The Smith Center Opens (2012)

2012

Opened
March 10, 2012, with a gala hosted by Neil Patrick Harris
Cost
$470 million
Main hall
Reynolds Hall, 2,050 seats
Other venues
Cabaret Jazz and Troesh Studio Theater in the Boman Pavilion
Architect
David M. Schwarz Architects, with HKS Architects as architect of record
Opening timeline
Opened nearly three years after groundbreaking, about 18 years after the idea was first discussed
Key gift
$50 million from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation in 2005; the foundation's total commitment reached $150 million
Named for
Reynolds Foundation chairman Fred W. Smith and his late wife, Mary
Design
Art deco style inspired by Hoover Dam; exterior of 2,458 tons of Indiana limestone and a 16-story carillon tower
Resident companies at opening
Las Vegas Philharmonic and Nevada Ballet Theatre

About

For most of its history Las Vegas had no purpose-built home for the performing arts. Talks about building one began in the mid-1990s; at the 2012 opening, Smith Center chairman Don Snyder recalled sitting down with a handful of business leaders nearly 18 years earlier to discuss what was then simply an idea. The project gathered momentum in 2005, when Clark County commissioners approved a car-rental tax to help fund construction, the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation gave $50 million and the Las Vegas City Council agreed to provide 4.25 acres for the building.

The site was part of a 61-acre former railroad yard downtown that the city was redeveloping as Symphony Park. Ground was broken nearly three years before the opening. The Reynolds Foundation's commitment eventually reached $150 million toward construction and operations, and the center was named for the foundation's chairman, Fred W. Smith, a former Review-Journal executive, and his late wife, Mary, who led the private fundraising campaign. Myron Martin served as the executive leading the project.

Architect David M. Schwarz designed the center to feel timeless, taking Hoover Dam as the inspiration for its art deco style; the dam's penstock towers became the center's logo. The exterior uses 2,458 tons of Indiana limestone, and a 16-story carillon tower with custom bells overlooks Symphony Park. The main room, Reynolds Hall, seats 2,050 for Broadway tours, orchestra, opera and dance, and the smaller Cabaret Jazz and Troesh Studio Theater sit in the Boman Pavilion. The whole project cost $470 million.

The Smith Center opened on March 10, 2012, with a gala hosted by Neil Patrick Harris that featured performers including Willie Nelson, John Fogerty, Martina McBride and dancers from American Ballet Theatre. The Las Vegas Philharmonic and Nevada Ballet Theatre became its resident companies, and touring Broadway productions became a mainstay. Paul Anka performed at the 10th-anniversary celebration on March 10, 2022.

More from the 2010s

Before and after

Good to know

  • The building stands on part of a 61-acre former railroad yard that became Symphony Park.
  • Hoover Dam inspired the art deco design, and the dam's penstock towers are the basis of the center's logo.
  • Reynolds Hall seats 2,050; the smaller Cabaret Jazz and Troesh Studio Theater are in the Boman Pavilion next door.
  • The Reynolds Foundation's first gift was $50 million in 2005; its commitment later reached $150 million.
  • The center is named for Fred and Mary Smith, not for the foundation itself, which gave its name to Reynolds Hall.

Questions about The Smith Center Opens (2012)

When did The Smith Center open?

The Smith Center for the Performing Arts opened on March 10, 2012, with a gala hosted by Neil Patrick Harris and featuring performers including Willie Nelson, John Fogerty and Martina McBride. The opening came nearly three years after groundbreaking and about 18 years after local leaders first discussed the idea. The center marked its 10th anniversary in 2022 with a concert by Paul Anka.

How much did The Smith Center cost?

The Review-Journal put the cost at $470 million. Funding came from public and private sources: in 2005 Clark County approved a car-rental tax to help pay for construction, the City of Las Vegas agreed to provide 4.25 acres of land, and the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation made a $50 million gift. The foundation's commitment later reached $150 million.

Who is The Smith Center named after?

It is named for Fred W. Smith, chairman of the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation and a former Review-Journal executive, and his late wife, Mary, who led the center's private fundraising campaign. The foundation's own name is on the main theater, Reynolds Hall. A pig statue on the campus is a nod to Mary Smith.

How many seats does Reynolds Hall have?

Reynolds Hall seats 2,050. It is the main room at The Smith Center and hosts touring Broadway shows, orchestral concerts, opera and dance. Its designers aimed for a hall that feels both grand and intimate, so audience members feel close to the stage. Two smaller venues, Cabaret Jazz and the Troesh Studio Theater, are in the adjoining Boman Pavilion.

Why does The Smith Center look like Hoover Dam?

Architect David M. Schwarz wanted a building that could seem as though it had been built today or a century ago, and he took Hoover Dam as the overarching inspiration for its art deco style. The dam's penstock towers became the center's logo. The exterior is clad in 2,458 tons of Indiana limestone, topped by a 16-story carillon tower.

Who performs at The Smith Center?

When it opened, the Las Vegas Philharmonic and Nevada Ballet Theatre became its resident companies, and touring Broadway productions became a regular part of the program, as reported by the Review-Journal. Check the center's own calendar for current performances, since the schedule changes each season.