?”

The arches, designed by Selbert Perkins Design and fabricated and installed by YESCO, feature a retro “City of Las Vegas” logo hanging in the center and over 13,000 LED lights that are fully programmable to emit an array of colors. The arches will light up nightly at dusk and are also set up to play music that can be used to mark special occasions and holidays.

“Ward 3 is a dynamic part of the city of Las Vegas and I am so excited to represent the home of this beautiful new gateway,” Ward 3 Councilwoman Olivia Diaz said. “I am sure these iconic arches will become synonymous with the fun and excitement of our city, as well as being a point of community pride for years to come.”

City officials hope the arches will serve as a can’t-miss-point that will let anyone traveling north on Las Vegas Boulevard know when they are entering the downtown area.

“We wanted it to be a smooth flow into downtown from the Strip into the north part (of Las Vegas Boulevard) and the core of the city where all the shoulder-to-shoulder excitement takes place,” Goodman told the Review-Journal last week. “We needed to have something to have that transition… We wanted to mark you’re on your way into fabulous, exciting downtown.”

The arches’ neighbor, The Strat, which is one of the most notable structures in the Las Vegas valley, is excited for the new landmark to go live.

“The Gateway Arches are a striking landmark to designate what has long been the gateway from the Las Vegas Strip to the city of Las Vegas,” Stephen Thayer, vice president and general manager at The Strat said in a statement. “We are thrilled that this beautiful monument has been erected just steps away from our iconic tower.”

Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.