By Scott Roeben
Downtown Las Vegas has had a flurry of activity in recent months, including announcements about plans for a number of new venues and attractions in Neonopolis, an oft-derided shopping mall on downtown’s famed Fremont Street that’s about to get several injections of awesome.
The ShoeZeum
This one came out of nowhere, but it’s about to rock the “sneakerhead” world. The ShoeZeum is a showcase for the world’s largest collection of Nike sneakers, and will occupy the space next to the much-talked-about Heart Attack Grill restaurant.
The ShoeZeum is the result of a fanatical obsession with Nikes on the part of one man, Michael Jordan Geller. Yes, that’s his real name, and it was given to him long before that “other” Michael Jordan became famous. Geller built the mind-blowing collection, pair by pair, over several years while running a business on eBay.
Think you’re not a sneaker person? You will be! Geller’s enthusiasm is contagious, and you’ll be floored by his encyclopedic knowledge of Nike’s vast array of shoes, many based on things you’d never expect. There are shoes inspired by animals, cartoons, liquor, movies and TV, playing cards, super heroes, the mob and just about anything else you can imagine.
Ever see a pair of sneakers worth $5,000? Geller’s got those. They’re a pair of blue Air Jordan 4s made exclusively for rapper Eminem and his friends. Geller also has a story to go with just about every pair of “kicks” in the place, and he’s definitely one of the shoe museum’s main draws.
The ShoeZeum, with its record-smashing collection of 2,500 pairs of Nikes, opens August 30, 2012. Tickets are $10.
Denny’s With a Vegas Twist
Typically, the opening of a Denny’s might not be especially newsworthy, but when it’s Las Vegas, all bets are off!
Neonopolis will soon be home to a new Denny’s, but with a Sin City twist: The restaurant will also boast a wedding chapel among its amenities. Yes, there are even rumors wedding cakes will be available made from pancakes.
The 24-hour reputation of Denny’s seems to dovetail nicely with Las Vegas, and it doesn’t hurt that the new, roughly 6,400-square-foot Denny’s will also have a full bar.
Could a quirky Denny’s end up being a travel destination in its own right? We’re about to find out! The Denny’s at Neonopolis is expected to open by the end of 2012.
It’s Going to Be Massive
Krave, the gay nightclub at The Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood has announced it will move to, you guessed it, Neonopolis, downtown.
Neonopolis is already home to the fun Drink & Drag, a combination lounge, bowling alley and pool hall where the staff is made up almost entirely of drag queens. (The company that runs Krave is the same one that owns Drink & Drag.)
Krave will get un upgraded name, Krave Massive, and will include five themed dance rooms with different kinds of music (Latin, house, top 40, hip-hop and country), three separate bar areas, a VIP lounge (called Indulge), performing arts theater and even a comedy club (Tickled Pink). There’s even been talk of building a 20,000-square-foot pool.
According to the owners, once the project’s complete, Krave Massive will be the largest gay club in the world. And, remember, nothing says fun like “high-output CO2 blasts.” At Krave Massive, you’ll be covered.
Krave Massive club is scheduled to open in December, 2012.
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