Tightrope walker would draw attention to nightclub

By Dylan Scott

Tuesday, March 29, 2011 | 10:09 p.m.

A radio station wants to build a nightlife complex that would include a lounge, outdoor deck bar and — more intriguing — a tightrope that a professional walker would traverse to grab attention.

Chetak Development Inc. and Hot 97.5 KVEG are seeking use permits for a nightclub and on-premises consumption of alcohol, as well as for the tightrope. On Tuesday, the Paradise Town Advisory Board unanimously approved the application, a first step in the process.

The project calls for a 49,000-square-foot, three-story addition to an existing shopping center on the east side of Las Vegas Boulevard, just south of Mandalay Bay, according to plans filed with the county.

KVEG occupies the back portion of the 20,000-square-foot center, which also has a McDonald’s and Panda Express.

The application, which included routine waivers of development standards, will go before the Clark County Commission on April 20.

Marty Basche, vice president and general manager for KVEG, said the expansion would allow the station “to have something of our own” for promotional events such as celebrity basketball tournaments or meet-and-greets with the musicians on their playlists.

“It’s going to be really great for us,” Basche said. “We’ll be able to have a lot of new events and invite our listeners to come out. Instead of going out to find a spot, we’ll be able to have something right here.”

According to the plans submitted to the county, the multi-function event area, featuring a bar and lounges, would be on the second floor. On the third floor would be a roof deck, an artistic display gallery, more bars and lounges, and a tightrope stretched from the roof to a sign near Las Vegas Boulevard for the still-unnamed project.

Todd McBrayer of Breslin Builders, who represented KVEG at Tuesday’s meeting, stressed that the tightrope facility would not be open to the public. The idea would be to host a professional tightrope walker on major holiday weekends to attracting visitors, he said.

The first floor of the shopping center would continue to house existing businesses on the site, Basche said. KVEG also plans to build new meeting rooms and offices, he said.

Renderings were not available on Tuesday, but McBrayer said he expected to present final designs to the County Commission on April 20. Basche said there is no timeline for construction.