Arts startup Meow Wolf joins Las Vegas venture

SANTA FE» The New Mexico-based startup company for immersive art installations known as Meow Wolf announced Thursday a new retail and entertainment venture slated for Las Vegas.

Meow Wolf said it has signed on as a tenant in an entertainment complex that will offer live music, festivals, corporate events and e-sports video game tournaments, adjacent to retail and dining options.

The combination indoor-outdoor entertainment complex, known as AREA15, is being designed to hold up to 3,000 people at a time and was scheduled to open in 2019, Meow World said in a news release.

The location is a short drive from the Las Vegas Strip. Artistic details are under development.

Earlier this month, Meow Wolf announced it was moving forward with a stand-alone exhibit space and music venue in downtown Denver. Meow Wolf CEO Vince Kadlubek has estimated eventual investments in the Denver project alone at $30 million or more.

In Santa Fe, the forprofit company with roughly 200 employees operates a popular interactive exhibit in a converted bowling alley that combines eye-popping psychedelic design work with narrative storytelling.

The installation starts with a riddle on the doorsteps of a fanciful Victorian house and extends through a maze of glowing passageways and rooms with lasers, buttons and odd musical instruments that respond to the touch.

The Santa Fe location has expanded to include a gift shop, children’s art studio, food trucks, and a bar for wine and craft beer.