Topping-off ceremony held for The Smith Center for the Performing Arts

February 25, 2010

Las Vegas, Nevada - On February 25, Las Vegas celebrated a historic moment in the development of the 61-acre city neighborhood of Symphony Park with the topping-off ceremony for The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, a world-class performing arts center located within the growing downtown community.

Designed by architect David M. Schwarz, the 379,000 square foot performing arts center will be home to Nevada Ballet Theatre, Las Vegas Philharmonic, Broadway shows and first-run touring attractions visiting the city.

Under sunny skies, founder Fred W. Smith joined The Smith Center executives and Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman onstage as cranes hoisted and placed a 101,000-pound (or 50-ton) steel beam assemblage to complete the Carillion Bell Tower taking it to its highest point of 170 feet.

The ceremony also included the renaming of Discovery Avenue to Symphony Park Avenue by Mayor Goodman, the street bounding the park in the planned urban community. As well, attendees took part in hard hat tours inside the structure of the framed stage and concert hall’s 2,050-seating area.

The Smith Center began construction in May 2009. It is now about one-third complete and is scheduled to open in the spring of 2012.

Symphony Park, Cultural Heart of Las Vegas

The Smith Center for the Performing Arts is one of two key projects anchoring Symphony Park. The other project completed this spring is the renowned Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, a medical center that has been seeing patients since July 2009. Also planned are Residential Neighborhoods by Newland Communities; The Charlie Palmer, a luxury boutique hotel; World Jewelry Center by Heritage-Nevada VIII, LLC; and a Casino/Hotel/Retail Complex by Forest City.

Symphony Park is a public/private development between the City of Las Vegas, landowner and master developer, and Newland, chosen by the city as project manager in December 2005.

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