LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Las Vegas is one step closer to building a permanent tribute to the victims of the 1 October mass shooting after a new multi-million-dollar funding commitment.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority voted Tuesday to commit $5 million toward construction of the Forever One project. The planned space will honor the 58 people killed on the Las Vegas Strip during the 2017 Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting.
Alyssa Bethencourt follows up on the progress made toward building the "Forever One" memorial:
The LVCVA joins a growing list of public and private supporters. Clark County has committed $10 million and agreed to cover administrative costs for the project. MGM Resorts International has pledged another $5 million and donated the two-acre site where the shooting happened.
“A permanent memorial honoring the victims, survivors, and heroes of 1 October is essential to our community’s healing. We will continue to stand behind the Fund and the County as they advance this project,” said a spokesperson for MGM Resorts.
Leaders say the space is intended to honor victims, first responders and survivors while creating a place for reflection, healing and hope.
“Building this memorial is something of joy. It’s something of remembrance,” said Jan Jones Blackhurst, chairwoman of the Forever One Memorial Committee. “It’s a proof point that Las Vegas is a community that we’re all proud to call home.”
LVCVA CEO Steve Hill says completing the project remains a priority for the community.
“It’s important for all of those who were there, all of those who were affected, that this memorial get built,” Hill said. “The community made a commitment to do that a number of years ago, and we need to make it happen.”
Last October, organizers said roughly $40 million would be needed to build the project. With several major commitments now secured, Channel 13 has reached out to organizers for an update on how much still needs to be raised. A spokesperson for the Forever One Memorial Committee tells Channel 13 they are working on a response.
Groundbreaking is planned for sometime this year, with a projected opening date of October 1, 2027, to mark 10 years of remembrance.
