Rumored return of the Star Trek Experiencein Vegas....

[MattJC]

http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/09/las-vegas-exper.html

Someone posted this on the StarTrek.com messageboard.
I hope it's true.

Edit: there should be a space between "Experience" and "in" in the thread title.

 

[trekker670]

Seems consistent with the rumor that the company that came in and saved the Refit-E was one of the prospective buyers; they too are located on Fremont Street

 

[JohnChod]

That would be great! I think the Experience would fit really well on Fremont!

I've been to Vegas twice but never went to the ST Experience. It was kind of off the beaten path. We, of course, spent a lot of time on the strip as well as on Fremont Street, but I had no desire to try to get to the Hilton. Plus, although I've been a Trek fan since day one in 1966, I'm not the "convention" type fan so I though the ST Experience might be a bit too "geeky" for me.

Now, if it's on Fremont in the future, I'm sure I'd hit it on my next trip.

 

[Dale]

First of all, JohnChod you really missed out. I have never before seen such an immersive, exciting and loving representation of the Star Trek universe as that which was going on day in and day out at STTE. If you went from the Strip to Fremont Street during your visits you came within a block or two of the Hilton several times. To have missed it seems foolish to me. It wasn't just for the geeks... many, many people who don't describe themselves as fans or Trekkies enjoyed STTE over the years.

Second, I have trouble putting any faith in this rumor. While I'd love it to be true, the original installation cost a bundle and to recreate it would cost 10x that bundle today. I don't know if the low-end Fremont Street Experience folks could manage it. Perhaps if several of the casinos pooled their rescources...

I was thinking about this rumor the other night and the only thing I can envision would be the History of the Future Museum being moved to Fremont Street, and perhaps a low-budget recreation of Quark's... but nothing of the scope or on the scale of STTE.

That said, I'd be all over it if it were to actually happen. STTE was the only reason I bothered with Vegas.

 

[trekker670]

STTE was the only reason I bothered with Vegas

Same here, I probably wont be back, unless I have to do so for work or they add something that I'd die to see (ie another Trek attraction)

 

[Kords21]

If it did get reincarnated on fremont, it'd be a drastically reduced version. I've never spent that much time downtown, but I don't think any of the hotels downtown could accomodate such an expansive place without a major overhaul. It'd be nice to be proven wrong though.

I personally love going to Vegas and hanging out. Without the Experience now, a trip there is just going to feel empty. Can't exactly drown my losses at the tables with a warp core breach anymore.

Wherever it winds up at again, it'll be years at any rate. The loss of the experience kind of feels like the end of the Roddenberry-early 00's trek and a new STTE would feel like the userhing in of Abrams Trek. I look forward to the new movie and I'm not hating on the movie. It's the end of one era and the start of another.

 

[Krieg1981]

I really wish they would bring it back! I never got the chance to see it( my uncle has seen it 17 times; bastard.), And I'd like the chance! I'm sure it's just unsubstantiated rumour, I'll not get my hopes up.

 

[roguephoenix]

this sounds more like a primer rumor designed to possibly get someone interested in bringing it back.

 

[Kords21]

We can only hope it'll entice someone to reincarnate it. I think it'd fit the look of Planet Hollywood and being on the strip would bring in more business. A 10 year run in Vegas is practically a lifetime by Vegas standards.

Let's hope there a STTE-A

 

[SoloFriendly]

Let's hope there a STTE-A

Dude, I like that! We'll have to call it that, too.

I think bringing it to Neonopolis would be a great idea. Nothing else has seemed to draw people to that place, but this sure would. It would give me an excuse to stay Downtown on my next trip, where the prices for everything are cheaper. It makes enormous sense. But the question is, do they have the money to do it? Or could they get it? The Mayor has seemed willing to pour money into the revitalization of Downtown, so there might be some sort of grant available to help with that. Or as someone else mentioned, pooled funds. I was Downtown one night during my trip, and had never seen Fremont East before. I was impressed--they've actually managed to get people to cross Las Vegas Boulevard! For many years, that seemed an impossible feat. So who knows?

 

[USS Intrepid]

Fremont Street is actually a pretty cool place to visit. I can't imagine them being able to move the entire thing, but if they could even just recreated the museum and Quarks it'd be cool. They'd absolutely have to get the cast though.

 

[T'Cal]

To those here who never experienced The Experience, I pity you. I went 9 years out of the 10 it was open and on Trek's 40th anniversary, I went back with my sons. Our last visit was this past June when I brought my wife and kids and we renewed our vows on the Bridge for our 20th wedding anniversary. Great, great memories for all of us. I will miss the Flaming Ribs of Targ.

I am thoroughly disappointed that STTE was closed. It was getting a bit stale, though, and I had hoped for a major refit. I thought that they would either add a new ride or maybe replace one of the two with something based on the upcoming movie or at least TOS. TOS is still the most recognizable Trek for the general population. The futuristic casino that is just outside STTE is pretty lame and I have never seen it crowded. They could've easily used that for another ride or restaurant, perhaps one that was less expensive and more family friendly.

As for Downtown Las Vegas, I haven't gone up that way for over 15 years. You have to go through a seedy part of Vegas to get there. I would, however, make a point of going there if it had a Trek-themed exhibit. It's unlikely that I would've made the trek (sorry) off the strip to the Las Vegas Hilton if STTE hadn't been there. It's otherwise nothing particularly special or interesting. Personally, I would rather it be on the Strip somewhere. I would also like to see a second one at some theme park such as Universal or Disney.

 

[LutherSloan]

I'm not sure how well it would work out putting it all the way up on Fremont Street. I visited Las Vegas for the first time in July, and of course I went to ST:TE, since I already knew it was closing in September.

I did end up going up to Fremont Street, and it was a LONG way from the Strip-region of Vegas.

 

[jcNX01]

I loved the Experience and hated to see it go, but re-opening sounds like a bad idea to me.

If this is just a matter of relocating all or parts of the attraction to Fremont Street, then there will be some immediate interest from fans that will trickle off relatively quickly. It's nothing more than a nostalgia act at that point, and the Experience will never regain its former glory. I think we would all hate to see a half-assed version of what we love like, say,Elvis in his later Vegas years.

If, on the other hand, there is some inspiration here to revamp, revitalize and, dare I say, "reboot" the Experience in another location, then that could be viable. New storylines, new characters, new sets, new props - all that could give it a new life to carry on for another 10 years. It would need to be a total revamp though - one that incorporates more of TOS, particularly as it morphs into the new movie and one that incorporates new ride technologies. Think of Disney and the priority placed on constantly adding new rides, revamping old ones and reinventing its parks for new audiences.

The problem here is that one wealthy individual buying ST:TE props does not an "Experience" make. Even if the props and rides are wrestled away from the Hilton, there's still a complex web of licensing and development to negotiate with Paramount, CBS, et al. I would think it very unlikely that those entities would be willing to pony up $70 million plus (what is cost to build in 1998) for a second shot in a less-desirable location.

At best, it sounds to me like reopening Quark's and, perhaps, a retail space on Fremont Street. So, we'll perhaps have a Trek-themed spot to visit, kind of like a Planet Hollywood, and only then would I want to make a return trip if the food and drink could really transcend what was in the original restaurant. I can't imagine anything that would make me want to stay there all day (and spend money) unless we were talking about a really spectacular new set of attractions.

 

[SoloFriendly]

I did end up going up to Fremont Street, and it was a LONG way from the Strip-region of Vegas.

Only if you walk it. It's only 6.5 miles from Harrahs, at mid-Strip, to the Golden Nugget on Fremont Street. By cab or car, that's not too bad, or you could take the Deuce bus for a more leisurely sightseeing-trip to and from.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I actually found the "Star Trek" stuff the least interesting information on the website that Wired links to as a source on this.