Las Vegas Approves Transfer of Park Site Ownership to The Smith Center

The City of Las Vegas approved the ownership transfer of a 1.7 acre green space in the 61-acre Symphony Park development in downtown Las Vegas to The Smith Center for the Performing Arts during its Oct, 19, 2011, city council meeting. The park will be formally named Donald W. Reynolds Symphony Park. In the same meeting, design plans for the highly anticipated space were also approved. The park, which will complete The Smith Center campus, will be located on the east side of Symphony Park Avenue, between Promenade Place and City Parkway.

The Smith Center will own and operate the park and will be responsible for developing programs for the outdoor space. The park will open to the public alongside the rest of the 5-acre cultural complex in a week-long opening celebration that will begin on March 10, 2012. Construction for the park is already underway.

"Whether it's the green space, family activities, social interactions, public art or the sense of community identity such a space provides, great parks bring excitement to a community," said The Smith Center President and CEO MyRon Martin. "With the addition of the Donald W. Reynolds Symphony Park to our campus, we are able to present the arts to the public on a larger scale and turn downtown into the arts center of Southern Nevada."

Martin added that the park is designed to become a multi-functional neighborhood gathering place, while also acting as a venue that can host concerts, festivals, community and private events. He also noted that, although the park is privately owned, it will be accessible to the public.

Design elements will include a custom art piece, created by Tim Bavington, which will serve as a backdrop to an elevated stage, strings of Tivoli lights spanning across the park to create a festive feeling during events, and additional commissioned art pieces peppered throughout the green space. Construction costs for the project are estimated at $10 million.

"The city commends The Smith Center and Reynolds Foundation in its leadership, ability and desire to take on this project and create a classic cultural center that our entire community will soon enjoy," said Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman.

Lifescapes International, Inc. is the landscape architect and designer of record for the park. The company is known for some of Southern Nevada and California's exceptional landscape designs, including The Mirage in Las Vegas, to California's Four Seasons Hotel Beverly Hills, The Lakes Country Club and The Grove.

"Being involved with a project as significant as The Smith Center is an exciting and meaningful opportunity," said Don Brinkerhoff, founder and chairman/CEO of Lifescapes. "This is a park that will be celebrated by the people of Southern Nevada."

About The Smith Center for the Performing Arts

The Smith Center for the Performing Arts is a public/private partnership that will become the centerpiece of cultural life in Las Vegas, offering a blend of performances by resident companies, as well as first-run touring attractions. The 5-acre cultural campus will feature three performance spaces, the 2,050-seat main performance area in Reynolds Hall and Boman Pavilion's 258-seat Cabaret Jazz and 250-seat Studio Theater and will also be home to a 1.7 acre park, which can be used for outdoor concerts. Additionally, the new Discovery Children's Museum will be located on the campus. The Smith Center will be a place that will educate, entertain and excite the citizens of our great community. Located in downtown's 61-acre urban development, Symphony Park, The Smith Center broke ground in May of 2009 with a ceremonial Carillon bell casting and ringing. In February 2010, it celebrated its "Topping Out" with the raising of 50 tons of steel. The Smith Center will open March 10, 2012. For more information about The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, visit www.thesmithcenter.com.