LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A new veterans memorial featuring 18 bronze statues is now open in northwest Las Vegas.
Hundreds of veterans, family members and state and city leaders gathered to celebrate the opening of the Nevada State Veterans Memorial at 6105 N. Durango Drive.
The 7.5-foot-tall statues were originally commissioned by the state in 2011 and previously stood outside the former Grant Sawyer State Building.
Their new home includes an open-air promenade, landscaping, an amphitheater and informational displays.
The memorial, created through a partnership between Nevada state leaders, the city of Las Vegas and the Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE, honors more than 200,000 Nevada veterans and American military service dating back to the Revolutionary War.
"It's going to be a great place to honor our veterans. It's a quiet place of reflection," Ward 4 Councilwoman Francis Allen-Palenske said.
Air Force veteran Maurice Tyner said he had been curious about the site while it was under construction.
"I could see the statues and I said it looks like a memorial of some sort for veterans, and I couldn't wait to get over here and see what it was all about," Tyner said.
The grand opening included a Joint Armed Forces Color Guard presentation and a flyover from Nellis Air Force Base.
Organizers said they hope the memorial becomes a place of healing, inspiration and education for the community.
