'Star Trek: The Experience' To Close

TrekToday · July 1 2008, 10:40 PM

The rumors have unfortunately proven to be true and Star Trek: The Experience is closing after an eleven-year run.

As reported by fox5vegas.com and TrekMovie.com although its contract runs though the end of December, The Experience will be closing on the first of September.

In a press release, operations manager and director of marketing Chad Boutte said "Hailing frequencies open. We'd like to thank all the fans and friends of Star Trek, whose constant and amazing support we've enjoyed throughout our tenure at the Las Vegas Hilton. As we boldly go into the futures that await, know that we take your love of 'Star Trek: The Experience' with us. We share the memories of time spent in the most unique place in the Galaxy, and we carry those memories into our futures with us. Live long and prosper. Hailing frequencies closed."

Negotiations between CBS, Paramount, Cedar Fair (owners of The Experience and the Hilton failed to keep the attraction open. The Hilton Hotel felt that more money could be made using the space for something other than the Star Trek attraction. Even the hope of attracting more fans with the upcoming release of Star Trek XI wasn't sufficient to save The Experience.

Robert Picardo (EMH) was not surprised by the news, as reported at SyFy Portal. "The hotel changed hands, and [the new owners] have been eyeing that large amount of retail space lustfully for some time," he said. "It breaks my heart a little bit to no longer be my own theme park ride. Once you have an action figure for years, there are only a few ways to go up, and being a theme park attraction is one of the only ones."

To read more, head to the articles located here, here and here.

Gaith · July 2 2008, 12:27 AM

"Affectionate greetings, geeks. You're all losers, and if you were counting on visiting us in the fall, sad day for you. Fare well, pathetic friends!"

Biggshow · July 2 2008, 01:29 AM

^^^Whatever.

Hey, kids,

I've started a memorial thread in "General Trek Discussion". Add to it what you will and try to keep it positive. I'd like to print it out and present it to the staff at the Creation Con.

MattJC · July 2 2008, 01:36 AM

I certainly hope Creation does something for the staff and the cast at the Experience. I realize there is only a month to go till the convention and the announcement of the closure of the Experience only happened a couple days ago, but it would still be nice.

DorkBoy [TM] · July 2 2008, 02:32 AM

This is very depressing. The wife and I have been meaning to make a pilgrimage to Las Vegas (I've never been) to see the Experience ever since it opened.

Oh well, you can't say we didn't have plenty of time and opportunity.

I am not surprised - Trek has been off the air for a few years now and its popularity was waning in the later years.

Still, very sad that I never made it out there. I suppose I could try to go before September, but we have very young children right now so it isn't so easy to travel.

Pioneer · July 2 2008, 05:24 AM

There is nothing in the arts or sciences that can't be corrupted or destroyed by the bean counters. They're making money but they're not making enough money.
Hey! Maybe they can pack up the exhibit and move it to Branson, MO.

T'Bonz · July 2 2008, 06:45 AM

Biggshow wrote:

^^^Whatever.

I think that he was making fun of the rubbishy "hailing frequencies" statement by Boutte, not making fun of the fans.

Biggshow · July 2 2008, 07:13 AM

Ah. My mistake and apologies.

donners22 · July 2 2008, 12:58 PM

^ Hailing frequences scrambled...

AntonyF · July 2 2008, 12:59 PM

Yeah, that quote was cheesetastic!

Very sad, and I was hoping to go for one last hurrah there in November. By ending early that doesn't give many people a chance to say goodbye, which is very sad.

Well, at least I have no reason at all to go to the Hilton now. Screw them down in that dark dead corner of Vegas.

Picard Alpha · July 2 2008, 02:31 PM

I always wanted to get the chance to go out there and check it out. But the time was never quite right...

I wonder if they'll "Auction" their Enterprise re-creation sets, and the thousands of other items around Quarks.

Data Holmes · July 2 2008, 04:30 PM

Any chanch of them finding a new home somewhere else?

Plainsong · July 2 2008, 06:25 PM

My husband and I wanted to renew our vows one day on the bridge of the Enterprise. Our marriage plans were taken out of our own hands, and we'd always planned to do something fun, something for just us to appreciate. We live a fair piece away from Vegas though, so it was always something to shoot for in the future.

To sum it up, this sucks major ass. Star Trek is always screwed over so I'm not surprised, and all, it just sucks ass is all.

Biggshow · July 2 2008, 09:20 PM

hutt359 wrote:

Any chanch of them finding a new home somewhere else?

There's a huge follow-up/reaction article at Trekmovie.com, including one of my favorite behind the scenes photos (it's of me of course

). The article mentions vague future possibilities.

Zeke · July 9 2008, 01:48 AM

It's a shame. I probably would never have had a reason/excuse to actually go to The Experience, but I always liked knowing that it existed.