No VR glasses necessary
By Melissa Gill
“There’s not a room in Vegas like the Illuminarium. We are the place that can take you any place. I think we are really going to stand out and that’s not easy in Las Vegas,” says Alan Greenberg, CEO of Illuminarium.
Illuminarium will be a 30,000 square foot experiential entertainment venue set to open in Winter 2021/2022 at AREA15. It is the second building to join AREA 15’s campus. Prior to Illuminarium, Greenberg founded Avenues: The World School and was the former publisher of Esquire magazine.
Bringing Illuminarium to Life
Experience close-ups of a safari and the moon
Through a mutual connection, Greenberg met Rockwell Group, a respected architecture and design partner and RadicalMedia, an award-winning communication company that were working on this project. As a serial entrepreneur with a keen eye for business, he decided to get on board with Illuminarium. Greenberg mentions he’s always held an interest in entertainment and education, which makes this opportunity sound like a perfect fit.
In the vein of immersive attractions like AREA15, Illuminarium transports guests into iconic parts of the world in their two life-like cinematic experiences: “WILD: A Safari Experience,” and “Spacewalk.” Patrons get an up close look at wildlife roaming in Africa in 360×360 sight and a chance to kick up moon dust while leaving a trail of footprints along its craters.
Another feature elevating this anticipated attraction is the added sensory details, such as smells and sounds, which will match these extraordinary environments. Greenberg says that their Infrasound Haptic system will be the same as the audio system for the upcoming attraction, MSG Sphere, which is a larger-than-life concert venue shaped like a globe also coming soon to Las Vegas. This sound system creates realistic sensations like the vibrations of an elephant stomping to make guests “feel” the experience.
Virtual Worlds Continue Growing
Immersive experiences are a great escape
Recently, more people are seeking out immersive entertainment. According to Statista, immersive realities extending our world by either “merging the virtual and ‘real’ worlds or by creating a fully immersive experience” is “expected to be worth 31 billion U.S. dollars in 2021.” When asked why this entertainment is trending, Greenberg says, “It’s a great escape and surprises people.”
What Makes Illuminarium Different?
Art and education merge together
As audiences continue growing for virtual immersive experiences, this field is likely to become more competitive. Most of the immersive attractions like the “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience” explore interactive art at the heart of it all, Greenberg explains. However, Illuminarium approaches their alternate reality with a different lens. Greenberg’s face lights up when discussing his mission to “democratize the world’s most amazing experiences.”
“Unlike us, most [immersive experiences] focus in the art arena [while] others are pure projection,” says Greenberg. However, this new interactive experience aims to teach guests about wildlife, space exploration and more. Illuminarium will be offering curated field trips for students during the week driven to educate, inspire and immerse future generations in ways a textbook never could.
Illuminarium After Dark
Enjoy at drink at the bottom of the ocean
These immersive experiences thus far are family-friendly activities. However, “Illuminarium After Dark” will also cater to adult guests with a surreal nightlife ambiance serving an entirely different atmosphere. Greenberg says that the scenery will change seamlessly. One week guests will be dining and drinking at the bottom of the ocean while the following week they may share a meal with a backdrop of the Himalayas, he says.
When the safari is showing, the menu will reflect that theme by incorporating African influences in their food and beverage options. Greenberg says they have about different ten content packages that will be ever-changing in this virtually enhanced dining experience. No two trips to the Illuminarium will be the exact same.
More Attractions Equals More Jobs
About 50 new hires will be needed for Illuminarium
This new venue also brings more job opportunities. Illuminarium will need to hire approximately 50 employees to run the attraction, says Greenberg. The company plans to have 40 or more Illuminarium venues built in major cities over the next five years. The Atlanta location opened this month and Las Vegas’ venue is set to open sometime in Winter 2021/2022 with Miami next in line. Bringing Illuminarium to Vegas is a “a real joy” for Greenberg.
Greenberg’s excited to share Illuminarium with his grandchildren in Atlanta. “Kids are going to love it. I showed my grandson the Vegas venue and he said, ‘Wow, why do they get the coolest one?’” he laughs.
For those seeking more immersive experiences in Las Vegas, learn about FlyOver coming to Sin City this fall.
