Smoke and mirrors

ASIDE FROM LAS VEGAS MAYOR OSCAR GOODMAN FALLING OVER, the kickoff for the Fremont East District went off without a hitch Aug. 24.

But as the brand-new "old" neon signs were lit, questions remain along a stretch of downtown that's only now starting to see an upswing. And some businesses on the stretch that the city has pegged as the next big thing downtown are worried about their investments in the area.

But at the kickoff, things were lively enough. Goodman recovered from his stumble (his staff says he suffered from gout, a painful affliction of the feet often exacerbated by alcohol); he flipped the switch that sent neon flowing through the signs. Children were hoisted onto parent's shoulders to get a bird's eye view of the "retro" signs that anchor $5.5 million in upgrades to the streetscapes between Fremont and Eighth streets.

"Let's light up the night," the cry went out.

Goodman wasn't the only one feeling faint, either. Twenty minutes of speeches and congratulatory remarks took its toll on the audience -- Mayor Pro Tem Gary Reese's remarks were mostly indecipherable. Before it was even over, the crowd headed into the bars and clubs that city officials hope will be transform the area into something cool, even if the improvements are, thus far, mostly cosmetic.

For example, the neon lights that went on for the first time at the kickoff aren't vintage signs that once adorned Las Vegas casinos. In fact, they're brand new. That's one thing that has business owners concerned, even if city officials say the signs currently gathering desert dust in the Neon Boneyard were too large for the street space and destined for the Neon Museum instead.

After losing money for the first two years, Beauty Bar's owner Paul Devitt is optimistic about the future, but says the area needs diversity. That won't be easy with greedy landlords attempting to rent space in decrepit buildings for twice what the price should be. Devitt admits Beauty Bar's finances are finally improving, but "now is the critical time. Getting the lights on is one step in the right direction, but they need to listen to what we have to say."

Other bars are still struggling, like Take 1 Nightclub. General Manager Ben Ardito promises, however, that "I'm persistent; I'm Italian."

In late 2004 the 9,000-square-foot former culinary school located at the corner of Fremont and Seventh streets was the first club to open in the district and yet never developed a solid identity. The original concept was to use a "green screen" room to insert people into classic movie scenes.

The problem? The process needed to be completed in less than 20 minutes. Instead, after two months of continual problems, the idea was scrapped. After that, the venue booked anything and everything in order to survive, which certainly didn't help overcome an identity crisis.

Ardito admits he made one early mistake: Not spending enough on advertising. Another error was sub-leasing the restaurant; 10 days after he spent $10,000 of his city sprucing-up money installing signage promoting the Bayou Cajun Restaurant, the operators deserted. Today, Take 1 Nightclub is cultivating its image as a jazz supper club, serving a five-course dinner for $35.

In an effort to achieve its utopian vision and attract new venues to the entertainment district, the city is dangling enticing incentives. A tavern limited liquor license costs just $20,000 (regularly $60,000) as long as some form of entertainment is offered four nights a week, and the Entertainment District Visual Improvement Program issues rebates of up to $95,000 for exterior renovations.

And, the city's Office of Business Development is somewhat flexible about where that money can be spent. Even though the official six-block Fremont East District has well-defined borders (Ogden Street to the north and Carson Street to the south) the city has embraced venues several blocks away (Sidebar, Hogs & Heifers, Triple George Grill) or simply across the street (Hennessey's Tavern, Brass Lounge, Mickie Finnz). That leaves the actual entertainment district occupied by fashionable watering holes, including Downtown Cocktail Room and The Griffin.

Club V (601 E. Fremont) is one of the under-construction ventures. Although the club's website (www.clubv-lv.com) says "this project is nearly completed," the space in the former Sears/sheriff's building was stripped to the brick walls and there were trenches in the concrete floor. Carl "Versatile" Ferrell, Club V's president, stands behind a Nov. 16 grand opening for the 10,000-square-foot, multi-cultural entertainment center that will have a reported capacity of 1,300 to 1,400.

No one likes to hear the "F" word, but the entertainment district is not exempt from failure. Just ask Marianne Kain. Her club Kismet was slated for the space above the 6-month-old Downtown Cocktail Room (111 Las Vegas Blvd. S.). But after a year of planning, Kain confirmed via e-mail that "Kismet will not be happening in that space. It probably will not end up being located in the entertainment district."

In the end, however, a street of bars isn't culture. A diverse group of businesses could make this stretch of Fremont Street into something unique, even if the experience -- from the brand-new signs to the pavement markers of questionable historical accuracy -- is a bit manufactured.