Las Vegas: $7.4 Million Arts Hub Rises in Vacant Theater
A downtown nonprofit will transform the former Eclipse Theatres into a multi-use facility featuring live performance spaces, production studios, and workforce training programs.
By Matthew Collins ·
The City of Las Vegas has approved a plan to convert the vacant former Eclipse Theatres building into a performing arts center.
The project will cost $7.4 million, with the city covering $4.2 million and private donations supplying the remaining balance. The Las Vegas Redevelopment Agency signed off on a reimbursement agreement for the initiative. Groundbreaking is scheduled to begin in eight months, and the facility is projected to open its doors by summer 2028.
Third Street, a nonprofit arts incubator based downtown, is leading the development. Founder Daz Weller secured a lease for the building at the end of 2025. Weller, a former theatre actor in Australia, identified a gap in local opportunities for artists after moving to Las Vegas. He stated, "We really have grown out of the cultural life of Las Vegas," explaining the need for a dedicated local hub.
The new center will focus on cultivating local talent rather than importing it. Weller plans to establish education partnerships with local high schools, College of Southern Nevada, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He said, "Let’s stop importing our talent to serve our industry and actually nurture the talent that we already have here in the city to be able to provide the services that we need." Training programs will be housed within the renovated structure.
Jim D’Asaro, a founding board member and chair of the construction committee, is overseeing the physical expansion. He brings decades of experience from the performing arts industry, including roles in production and stage management at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills. The group also intends to livestream productions to a national audience.
D’Asaro noted that the current setup limits the group's ability to host large events. He said, "I think in the future we are going to have a much greater capacity to entertain larger productions where we are in this current setup somewhat limited." The renovation and expansion of the auditoriums will address these constraints.
The Arts District investment includes production studios and live performance spaces. The facility will serve as a workforce training ground for local artists. The project aims to provide a permanent home for the downtown creative community.
