Las Vegas’s pioneering experiential art and entertainment complex, AREA15, is embarking on a significant expansion set to redefine immersive attractions. This ambitious growth, with its first tenant opening in August 2025 (get excited for Universal Horror Unleashed), will transform the current 200,000-square-foot facility into a sprawling 40-acre destination blending retail with entertainment. Featuring brand-new themed zones and an extensive collection of art installations, AREA15 is solidifying its position as a global leader in next-generation experiences.
Introducing Zone 2: The Terminals and Grand Art Installations
The latest development phase, named “Zone 2: The Terminals,” includes eight new structures providing an additional 300,000 square feet for shopping, entertainment venues, and food and beverage concepts. Upon completion, the AREA15 District will proudly feature 60 sculptures and 30 murals, creating the largest permanent showcase of monumental art in the Southwest.
A truly unique focal point of this new area will be a fully integrated Boeing 747, a renowned large-scale art piece from Burning Man. The art piece was transported to AREA15 with a celebratory convoy earlier this year as it made its way over from the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The 150-foot aircraft fuselage is being re-envisioned as an exclusive elevated nightlife and versatile event space (the tenant has yet to be decided). It will anchor an expanded outdoor collection of large-scale interactive art. “This is the biggest art park in the world,” Winston Fisher, CEO of AREA15, told the media. “That’s a signature art piece. You don’t just get to see a 747 coming out of a van.”
Exciting New Tenant Mix and Culinary Additions
The expansion brings several highly anticipated new tenants, further diversifying AREA15’s already impressive selection of attractions. The first new major draw, Universal Horror Unleashed, is scheduled to open in August 2025, promising a year-round, immersive horror experience from Universal Destinations & Experiences.
Other upcoming additions include the biggest flagship location for the Museum of Ice Cream (introducing an ice cream buffet), a Dolls Kill retail store, The Escape Game, Felix & Paul Studios’ Interstellar Arc, and iFLY Indoor Skydiving. The array of dining options will also grow with new eateries such as Saint Honoré Doughnuts & Beignets, Chilango’s Tacos, and Nacho Daddy.
Everything is designed to be fully unique but still fit into the backstory that drives AREA15 and its abundance of creativity. “To be a storytelling platform, you need to have a good story that helped us,” Fisher explained. “And we don’t put that in front of our tenants or anything like that. This idea that this was an old military-industrial complex, and there was this explosion of energy and the world was born.”
“Every brand we work with, whether it’s a school, museum, arts and cultural, they want to be able to do their own brand celebration,” Fisher told us. “They don’t want the walls to be very constraining for how they showcase this. With us, it’s always about how much you are going to showcase yourself. So creating ceiling heights and making sure there are as few columns as possible; that’s what’s really important to the experience.”
A Vision for Experiential Innovation
Winston Fisher, chief executive officer of AREA15, emphasized the importance of these new developments. He stated, “The installation of the 747 and the vertical rise of Zone 2: The Terminals aren’t just construction milestones—they’re symbolic of the momentum we’ve built. We’re redefining what experiential development can look like by merging visionary brands, radical creativity and the future of immersive entertainment.”
The expanded district aims to attract both internationally recognized brands and emerging innovators in experiential entertainment. What started as an immersive project off the Strip has already brought visitors to its obscure location and now hopes to attract visitors as a destination in itself. Its strategic location near Interstate 15 provides direct access to millions of annual visitors and local residents, reinforcing AREA15’s evolution as a highly innovative and immersive entertainment destination.
Expect out of the ordinary at the newly expanded space—just as you would in the current AREA15 structure. “We’re taking a piece of art and adding mist to it, so it shoots out mist, and it performs a function that makes the guest experience good but is also artistic. So it’s just kind of looking at things a little bit more non-traditionally when it comes to amenities and normal features of a real estate property.”
As AREA15 gears up for its grand unveiling, it stands not merely as an expansion of entertainment but as a bold declaration of what the future holds for shared human experience. This visionary district, with its monumental art, innovative attractions, and re-imagined spaces, invites us to step beyond the everyday and into realms of boundless creativity and connection. It’s a testament to the power of imagination, inspiring awe and wonders in every visitor and reminding us that even in a city built on spectacle, the most profound magic lies in pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. “Make it over the top. Make it a spectacle. Right?” Fisher said. “I always “do. It’s an opportunity here. It’s a dream.”
*Edited for length and clarity.
