Someone made an offer they couldn’t refuse. The Mob Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement in Las Vegas, has purchased a nearly 30,000-square-foot parcel of land directly to its east. Bordered to the south by Stewart Avenue and to the east/northeast by Fourth Street, the wedge-shaped parcel provides the museum with additional space to build out much-needed facilities for administration, exhibitions, archives, educational and entertainment programs and food and beverage facilities, the museum said.
“The Museum has enjoyed enormous success throughout our 10 years of operation, averaging well over 1,000 visitors a day, and we have remained focused on delivering an incredible guest experience, meaningful exhibits and public programs consistent with our mission,” said Jonathan Ullman, president and chief executive officer, The Mob Museum. “An expansion would enable us to reach a much broader audience by increasing our offerings, community engagement opportunities and contribution to the growth of the public’s understanding of organized crime and law enforcement.”
With this purchase, the museum has made the first step toward its next phase by expanding the footprint of its campus. The acquisition of the new parcel allows the museum to have greater flexibility in constructing additional facilities, while respecting the integrity of the museum’s historic building, opened in 1933 as a U.S. post office and courthouse. In 1950, the U.S. Senate Special Committee to Investigate organized crime heard testimony in the second-floor courtroom (which has been restored to reflect what it look like at that time). In 2002, the federal government sold the building to the City of Las Vegas in for $1, with the stipulation that it be preserved and used as a cultural center or museum.
After a renovation that preserved many of the building’s historic features, while earning Silver LEED certification, the museum opened in 2012.
“Planning for the museum’s expansion is still in its earliest stages,” added Ullman. “While extremely exciting to consider, our plans are entirely conceptual at this point. We look forward to announcing additional details in coming months.”
