Opponents seek to end a bungee-jumping venue, citing environmental and safety concerns.
An aerial view of the proposed site of the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas. (Evelyn Hockstein/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @EvelynHockstein
Opponents of a bungee-jumping venue in Las Vegas will gather at 4:45 p.m. Monday, Sept. 3, at the site of downtown’s iconic Golden Nugget hotel to rally against the site.
“The Golden Nugget is a symbol that has stood in Las Vegas for more than a century,” said Las Vegas City Councilman Joe Lopez, who chairs the Las Vegas Valley Landmarks Commission. “There’s a long history of these places serving the residents of Las Vegas. This is an iconic institution.”
The Nevada Historic Preservation Commission has agreed with opponents, saying they will oppose the new venue, which would be a joint venture of Las Vegas’ Convention and Visitors Authority and Golden Nugget owner, MGM Resorts International.
Nevada Landmark Preservation Coalition Executive Director Jeff Dildine said the agency “condoned this idea of a joint venture where the NVA gets the Golden Nugget property and MGM Resorts International gets the venue and the bungee jumping business.”
The group also cited concerns over the bungee-jump facility on its Facebook page, noting that a recent study of the Golden Nugget site showed a higher concentration of cancer-causing chemicals.
Lopez believes the project is a solution in search of a problem. “What’s the point of having a venue, if you’re going to make your business off of death? It’s one of the reasons why we built the Hoover Dam: to help people,” he said.
The development was first proposed in the mid-1990s.
In the last two years, several attempts have been made by opponents to halt the joint venture between the city and the hotel operator. Among them are lawsuits, a federal injunction, a letter of opposition signed by the state governor, and a legislative resolution.
Earlier this month, Las Vegas City Council took up the matter, and an amended measure was unanimously passed