Area15 Reveals Portions of Its Immersive Experience on September 17

Area15, the art and entertainment complex west of I-15, will debut parts of its new complex at 6 p.m. on September 17. Only a few of Area15’s experiences plan to debut, with more rolling out in early 2021.

On the food and beverage side of the complex, Boston-based Emack & Bolio’s makes its Las Vegas debut with ice cream, yogurt, homemade fudge and chocolate, micro-brewed sodas, vegan selections, and more. Oddwood from Corner Bar Management’s Ryan Doherty arrives with a nearly 23-foot-high Japanese maple tree built by Color + Light decorated with more than 5,000 twinkling LED lights. Oddwood will serve beers and cocktails. Meanwhile, the Beast pop-up food experience takes over Area15’s outdoor event space, surrounded by sculptures and art cars.

The 40,000-square-foot complex includes a number of pieces of art, virtual reality experiences, and more dining and drinks rolling out through early 2021.

Art Island features a gallery of large-scale, festival-inspired artwork. Birdly Virtual Reality Experience mimics the flight of birds through New York or Singapore. Customers can explore prehistoric worlds or test their flying skills in a futuristic racing game.

The Spine forms the corridor of the space, filled with art installations, boutiques, and food and beverage outlets. Inside The Spine, Valyrian Steel by Henry Chang Design brings a kinetic art car described as “part Mad Max, part Mars Rover.”

Gallerie 360 inside The Portal features a 360-degree projection mapped room, while Haley’s Comet by Walltopia is an indoor, electric dual-track suspension ride that gives riders a view of the art in The Spine via a glider that can reach eight miles per hour.

Sanctuary by Ibuku Design Studio, constructed with bamboo from Bali and Java, offers a quiet space filled with an “earthy, airy dome … made from all-natural materials, acting as a living organism complete with lush plant life.”

Shogyo Mujo by Bart Kresa Studio and Joshua Harker features a 12-foot-tall skull covered in 3D projection mapping and synched to music. And, finally, Wild Muse Boutique offers apparel, accessories, art, and eco-friendly health and wellness products from local and global vendors.

Still to come, Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart, a grocery store with zany items for sale, Lost Spirits Distillery, Dueling Axes, Emporium Bar & Arcade, Wink World, The Beast Food Hall by Todd English, Rocket Fizz candy shop, and the Intel Innovation Hub. Still more tenants plan to come on board in the months to come.

Those who want to see the complex first can sign up for time-slots September 17-20. The experience is free, but pre-registration and masks on site are required.

• All Coverage of Area15 [ELV]