Las Vegas Set to Finish Mass Shooting Memorial by October 2027

On Monday, Las Vegas officials pledged that the permanent memorial to victims and survivors of the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history would be completed by the 10th anniversary of the 2017 tragedy. The announcement came one day ahead of the seventh anniversary of the horrific attack on the Las Vegas Strip that led to 60 deaths.

The Memorial Will Serve as a Lasting Tribute

The memorial’s final design was approved last September after three years of planning, with a delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Its centerpiece will feature 58 candle-like beams in a park arranged to form an infinity symbol. The memorial will occupy a portion of the concert venue where the attack took place. It will include 22,000 lights to symbolize the concert attendees.

The finished memorial will guide visitors through a looping path that leads them through a garden past a towering 58-foot-high glass structure. It will lead to a “remembrance ring” featuring the 58 candle beams, each with the name and photo of one of the victims. An alternate memorial design includes 15 horse statues representing the home states and countries of those killed in the attack.

Jan Jones-Blackhurst, chair of the Vegas Strong Fund, the nonprofit responsible for raising funds and overseeing the memorial’s construction, recently revealed that groundbreaking at the site is expected within the next six months. While construction will cost tens of millions of dollars, Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, donated $1 million to the project in 2024.

The Project Has Seen Impressive Support

This project is part of a broader collaborative effort showcasing Las Vegas’ unity in the face of tragedy. MGM donated two acres of land for the monument, complementing the efforts of Clark County and the local community. The Vegas Strong Fund wants to create a lasting tribute to the victims and the people whose lives have been touched by the tragedy.

Brian Rogers, a paramedic who responded to the shooting and now serves on the board of the Vegas Strong Fund, emphasized the need to have such a place for reflection and healing. Such monuments are vital for providing closure to those affected and serving as a reminder for the broader community to hopefully prevent such tragedies in the future.

For our victims, families, survivors, we know that you long for a space to lie down, to grieve, to pay respects to those you’ve lost, and to gather in community and remember the good parts of the times you shared.

Brian Rogers

The permanent memorial will be separate from a healing garden created in downtown Las Vegas by over 1,000 volunteers in the days following the mass shooting. This existing garden has served as a temporary space for remembrance and healing and should remain after the official monument’s completion. The two spaces will create a lasting tribute that honors the victims and offers solace to survivors and their families.