Housing

July 7th, 2025 - Gateway To Fremont Staff

If you’ve walked through the Arts District lately and found yourself thinking, “Wait... when did these buildings pop up on 3rd and California?” you can thank one person: Tim Downey. It all started with him.

As CEO of Southern Land Company, Downey isn’t just dabbling in Downtown Las Vegas. He’s reshaping it. While the Strip fumbles with free parking and PR damage control, he’s down here pouring concrete, planting roots, and giving people a real reason to live, walk, and invest in the actual city of Las Vegas.

Here’s what he’s building:

• Gemma – Three seven-story towers rising in the heart of the Arts District. Walkable to coffee shops, bars, and galleries. Exactly the kind of urban living this neighborhood was born for.
• Capella – A sleek 22-story high-rise in Symphony Park that will be one of the tallest rental towers Downtown has ever seen. Luxury without the gatekeeping.
• Bria – A more intimate mid-rise right next door to Capella. Southern Land isn’t just here to build towers. They’re here to build neighborhoods.
• Auric at Symphony Park – The one that started it all. Southern Land’s first big bet on Downtown, and the project that proved there’s a hunger for real, vibrant, walkable city living in Las Vegas.

And the whispers? He’s not done. There’s buzz that Downey is scouting land near Charleston for another residential high-rise. If true, it would cement Southern Land Company as the most transformative developer in Downtown since Zappos moved in over a decade ago.

What’s especially powerful is that Downey isn’t chasing flashy condos or boutique one-offs. He’s building rentals. That means access. That means more people, more foot traffic, and more chances to discover what makes Downtown Vegas actually tick. Its people.

We haven’t seen this kind of sustained residential momentum since 2008. But this time it’s smarter. It’s more walkable. And it’s focused on mixed-use and rentals, which don’t require investors to swoop in and leave half the units empty. If we can get more rentals in the Downtown urban core, we start to see real people living here full time. That’s how you build a city.

Tim Downey isn’t just building buildings. He’s building a future for people who want to live in the real Las Vegas, not drive through it.

Thank you, Mr. Downey. Let’s keep going.

From the Gateway district to Fremont.

June 30, 2025 - Gateway To Fremont Staff

Right now there’s a lot of talk about Vegas losing steam. 

The headlines say people aren’t coming, the political climate is too hot, and international travel is too cold. Some of that’s true. But here’s what else is true.

Las Vegas has had slow seasons before. We had them after the dam was built. We had them during recessions, pandemics, and once even when people thought the casino business was finished for good.

But Vegas doesn’t disappear. It reinvents. It recharges. And it comes back swinging. What we’re seeing now isn’t a collapse. It’s a signal. It’s time to build something worth coming back for. Again.

There hasn’t been a major new attraction in a minute and the corporate Strip keeps ripping people off. That’s a real problem. But instead of waiting on another billion-dollar megaresort, what if we focus where the future is already knocking? Downtown.

There are seventeen vacant lots between the Strat and Fremont. Seventeen chances to tell the world we still know how to put on a show. 

We can fill those gaps with boutique casinos, immersive experiences, walkable neon corridors, parks, high-rise housing, and real restaurants run by real people with real roots in this city.

From the Gateway District to Fremont Street, this is where the new Las Vegas can take shape. This is the stretch where the Strip can finally extend to the city it forgot. 

This is where we stop apologizing for a slow summer and start designing the comeback.

Vegas isn’t going anywhere. And neither are we.

Gateway to Fremont Team

In today’s blog, we said Andrew Simon worked at Wynn. That was incorrect. He worked for Steve Wynn during the Mirage era, not at Wynn Las Vegas. Of course, Vital Vegas brought it to our attention. Thank you  Mr. Vital

June 25, 2025 - Gateway To Fremont Staff

There’s a quiet transformation happening in Downtown Las Vegas, and if you’ve walked through the Fremont Street Experience lately, you’ve felt it. Safer streets. Bigger crowds. Energy that doesn’t feel forced or phony. That’s not by accident. That’s Andrew Simon, President & CEO of FSE.

That kind of change doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t happen in a vacuum. 

Derek Stevens help start the revitalization with The D Las Vegas, and later with Circa and the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center. Jonathan Jossel has been fearless at the Plaza, bringing bold ideas and constant upgrades. The El Cortez continues to evolve while honoring its old-Vegas soul. 

But what Andrew Simon has done is pull all of that together and turn it into a cohesive, electric experience that feels bigger than the sum of its parts.

Since taking the helm at the Fremont Street Experience, Andrew has done more than just manage a neon-lit entertainment corridor. He’s revived its pulse. And not just at night. Day or night, clips of Fremont on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, wherever you look, show it absolutely packed. Tourists. Locals. Street performers. People are coming back to the real city of Las Vegas.

And just this weekend he booked Robin Thicke to perform live right on Fremont Street, with the iconic Four Queens glittering behind him. It felt like a moment. A reminder that Downtown still knows how to deliver real Las Vegas energy in a way the Strip forgot how to do.

None of this is accidental. It takes vision, consistency, and someone who knows what world-class actually looks like. Before leading Fremont, he was a top media executive and even worked for Steve Wynn during the Mirage era, where he got a front-row seat to the golden age of Las Vegas entertainment. 

More importantly, he gets it. He understands what Fremont can be. Not just a party street, but a launching pad. That’s exactly what the Gateway to Fremont project is about. Reconnecting the entire city by extending walkability, boutique casinos, and retail up Las Vegas Boulevard, past the Strat, all the way to Fremont. A real neon corridor. A heartbeat that stretches from the Strip to the Arts District to Downtown.

Andrew has already shown he can run one of the most unpredictable stretches of the city and turn it into something smart, vibrant, and profitable. Why stop there?

Maybe this is us dreaming out loud, but if Andrew ever wanted to run for mayor, he’d have our vote before he even announced. Well, unless Vital Vegas ran. We might need a debate and a neon-lit runoff. But Andrew’s on that level. This city needs people who understand both luxury and locals. People who can attract tourism without losing soul. People who don’t just say Downtown matters, but actually prove it with results.

He’s already shown he can do it with Fremont. Now imagine what he could do for the whole city.

From the Gateway district to Fremont (and beyond).

June 18, 2025 - Gateway To Fremont Staff

Let’s start with this: if the City of Las Vegas wants to change the game, it needs to build the pedestrian bridge at Las Vegas Boulevard and Sahara.

This might be the most important half-block in the entire city.

More than 40 million people visit the Strip every year. A lot of them eventually head north. They pass Wynn, Resorts World, Fontainebleau. 

They’re curious about what’s next. But as they approach Sahara, something happens. The sidewalk narrows. The intersection gets chaotic. The walk no longer feels like it’s meant for people.

So they stop. They turn around. And Downtown misses out.

But a pedestrian bridge at Sahara could change everything. It would connect the Strip directly to the City of Las Vegas. It sends a message: keep going, there’s more to discover.

Once visitors make it past that barrier, once they reach the Strat and see the iconic showgirl statues just beyond it, they’re right on the edge of something amazing.

Take a left on Main Street, and you’re in the Arts District, the most beautiful neighborhood in the Las Vegas Valley. It’s walkable, colorful, and full of life. Cafés, vintage shops, art galleries, bars, murals. It’s everything people wish Vegas had more of.

From there, the walk flows naturally. Through the Arts District, past the city’s new Civic Plaza and Las Vegas City Hall, and straight to the Plaza Hotel and Casino, where Fremont Street begins. It’s safe, scenic, and during early mornings or cooler seasons, it’s actually fun.

So when people say, “You can’t walk from the Strip to Downtown,” what they really mean is that it gets awkward around Sahara. And that’s a problem we can fix.

This is why the pedestrian bridge matters. It clears the path. It shifts the perception. And if the city goes even further, adding boutique casinos, neon signs, and sidewalk cafés along the way, this won’t just be a walk. It’ll be a signature Vegas experience.

It’s time to stop spreading the myth.

The Strip and Downtown can absolutely be connected. And once that bridge is built?

Everyone will walk it.

June 17, 2025 - Gateway To Fremont Staff

Downtown Las Vegas is about to get something it’s never had before: a true civic “living room”—a place where the entire city can come together.

Later this year, the City of Las Vegas will unveil Goodman Plaza, a vibrant, tree-lined public square fronting the new Civic Center complex. Framed by modern architecture and the iconic Las Vegas City Hall, this new plaza will feature a built-in stage, shaded lawn, and wide-open space for concerts, farmers markets, and everyday connection.

It’s the kind of public square great cities are built around—and now, it’s finally coming to the heart of Vegas.

Even better? It’s arriving just in time. Over 1,000 new apartments are slated to open across Downtown in the next year, from the Arts District to Symphony Park. That means more people living here, walking here, and looking for a place to gather and feel part of something.

Goodman Plaza isn’t just a pretty space. It’s a symbol of a city that’s growing on purpose—and turning Downtown Las Vegas into a place to truly live, not just visit.

June 16, 2025 - Gateway to Fremont Staff

Downtown Las Vegas is having a moment — and not enough people are paying attention.

Right now, Downtown Las Vegas is experiencing a rare convergence: explosive housing demand, a surging creative scene, and a city government that’s more pro-development than just about anywhere in the country. 

This isn’t just another growth spurt — it’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity. And many national developers are missing it.

A few forward-thinking firms have already taken notice:

• Southern Land Company, a national player, will soon have over 1,000 rental units across four major projects in Downtown Las Vegas.
• Chicago-based Cedar Street is building 300 apartments Downtown, marking their first Nevada development.
• Red Ridge Development is going vertical with the first new condo tower in Downtown Las Vegas in years.
• And now the Midtown project — led by the owners of The English Hotel in partnership with Marriott — is rising in the heart of the Arts District, blending hospitality and residential in one of the most dynamic neighborhoods in the Las Vegas Valley.

But where are the rest?

The Arts District is booming. Fremont East is electric. Symphony Park is on the rise — not just with new residential towers, but now with the recently approved Las Vegas Art Museum, a major partnership with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). Sponsored by the estate of the late Elaine Wynn, this cultural landmark is set to break ground in 2027, signaling Downtown’s growing role as a national arts and culture destination.

And now, with Gateway to Fremont, we’re working to connect these hotspots by turning vacant lots into active, walkable corridors. The goal: a vibrant urban core with places to live, explore, and belong.

Here’s what savvy developers and investors already understand:

• Downtown Las Vegas has room to grow — and the demand to support it
• There’s a critical housing shortage across the Vegas Valley
• Opportunity Zones offer major upside for long-term investment
• The permitting and zoning climate is fast, flexible, and builder-friendly
• Few other cities offer this mix of affordability, momentum, and upside

If you’re waiting to see what happens in Downtown Las Vegas — it’s already happening.

Gateway to Fremont is helping connect the future of the city, block by block. 

The only question is: will you be part of it — or explain to your shareholders why you missed it?

Helpful Links to Get Started Building Downtown

Our Developer Page (With available land Downtown)

City of Las Vegas Office of Economic Development (With Resources to get Building!)