The city of Las Vegas will be lighting up the night in celebration of the completing a $5.5 million streetscaping effort for downtown’s new entertainment district, Fremont East. A Fremont East District lighting and dedication party will be held on Friday, Aug. 24. The event kicks off with live music at 7 p.m. and includes a lighting ceremony at 7:45 p.m. These activities are scheduled at Fremont Street, between Las Vegas Boulevard and Seventh Street.

The whole project is made possible through a public-private partnership by the city of Las Vegas and Fremont East property owners. From Las Vegas Boulevard to Eighth Street, three blocks of Fremont Street experienced this transformation. Improvements include the creation of wider sidewalks and more pedestrian-friendly streets; landscaping; lighted gateways and four 40-foot-tall, retro-looking neon signs. Through this streetscaping effort, the city is capitalizing on popular nostalgia by reviving the old glamour of vintage Las Vegas. Streetscaping improvements were begun in late January of this year and took seven months to complete.

Located in the heart of downtown, the Fremont East District sits adjacent to the Fremont Street Experience, which was visited by 18.7 million people last year. The city, along with area property owners, hopes that the improvements and favorable business incentives will bring more entertainment venues to downtown Las Vegas. Incentives for businesses looking to relocate to the area include a reduced Tavern Limited License fee and the Entertainment District Visual Improvement Program, which offers a rebate of up to a maximum of $95,000 for any qualified exterior improvement costs.

Within the last six months, several new venues have opened to the public. The Griffin, located at 511 Fremont St. and the Downtown Cocktail Room, located at 111 Las Vegas Blvd., are the newest additions to the already exciting lineup that includes Beauty Bar, Hennessey’s Tavern and Take 1 Nightclub. Also new to the area is a large pint glass housed above Hennessey’s Tavern, at 425 Fremont St. Within the large pint glass is a jazz lounge and live music venue.

For more information on the Fremont East Entertainment District, visit the project Web page.