LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Plans are moving forward for the Las Vegas Museum of Art.
At the Dec. 6 Las Vegas City Council meeting, councilmembers voted to approve an exclusive negotiation agreement with a developer known as the "Las Vegas Museum of Art" for a parcel of land in Symphony Park. City officials said this means the developer has a six-month window to come up with a plan for a museum there, which will be known as the Las Vegas Museum of Art. That six-month window can be extended, if needed.
At the meeting, Heather Harmon, a representative for the project, said Las Vegas is the largest city in the United States without a standalone art museum, presenting data compiled by Applied Analysis.
The plan is for a three-story museum that stands 60-feet tall and spans 60,000 to 90,000 square feet. It's projected to cost $150 million in total. The project is in partnership with the Elaine P. Wynn & Family Foundation and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).
Harmon said the project received $5 million from the state legislature in 2023 in seed funding and also noted receiving letters of support from Nevada's legislative delegation in Washington, D.C.
"We feel this is the missing piece of the puzzle in a long series of accomplishments we've made in Las Vegas, from the Smith Center, the Raiders stadium, Formula 1, and feel that the art museum is a great next step in our cultural chapter," Harmon said.
As for the timeline, project representatives said they hope to secure land by the end of the year and finalize the design in 2025, with the goal of opening in 2028. Right now, they're fundraising and conducting an economic feasibility study.
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman said the city has eyed opening an art museum for years after the financially-strapped Las Vegas Art Museum closed in 2009, making multiple unsuccessful attempts. She said this time feels different.
Philanthropist Elaine Wynn, whose foundation is a major player in this project, spoke at the meeting, saying the problem in the past was not having enough art for the space. To ensure that's not a problem this time around, Wynn said they've partnered with LACMA. They plan to have a "rigorous program" with exhibition spaces that are constantly rotating.
Ward 5 Councilman Cedric Crear spoke up at the meeting about the project that's expected to take shape in his district.
"This is a need. This isn't something that is a beauty project. This is something that is needed in our community that is going to round out any great city. We cannot be a great city if we do not have strong culture and arts in our community. This is just going to add to that," Crear said.
