In August 2007, the city completed a $5.5 million overhaul of Fremont Street just east (hence the name) of the Fremont Street Experience. Improvements made included the creation of wider sidewalks and more pedestrian-friendly streets; landscaping; lighted gateways and four 40-foot-tall, retro-looking neon signs.

The area had been a bit of a no-man’s land unless you were looking for drugs or prostitutes but now crime in the area is down, foot traffic is up, and business is perhaps not booming but at least doing well enough that the project is being called a success.

Several interesting bars have opened along the stretch including Los Angeles transport Beauty Bar, the fun and funky Griffin, and the sleek and modern Downtown Cocktail Room. In addition, the historic El Cortez has received a major makeover that has turned it into one of the nicest (and yet still affordable) hotels in the neighborhood.

So could this be the start of the revitalization of Downtown that has long been promised but never delivered?

Things are definitely looking up if you look at the list of projects in the area. In addition to the already opened bars and clubs more are on the way including a newly proposed 2,500 seat venue that will house a comedy club and banquet space.

And “The El” is not the only place in the neighborhood that has received some much needed makeover love.

The Golden Nugget is in the midst of a massive (and massively successful) renovation that has returned the luster to the once faded Grande Dame of Downtown. The casino and public areas have been completely revamped, the façade has been redone, there are newly renovated suites, new restaurants and clubs, a gorgeous new pool area, and much more of all of the above on the way.

The Four Queens has gotten some visual upgrades and now Binion’s has a new owner that is promising to do the same at that property as well.

New owners are also swear to get the languishing Lady Luck back on its feet .

Across the street from the Lady Luck, work is underway on turning the historic courthouse into a Mob Museum, a project former mob attorney and current Mayor Oscar Goodman has been trumpeting for years.

New condo towers are going up here and there and while the building boom certainly doesn’t match the one happening on The Strip in terms of scope and size, it’s impressive in this area anyway.

And of course there’s Union Park, the massive 61-acre plot of land adjacent to Downtown that will, some day, be home to a performing arts center, a medical center, hotels, casinos, entertainment, and much more.

Downtown Las Vegas will never be able to compete with The Strip but with projects like these it could finally provide a worthy alternative.

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Question: My family is having a mini-reunion in Las Vegas during the holiday season. Is there anything festive to do in the city during that time?

Answer: The holidays used to turn Las Vegas into a bit of a wasteland, with much smaller crowds resulting in a lot of nothing for the weeks leading up to Christmas.

But these days this is not only a 24 hour city but it’s a 365 day city and so there are some interesting things to do in Las Vegas during the holidays.

At the top of your must-do list is a visit to Bellagio’s Botanical Gardens and Conservatory. The indoor gardens at Bellagio are done up in true holiday style every year and the display of live plants, ornamentation, and decoration is always a visual delight. It’s open 24 hours a day and is free.

The Springs Preserve is presenting its first Winter Lights Festival beginning Friday, November 23 with festivities continuing through the end of the year. The lights display in the 8-acre garden and throughout the Preserve will be created from half a million LED lights illuminated by solar power, a leading example of a sustainable holiday celebration. Its open Friday through Sunday from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. starting November 23 and then daily starting December 24 through December 30. Cost of admission to gardens only is $4 for adults and $2 for children ages 5-17 and cost of admission for gardens and galleries is $9 for adults and $4.50 for children ages 5-17 (ages four and under admitted free.) For more information visit their website at www.springspreserve.org.

For the fourth year, Lake Las Vegas will turn the resort into a chilly winter wonderland for all skaters to enjoy with an ice rink floating on the 320-acre lake, off the shore of MonteLago Village. It uses 110, five gallon buckets of water and 12,000-pound chiller units to help keep the ice cold, and can accommodate up to 60 skaters at one time.

The Lake Las Vegas ice rink will open on November 16 at 8:00 p.m. and will run through February 17, at 9:00 p.m. (these hours are subject to change due to weather conditions). The cost is $15 per person, $12 for children 12 years of age and under. Groups of 20 or more are $8 and season passes are also available for $125, which includes the cost of skate rentals. The rink will be in operation November 16- February 17 on from noon-9:00 p.m.

For more about the holiday events at Lake Las Vegas resort, call 564-1600 or visit www.lakelasvegas.com.

And finally, what goes better with the holidays than chocolate? The Ethel M. Chocolate Factory has an annual holiday light display in their cactus garden. It’s free of charge and you can buy chocolate while you’re there so everybody wins. For more information, call 800-438-4356.

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