The Park on the Las Vegas Strip officially opened Monday, April 4.
The outdoor dining and entertainment district is located between New York-New York and Monte Carlo resorts in front of the brand-new 20,000- seat T-Mobile Arena, also opening this week.
The park opened with a press conference. Invited guests included Gov. Brian Sandoval, Clark County Commissioner Mary Beth Scow and Southern Nevada Water Authority General Manager John J. Entsminger.
"People come here and they have the greatest experience hotel experience food experience gaming experience all of that but now they can enjoy the great outdoors of Las Vegas," Sandoval said. "It's something that we all know and love now we can share it with the world."
Other highlights of the park include two 100-foot long water walls at the entry of The Park and other water features, trees with wide-reaching branches and natural landscaping utilizing native and desert-adaptive species of plants, towering shade structures, patio-style seating encouraging visitors to stop and visit, seating alcoves, a 40-foot-tall sculpture of a dancing woman named Bliss Dance, and more.
Bliss Dance stands 40 feet in the air and weighs 7,500 pounds.
The mother-in-law of artist Marco Cochrane says Bliss Dance has to do with women and feeling safe and being able to be their true selves.
"We're just happy for Las Vegas because the venue just seems to be real gathering place and a beautiful environment and gives a wonderful message to this town," she said.
First lighting of Bliss Dance at The Park!
Posted by Gina Lazara on Monday, April 4, 2016
Unveiled tonight at The Park on the #LasVegas Strip is #BlissDance, a sculpture once featured at #BurningMan. @KTNV pic.twitter.com/vHztav8wkB
— Barry White (@sactogamer) April 5, 2016
Dining options inside The Park include:
Beerhaus - A remix of the American beer hall, this fun and unpretentious beer garden is highlighted by its outdoor spaces and vantage points of all The Park's activity. Guests can indulge in sustainably raised farm-to-table meats, an impressive regional craft brew list, live music and, of course, games to get any social gathering started - foosball, shuffleboard, ping pong and more.
Shake Shack - Boasting patios overlooking The Park and New York-New York's Brooklyn Bridge, the much-beloved Shake Shack is a modern day "roadside" burger stand known for its all-natural burgers, flat-top dogs, frozen custard, beer, wine and more. With its fresh, simple, high-quality food at a great value, Shake Shack is a fun and lively community gathering place with widespread appeal.
California Pizza Kitchen - California Pizza Kitchen is the authority in creative dining with a California vibe. Blending fresh, seasonal ingredients with bold, global inspiration, "CPK" offers signature hand-tossed, hearth-baked pizzas, inventive main plates and shareables, unique pastas and salads, alongside premium wines, craft beers and hand-crafted cocktails featuring fresh fruits, herbs and spices. With an outdoor patio, full bar and open kitchen centered around the hearth oven, CPK's rustic, modern atmosphere is perfect for drinks and small plates before a show, dinner with family and everything in between.
Sake Rok - This theatrical hotspot open for lunch, dinner and a late-night bar/lounge, thrills guests with more than just its array of delicious sushi, Japanese cuisine and private sake label. By night, Sake Rok transforms into a high-profile social dining extravaganza, immersing guests in an experience part culinary, part performance and completely unexpected. Inspired by Japan's vibrant pop culture and fashion movements, interactive servers invite guests to partake in restaurant-wide sake bombs while doubling as entertainers, spontaneously breaking into dance and lip-sync serenades.
Bruxie - The fast-casual, gourmet waffle restaurant born out of Orange County serves up its signature takes on the sandwich. Bruxie's next-generation sandwiches use a light, airy authentic Brussels Waffle as the "Bold Fold." The Waffle is crisp, lightly yeasty and not sweet - reminiscent of freshly baked bread. Bruxie Waffles are paired with quality seasonal ingredients, offering both savory choices like Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Chili Honey and Cider Slaw as well as a variety of sweet options such as Strawberry Crème Brûlée.
The T-Mobile Arena officially opens Wednesday night with a concert by hometown boys The Killers and Mr. Las Vegas himself, Wayne Newton.
Other upcoming concerts/performances at the arena for April include Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande on April 7, Guns N' Roses on April 8 and 9, Harlen Globetrotters on April 19, George Strait on April 22 and 23, and Billy Joel on April 30.
The shade structures @theparkvegas are also art installations. They will change colors every 15 min! #Vegas pic.twitter.com/gsxmRwfxOL
— Yasmeen Hassan (@YasmeenTV) April 4, 2016
What a great start to the day. Gorgeous sunrise @theparkvegas for the big grand opening! pic.twitter.com/1sNnGeWiVp
— Yasmeen Hassan (@YasmeenTV) April 4, 2016
The Bliss Dance is at the center of @theparkvegas & is filled with 3,000 LED lights. pic.twitter.com/vprnqyuxrS
— Yasmeen Hassan (@YasmeenTV) April 4, 2016
This fountain is on a loop, constantly #recycling the water it uses. @theparkvegas is all about #sustainability pic.twitter.com/Puj11oOLX3
— Yasmeen Hassan (@YasmeenTV) April 4, 2016
The Park is officially open! Lots of bars, restaurants, live music, and art installations. This is from @burningman pic.twitter.com/ICjnRh074H
— Marissa Kynaston (@marissaktnv) April 5, 2016
OTHER STUFF TO KNOW
Transportation:
There are several options to reach The Park and T-Mobile Arena.
Visitors can drive. However, drivers will have to pay for parking. If you are attending an event at the arena, you can buy a parking pass online at lasvegas.parkmobile.com for $10. The pass will allow you to park at Monte Carlo, New York-New York and top floors of the Aria. The easiest way to access all 3 parking garages is Frank Sinatra Drive.
The Las Vegas Monorail will bring visitors to within easy walking distance. And, it's only $1 for locals to ride. The closest stations to walk from would be the MGM station and Bally's/Paris station.
A free tram connects Excalibur, Luxor, and Mandalay Bay. It's a fairly short walk from Excalibur to the arena and park. There is also a tram that links Bellagio, Crystals and Aria. It's also a fairly short walk from Crystals to the arena.