Nevada State Veterans Memorial gets a new northwest Las Vegas home after its old site was tagged for housing

What happened

The Nevada State Veterans Memorial has a new permanent site in far northwest Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. On Monday, workers were finishing the memorial at Thunderbird Family Sports Complex, 6105 N. Durango Drive. The site is expected to be done by Veterans Day.

The city of Las Vegas will hold a public dedication on Wednesday, Veterans Day, starting at 4:30 p.m. According to the Review-Journal, the event will include a flyover from Nellis Air Force Base and a Joint Armed Forces Color Guard ceremony.

Why the memorial had to move

Old site set aside for housing

The memorial used to stand at the Sawyer Building government complex. The Review-Journal reported that a new home became necessary after that complex was tagged for demolition to make room for a housing project. Readers following land use changes can find more coverage in our development section.

A partnership more than two years in the making

The relocation is a partnership between the city of Las Vegas, the Nevada Department of Veterans Services and the Mayor's Fund for Las Vegas LIFE, an independent nonprofit. The Review-Journal reported that the effort started to come together more than two years ago. Rafael Construction built the new space.

How the project was funded

On Veterans Day last year, dignitaries and veterans gathered at the site, which was then a deserted plot with $0 earmarked for construction, according to the Review-Journal. That day, Mayor Shelley Berkley started a fundraiser with a $25,000 commitment from a discretionary fund she controls through her elected office.

What visitors will see

Statues and wall

The memorial centers on 18 bronze statues and a large granite wall, which have existed for more than a decade. Nevada commissioned sculptor Douwe Blumberg in 2011 to create the statues, which stand 7.5 feet tall. Each figure represents a soldier from a different U.S. military conflict, going back to the Revolutionary War.

Lights will shine on the figures from below. The wall carries etched quotes from figures such as former presidents and well-known war fighters, the Review-Journal reported.

New site features

The new space includes an open-air promenade, an amphitheater, shade and landscaping. Las Vegas Councilwoman Francis Allen-Palenske, who previewed the site Monday, said it honors more than 200,000 veterans who live in Nevada, along with visitors from out of state.

What city leaders said

"It's wonderful that we can do this for our veteran population here in Southern Nevada, one of the largest populations in America," Allen-Palenske told reporters, according to the Review-Journal. She also said, "We're grateful for this to be its forever home in the northwest."

Allen-Palenske said there is more land behind the memorial if the city wants to extend it. She described a possible future expansion that would resemble a memorial on the National Mall in Washington. For now, she said, the city is working with local school systems on programming so visitors, including students on field trips, can learn about American history and veterans' sacrifices. More local stories are in our community section.

What to watch next

• The public dedication on Wednesday, Veterans Day, at 6105 N. Durango Drive, starting at 4:30 p.m.
• Whether the memorial site is finished by Veterans Day, as the Review-Journal reported it should be.
• The city's work with local school systems on programming and field trips at the memorial.
• Plans for the housing project at the former Sawyer Building government complex, which is tagged for demolition.