New Nevada veterans memorial opens in northwest Las Vegas — PHOTOS

With the pageantry of the Joint Armed Forces Color Guard and the roar of a helicopter flying overhead, the opening of the new Nevada State Veterans Memorial in Centennial Hills on Wednesday paid tribute to those who honorably served in the military and the more than 200,000 veterans who still call the state home.

After breaking ground in January at the northwest end of the Thunderbird Family Sports Complex, at 6105 N. Durango Drive near West Tropical Parkway in northwest Las Vegas, state officials and leaders from the city of Las Vegas celebrated the memorial finally having a permanent home.

“The memorial stands as a permanent testament to bravery, selflessness, and the sacrifice of men and women who answer the call of duty,” said Las Vegas Councilwoman Francis Allen-Palenske, who represents Ward 4 where the memorial sits. “I cannot think of a more fitting home for this memorial than right here at the Thunderbird Family Sports Complex. This park takes its name after the famous Thunderbird Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base and now it will also be home to our memorial, honoring generations of Americans who have served our country.”

The Veterans Memorial was first dedicated in 2015 outside the Grant Sawyer Building in downtown Las Vegas. It showcased 18 7-and-a-half-foot bronze statues by sculptor Douwe Blumberg, representing service members from military conflicts dating back to the Revolutionary War.

However, the Veterans Memorial was forced to relocate after the sale of the Grant Sawyer Building, which state officials said was riddled with leaking sewage and mold complaints. Lennar Corp. purchased the property and is redeveloping it into a residential community.

While state workers moved into new offices just south of Harry Reid International Airport, the site did not have adequate space to house the Veterans Memorial.

The project, budgeted at $7.69 million, was built through a collaboration between the city of Las Vegas, the Nevada Department of Veterans Services, and the Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE — a public-private partnership focused on community initiatives that improve quality of life.

In addition to the sculptures, the memorial includes two reflection areas, including one specifically with pavers with the names of deceased servicemen and servicewomen from Nevada who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The memorial also includes new landscaping, an open-air promenade, an amphitheater, improved parking and restrooms.

Nevada Department of Veterans Services Director Mary Devine said that the memorial tells a story beyond the battlefield.

“Through its remarkable bronze sculptures, it honors the courage and the sacrifice of those who served, but it also recognizes the human side of our military service,” Devine said. “It tells stories of service members, of veterans and of the families who love them.”

Allen-Palenske said she could envision veterans enjoying the site’s tranquility while also hearing the joy of children at the nearby park.

“I hope this memorial also serves as a reminder to those children and their families of the sacrifices made by our veterans to protect their freedoms and enable the opportunities that we all enjoy today because behind every name, every uniform, and every statue is a story, a story of service and love of country,” Allen-Palenske said. “Those stories deserve to be remembered, not just today, but for generations and for posterity.”

Contact Devan Patel at [email protected].