Nevada State Veterans Memorial opens at Las Vegas sports complex

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

On Veterans Day, the Nevada State Veterans Memorial opened at the Thunderbird Family Sports Complex in northwest Las Vegas. The site gives 18 larger-than-life bronze statues a permanent public home after they stood outside the former Grant Sawyer State Building.

The memorial honors American military service from the Revolutionary War to the present, including Nevada’s more than 200,000 veterans. It includes a promenade, amphitheater and educational displays, and is a partnership of the state, the city of Las Vegas and the Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE.

Why it matters

Nevada’s 200,000-plus veterans now have a dedicated public memorial in Las Vegas, with the statues moved from a state office building to a park setting.

Last Monday's email for Las Vegas, NV

Sent Nov 9. It carried:

Planning Commission took up Vegas Mart gaming permit Nov. 10; outcome not posted Vegas Mart's request to add one to five gaming machines at 1958 East Charleston Boulevard was on the Las Vegas...
Rezerve Wine and Spirits entitlement case was on Las Vegas Planning Commission's Nov. 10 agenda The Las Vegas Planning Commission met on Nov. 10, 2026, with case 26-0465 on its agenda. The available transcript...
Alcohol permit with school-distance waiver returned to Las Vegas Planning Commission Nov. 10 The Las Vegas Planning Commission was scheduled to hear a special use permit for a 1,663-square-foot on-premise...
Las Vegas 'Metro Mullet' officer sued for excessive force Alexis Tellez was pulled over for an illegal U-turn in downtown Las Vegas on March 14, 2026. Body camera footage...

Get next Monday's: one short email a week. Free. Unsubscribe in one click.

Questions about this story

Free account needed to ask — your question is kept and asked for you right after sign-up. Answers are public.

No questions yet — be the first to ask.

Key Indicators

Bronze statues at the memorial

Sculptor Douwe Blumberg created the figures, which were commissioned by the state in 2011.

200,000+

Nevada veterans honored

The city and state describe the memorial as honoring Nevada’s veteran population.

7.5 ft

Height of each statue

Each bronze figure is larger than life, according to the city.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

People Involved

Shelley Berkley

Mayor of Las Vegas

In office at the memorial opening

Francis Allen-Palenske

Ward 4 Councilwoman, Las Vegas City Council

In office at the memorial opening

Douwe Blumberg

Sculptor

Created the memorial’s 18 bronze figures

Organizations Involved

City of Las Vegas

Municipal government

Partner on the memorial project

The city partnered with the state and a nonprofit to open the memorial at the Thunderbird Family Sports Complex.

State of Nevada

State government

Partner on the memorial project

The state commissioned the statues in 2011 and partnered on the new memorial site.

Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE

Nonprofit

Partner on the memorial project

An independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports city initiatives and partnered on the memorial.

Timeline

2011 November 2026

3 events Latest: Yesterday

November 2026
Memorial opens in northwest Las Vegas
Latest Opening

The site opens with 18 statues, a promenade, amphitheater and educational displays.
Yesterday • 4:30 PM
City announces Veterans Day opening
Announcement

Las Vegas schedules the memorial opening for 4:30 p.m. Nov. 11 at Thunderbird Family Sports Complex.
November 4th, 2026
2011
State commissions 18 bronze statues
Commission

The state commissioned sculptor Douwe Blumberg to create the figures for a veterans memorial.
2011

Scenarios

Annual Veterans Day ceremony returns to memorial in 2027

Possible Resolves by Nov 11, 2027

Discussed by: City of Las Vegas event planners

The memorial’s opening was tied to Veterans Day and includes an amphitheater. If the city or veterans groups schedule a 2027 ceremony there, the site becomes a recurring public gathering place.

Memorial hosts public educational programming beyond opening day

Possible Resolves by Nov 11, 2027

Discussed by: City of Las Vegas and Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE

The site includes informational displays and an amphitheater. Public lectures, school visits or commemorative events would show the memorial is being used as an educational space, not only a static monument.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

November 1982

Vietnam Veterans Memorial (1982)

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C., with a black granite wall designed by Maya Lin. The wall lists more than 58,000 names of service members killed or missing. Some veterans initially criticized the design.

Then

It became a national site of mourning and pilgrimage.

Now

Its minimalist design set a model for later memorials that invite personal visitation.

Why this matters now

The Nevada memorial also moves statues into a public setting intended for reflection and education, not just display.

May 2004

National World War II Memorial (2004)

The National World War II Memorial opened on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., after years of fundraising and debate. It has 56 pillars representing states and territories and two arches for the Atlantic and Pacific theaters.

Then

It became a major site for veterans’ reunions and national commemorations.

Now

It showed how long campaigns can end in permanent public monuments.

Why this matters now

The Nevada project similarly turned a long-standing set of statues into a permanent memorial site with public space.