The Nevada State Veterans Memorial is set to open at its new home in the Thunderbird Family Sports Complex by Veterans Day, when the city will host a public dedication ceremony at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at 6105 N. Durango Drive. The event will feature a flyover from Nellis Air Force Base and a Joint Armed Forces Color Guard ceremony.
The memorial features 18 bronze statues, each 7.5 feet tall, representing American veterans from every major U.S. conflict dating back to the Revolutionary War. Sculptor Douwe Blumberg created the figures in 2011. They stand before a mammoth granite wall etched with quotes from former presidents and military leaders, illuminated by lights from below.
The relocation became necessary after the memorial's former site at the Sawyer Building government complex was slated for demolition to make way for a housing project. The new $2.5 million project is a partnership between the city of Las Vegas, the Nevada Department of Veterans Services, and the Mayor's Fund for Las Vegas LIFE. Construction by Rafael Construction includes an open-air promenade, amphitheater, shade structures, and landscaping.
Councilwoman Francis Allen-Palenske previewed the site Monday, calling it a "wonderful" tribute to Southern Nevada's veteran population, one of the largest in the nation. She envisions future expansion on adjacent land to resemble the National Mall memorials and plans to coordinate with local schools for educational programming and field trips.
Mayor Shelley Berkley launched fundraising for the project at last year's Veterans Day ceremony on the then-vacant lot, committing $25,000 from her discretionary fund. Allen-Palenske said the setting offers a powerful testament to freedom: "There's no better testament to the fight for freedom than to hear kids playing in the adjacency."
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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