Star Trek: The Experience to live again? Talks underway!

[Dale]

Apparently talks are underway to move Star Trek: The Experience to the downtown Las Vegas/Fremont Street area. Its proposed new home would be Neonopolis, a non-casino entertainment venue championed by the LV mayor but which has thus far been an underoccupied financial failure. No word on whether the entire experience - rides, museum, Quark's bar and shopping promenade - would be included. I would expect a more modest version including the museum and Quark's bar. But the discussions are very real, and when a friend of mine visited STTE General Manager Chad Boutte at the closed LV Hilton location of STTE (where he is apparently overseeing the dismantling), he took them on a little tour that included showing them the packed-up uniforms (unknown whether these were the actor's unforms from the rides and the promenade or whether they were the uniforms included in the History of the Future museum) which were to be "moved to Neonopolis."

So hope springs eternal. I wonder how many actors and staff they'd be able to hire back.

 

[SoloFriendly]

I just saw this article at Trek Today, Dale, so I rushed right over here to see what you guys knew. I am so excited! If they could move it to Neonopolis in a big way, then for sure I'm staying Downtown next time I go to Vegas. I would be extremely surprised if they didn't have some sort of retail operation in addition to a restaurant and the Museum. I really, really hope they bring the actors back, though. That's what really made it "an experience".

 

[Kords21]

It's a promising start. I'm not holding my breath for it though. If the new location was smart they'd put a rush order on building it and hold a movie premiere for "Star Trek" to cash in on the new movie.

Would they put a -A on the new sign?

 

[Alpha_Geek]

My friends went to ST:TE and all I got was a T-shirt.

I'll keep my fingers crossed.

 

[dave_R_treker]

I certainly hope that thay do rebuild the experience, I have never been. And I regret that very much. Finalcal means kept me from flying out there. Now that i have a few bucks, its closed. I just hope they don't wait too long (if they do decide to reopen), I am just afraid if they did, I won't have the money again.

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

Time to party like it's 1998!

 

[T'Bonz]

Wonder if Biggshow has seen this article.

 

[KaiClark]

According to the article i just read, they are in the process of moving everything over. Check it out at The Story The employees are would be offered there jobs and there was even talk of updating some of the stuff. I for one just want my bar back

also I left a baseball and really want it back.

m

 

[Therin of Andor]

there was even talk of updating some of the stuff.

Like a JJ Abrams' ST bridge for next May, if they're on the ball!

 

[RAMA]

Star Trek is really extraordinary...you can't kill it no matter what.

RAMA

 

[MattJC]

I'll wait and see to hear what will be kept and what will not and what will be new before I get excited. I've made peace with the fact that the Experience that I knew is gone.

 

[Dale]

I'll wait and see to hear what will be kept and what will not and what will be new before I get excited. I've made peace with the fact that the Experience that I knew is gone.

I'm not trying to piss you off, Matt, but I have a hard time imagining a new STTE opening next Spring or Summer that is strictly historical and doesn't reference the new movie at all. CBS Paramount holds the license and is going to want their new product promoted as well as their historical properties. I can see them perhaps minimizing the inclusion of the new film until they learn whether or not it'll be a hit... but as the new movie and the revived STTE are likely to open at almost the same time, I can't imagine no mention whatsoever of the new movie.

I feel the same way you do about the original, wonderful STTE... it's gone. Whatever they open at Neonopolis may be a wonderful place, but it won't be the same place.

BTW, I've talked to a couple of the original promenade alien actors (who for privacy's sake I won't identify) and they seem open to the idea of returning, if a little wary. One described himself as a metaphorical "series regular" of STTE who may not find a place in the new incarnation... his character may no longer fit in. We'll see, I suppose.

 

[Biggshow]

Jeff Victor, former STTE general manager and current manager of the Fremont Street Experience, was on site for STTE's final days and there were rumors then of this potential move.

I have to say, when Jeff was brought on at STTE, he seemed like the first manager who, while not necessarily a hard-core Trekkie, knew how to market to that demographic as well as the casual Vegas tourist. The people who were brought on as operations and marketing director under his reign went on to become the next successive GMs until Cedar Fair took over. Each one of them added to the prominence of the alien ambassadors as the second "attraction", for which those of us who worked in that capacity will always be grateful.

Like most people, I'm assuming this will be a scaled down version of what was there before and also have a lot more to do with the new movie, all signs for which point to a new revitalization of the franchise.

I'm looking forward to both.

Qapla'!

 

[trekker670]

Wouldn't it be amazing if they had the Grand opening the day of the premier, which was also held there. A newly updated museum and timeline that adds parts from the movie, and some more props/costumes (just a little more) from the other movies/series! The grand public opening could be held a little later if needed (since premiers are only for VIPs)