Latest news with #BoulevardMall
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Las Vegas ‘Filipino Town' boosts cultural development
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – It's been less than two month since Clark County officially proclaimed the area along Maryland Parkway between Desert Inn and Flamingo roads, 'Filipino Town.' With the official title now set, many Las Vegas residents across the valley have taken an interest and want a piece of the cultural district. Boulevard Mall General Manager and President Timo Kuusela said he is excited about the new developments on the horizon for the newly recognized cultural hub, 'Filipino Town.' 'We're seeing a lot of action heat up now,' Kuusela told 8 News Now. Anchor stores, such as a supermarket and a well-known Filipino restaurant, could build foot traffic- something the area desperately needs. Other ethnic businesses are in the pipeline Kuusela said. 'Currently, we're in discussions with several companies and we hope to see them opening up here in the next six months or so,' he added. Cultural activist, Rozita Lee spearheaded the initiative to get the area along Maryland Parkway between Desert Inn and Flamingo roads designated as 'Filipino Town.' Lee said that seeing her dreams become a reality is beyond rewarding. 'I was the one that went to see Commissioner Tick Segerblom, and I asked him what the possibility was of having a designated area for Filipinos because there are 250,000 of us in Las Vegas now and we are growing,' Lee said. Part of her master plan includes opening a museum, showcasing Filipino artifacts, and promoting Filipino artists. 'The museum is an entity that we feel will draw people and educate people about our culture. Timo of Boulevard Mall was kind enough to open a space for us,' Lee said. Currently, plans are still in the works with no construction date set, but Lee told 8 News Now that they are looking at naming it, 'The Museum for Filipino Town Las Vegas.' Down the way, near where the Dillard's used to be, Fashion Designer, David Tupaz, was thrilled to see this cultural corridor come to fruition. 'It was a blessing when 'Filipino Town' was established in April, and now the Boulevard Mall awarded an area where we could build a Filipino museum,' Tupaz said. He also said he plans to open a retail shop inside the mall just in time for holiday shoppers. 'I have a brand, and I was thinking of opening a showroom in the mall. I might as well set a presence where my people are, right?' Tupaz added. Boulevard Mall was the first mall in Nevada, opening in 1968. 57 years later, it's getting a full makeover to attract new business in an ever-changing retail landscape. You can expect to see signs designating 'Filipino Town' sometime this year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Las Vegas area welcomes its first Filipino Town
[Source] After years of community efforts, commissioners in Nevada's Clark County unanimously voted to establish the Las Vegas area's first Filipino cultural district along Maryland Parkway, recognizing the contributions of Southern Nevada's approximately 200,000 Filipino residents. Long road to recognition Rozita Lee, who moved to Las Vegas in 1979, has advocated for Filipino Town while watching the region's population grow from 325,000 to more than 2 million, with an estimated 200,000 Filipinos by 2025. 'We are the largest of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islanders here,' Lee told KLAS. Lee plans to open a Filipino cultural museum at Boulevard Mall, where management offered to donate space. The museum will feature artifacts collected by Edna Narrido-Luer, who began collecting as a teenager. Trending on NextShark: Approval at last On April 15, Clark County Commission chambers filled with cheering supporters waving U.S. and Philippine flags after commissioners voted unanimously to establish Filipino Town. 'We will continue to work together to make this Filipino best ever in this nation,' Lee said while reading the official declaration. Meanwhile, Commission Chair Tick Segerblom thanked supporters for their 'patience and persistence.' Why this matters Trending on NextShark: Filipino Americans are the largest Asian American group in Nevada and the second-largest nationally. The cultural corridor, which stretches from Flamingo Road to Desert Inn Road along Maryland Parkway, includes anchor businesses like Seafood City and creates a permanent space for Southern Nevada's Filipino population. The commission is planning inaugural celebrations, with Segerblom promising 'big parties' when signage is installed. The proposed museum will display objects dating back thousands of years, including rice gods from Ifugao and religious relics, establishing what Lee calls Nevada's 'first Filipino museum.' This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Trending on NextShark: Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Subscribe here now! Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Plans of a Filipino cultural museum coming to Filipino Town
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — For years, Rozita Lee pushed for Filipino Town and envisioned what will open in that cultural corridor. Now, she said she wants to open a Filipino cultural museum. Originally from Hawaii, Lee moved to Las Vegas in 1979 and watched the population grow. 'The population total was only 325,000 and it's now 2 million and of that we have 200,000 Filipinos,' Lee explained. ' We are the largest of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islanders here and so I thought to myself this is the time to do it!' She said the museum will not only display artifacts, but also modern-day pieces of young Filipino artists. 'Museums will attract people to come and I want them to know about culture to know about what it means to be a Filipino and what it is we have to show the world,' Lee explained. ' We have to show as Filipinos being the largest in population are here to stay, we contribute, we have doctors, nurses, we have lawyers, we have teachers.' That is why Edna Narrido-Luer wanted to get involved. She has been an avid collector of artifacts since she was a teen and has developed a deep appreciation for arts and humanities and wants to share her collection in the exhibit. 'I have collected from different countries, but since I have discovered that the Phillippines has some really beautiful pieces, substantial pieces from the olden days, we call it 'unang panahon' I've collected like rice gods, this is from Ifugao,' Narrido-Luer observed. Narrido-Luer said showing these items will not only unfold history, but will leave behind a unique story for generations to come. 'I was just fascinated in how the old days, how we all began, how we were colonized and basically influenced in our culture,' Narrido-Luer added.'I wanted to share the culture of the Filipino because not everybody has been to the Phillippines like the children who were brought up here.' The Filipino culture has a mix of melting pot influences like Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and more. You can expect to see items ranging from baby baskets, rice god sculptures, warning drums signaling it's time for battle. There are Santo Niño religious relics, Filipino cowrie shells, and pottery items among other pieces dating more than thousands of years old. Lee hopes to put the museum at the Boulevard Mall, which will be located in the Heart of Filipino town, stretching from Flamingo to Desert Inn along Maryland Parkway near Seafood City grocery store and other Filipino Restaurants. 'At first we didn't have a place anywhere and when we went to meet with Timo, who is the vice president and manager of the Boulevard mall, we sat down with him and talked about everything and I said it would really be nice to have a museum here. Then he said would you like me to donate space? I said oh yes, would you?' Lee happily asked. 'Of course, we jumped on that opportunity that somebody who knows about our culture and what it would entail. I am so happy that we have this place and we pray that as it develops that the right people come together and the right things come together so we will have this museum and it will be the first Filipino museum here in Nevada.' Lee noted it will be a lasting legacy to share the vibrant traditions, family values and Filipino heritage with our community. 'Our human nature is to love and be loved and that's what I want to portray in what we do and the work that we do, whether it's in the museum or in the office or wherever we are,' Lee said. 'I'm so proud to be Filipino and I want to let everybody know be proud of who you are.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
