The Freemont Experience stands in Las Vegas today because it is said to have won the 1992 Downtown Las Vegas Redevelopment Competition. Now, after 10 years, it is revealed that is is only second place.
The real winner was the Star Trek Enterprise designed by Gary Goddard and his team. It is an ambitious yet breath taking project of bringing a life-size Star trek Battleship in Las Vegas Streets.
The challenge was to build an attraction so large and epic that it would bring customers back from the Caesar’s Palace, The Mirage and all the hotels and casinos in Las Vegas Strip. The only catch is it should not be hotel. Hotel owners from Las Vegas are paying to get their customers back, not gain another competitor.
What if we built the STARSHIP ENTERPRISE – FULL SCALE – on the land at the end of the street. Imagine that…” says Goddard. He had high hopes the Starship Experience will not only be THE destination in Vegas, it will be big enough to be 8th Wonder of the World.
The ship planned to provide a tour of all the key rooms, chambers, decks, and corridors from the movie. There was to be the dining area for the ship’s crew (where you could dine in Star Fleet comfort), and other special features. There were also one or two interesting ride elements that including a high-speed “travelator” that would whisk you from deck to deck.
But it all came down to Paramount’s approval.
“In the movie business, when we produce a big movie and it’s a flop – we take some bad press for a few weeks or a few months, but then it goes away. The next movie comes out and everyone forgets. But THIS – this is different. If this doesn’t work – if this is not a success – it’s there, forever….” it all came crashing down as Stanley Jaffe of Paramount refused the project.
With Star Trek Enterprise off the table, Vegas Developers opted with the Fremont Street Experience.
Source: Gary Goddard’s Blog
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