The Park

An unprecedented and unique urban infill project in Las Vegas has just been completed. The notorious Las Vegas Strip, today, is the most visited tourist destination in the world. The Strip recently received its first-ever park, a spectacular public space designed by !melk, that is destined to become the most trafficked park in the world. What makes this project remarkable is the fact that private corporations, the owners of the properties along Las Vegas Boulevard, recently came to realize the value of investing in outdoor public space versus traditional (buildings) real estate development. They also see the economic and marketing value of sustainable, authentic, and contextual design. A more complete and mature urban condition has begun to form as a contrast to the prevailing thematic and artificial attractions that gave Las Vegas its familiar reputation to date.

The cutting-edge design of “The Park” celebrates the context of the Mojave region and reinstates what Las Vegas once was - an oasis in the desert. Las Vegas exists in an extremely challenging arid location, exposed to sun, heat, dust storms, and scarcity of water. All design elements mitigate these extremes to create the most enjoyable urban experience possible. Iconic shade structures, water features, and desert plantings with drought resistant trees help temper the Las Vegas heat. “The Park” utilizes “best management practice” sustainability guidelines for water use.

Statement from the designer
At !melk, we always strive to create spaces that exude an identity that is authentic to the context of a project. “The Park” is a complete success in that regard. It celebrates the Mojave desert, using its colors, patterns, materials and vegetation. In terms of comfort, safety, food, and entertainment, there is no other place like it in Las Vegas. Amidst the hectic hustle and bustle of the Strip, we were able to create something that is not just sustainable, but also genuinely authentic to the City. In addition to its iconicity, “The Park” reinstates what Vegas once was: an oasis in the middle of the desert.
Jerry van Eyck, Founder & Principal, !melk landscape architecture & urban design

Quotes
“[The Park] is going to be a jewel at the heart of the Strip. [It] is unlike any other because it is a park for Las Vegas to celebrate Las Vegas and to celebrate the great desert that we live in.”
Jim Murren, Chairman & CEO of MGM Resorts International

“The Park is built and operated in a sustainable manner that shows respect for the environment around us [...] through water-smart design, highly energy efficient lighting, locally sourced materials, and green buildings.”
Cindy Ortega, Senior Vice President, Chief Sustainability Officer of MGM Resorts International

“One of the greatest needs of the Strip has been open space [...] Of all the creative changes that we’ve seen on the Las Vegas Strip, The Park, which is void of gaming, is the most community driven development that MGM has yet developed [...] The Park will introduce more than 40 million visitors who travel to Las Vegas to another side of Nevada that we all know and love. We are a State that values the arts, culture, and the outdoors. The Park was made possible by a team of designers who combined our desert landscape with cutting-edge designs in a sustainable way.”
Brian Sandoval, Governor of Nevada

MGM Resorts International

!melk

Planner: Cooper Robertson & Partners
Architect: Marnell Architecture
Civil engineer: Lochsa Engineering
Structural engineer: Lochsa Engineering
Electrical engineer: JBA Consulting Engineers
Lighting design (site): Lighting Design Alliance
Lighting design (shade structures): Arup, Leni Schwendinger
Water feature engineer: Water FX