In September 2008, the Trek-themed attraction Star Trek: The Experience closed at the Las Vegas Hilton, after running for a decade. Since that time CBS has been working on developing a new Star Trek: The Experience at a new location, and that work is still ongoing. However, they have decided that most of the assets from the first attraction wont be able to be used and so they are going to be sold off. More details below.
Pick up a piece of Star Trek: The Experience 1.0
After Star Trek: The Experience closed its doors at the Las Vegas Hilton, the attraction was dismantled and much of what was savable was put into storage at a warehouse in Las Vegas, where it has remained. Since that time CBS has been working with the Neonopolis development in Downtown Las Vegas on a plan to put in a new Star Trek: The Experience at that location. According to CBS, they are still in the planning phase, but a decision has been made that most of what is in the warehouse will not be needed for any new Trek attraction. So they have decided to let the fans get a piece of what was Star Trek: The Experience.
A spokesperson for CBS has provided TrekMovie with the following statement:
CBS Consumer Products remains committed to opening a new and exciting Star Trek attraction. We continue to work with our partners at Neonopolis regarding the development of a new Star Trek: The Experience in Las Vegas. In the interim, there are elements from the original Star Trek: The Experience that we know will not be utilized in any new attraction and plan to make those items available to the many wonderful fans of Star Trek: The Experience either by sale or auction in the near future. The final dates and details of such sales are in progress and we hope to announce more very soon.
Currently CBS is working on a deal with PropWorx to handle the sale of the assets. PropWorx is the same company that handled the Battlestar Galactica auction last year for NBC/Uni and is currently conducting a sale of Stargate assets for MGM. PropWorx CEO Alec Peters has made a post about the ST: The Experience sale on his Star Trek Prop, Costume & Auction Blog.
Some of the signage from ‘Star Trek: The Experience’
The preliminary plan is to sell most of the larger items at a warehouse location sale in Las Vegas, with many of the smaller (and more easily shippable) items being sold at a later Star Trek auction. Items that will be sold include signage, the big ‘ships’, the seats from the rides, prop replicas, set pieces, costumes, fixtures from Quarks Bar and the ‘Promenade’ shops. As of now it appears that the items from the "Museum of the Future" will not be sold (apparently these are being held for the ‘new’ ST: The Experience).
Dates have not yet been finalized for the warehouse sale or the auction, but TrekMovie will have an update on the Star Trek: The Experience sale soon with more details.
Borg alcove from ‘Star Trek: The Experience’
What’s next for Star Trek: The Experience 2.0
As for the future of Star Trek: The Experience, it seems that CBS is still committed to bringing it back. However, it appears that the problems that hit the credit markets and the economy shortly after the first Experience closed seem to be slowing progress. Certainly early estimates that a new Experience would open by 2010 were overly optimistic. There are no estimates on timing available, but the release of the next Star Trek movie in the Summer of 2012 is likely to be top of mind for those working on the new Star Trek: The Experience.
It is actually an encouraging sign that CBS and Neonopolis are not planning on just transporting the Hilton version of the attraction to the new location. The original Star Trek: The Experience was designed in the mid nineties and is heavily themed around the 24th century of Trek seen in Deep Space Nine, The Next Generation and Voyager. Of course, the Trek franchise is much larger than that, including the 22nd century of Enterprise and the 23rd century of the original Star Trek. Obviously with the success of the new Star Trek movie, the new aesthetic (of an alternative 23rd century) will likely play a major part in a new Experience. Also, the assets from the first Experience have a lot of wear and tear, including being removed from the Hilton itself. So it is also encouraging that any new Experience will be built with new components. For now, there are no detailed plans to report, but TrekMovie continues to monitor the situation and will have an update when there is something new to report.
The ‘Voyager’ from ‘Star Trek: The Experience’
Take a virtual tour of original ST: TE
If you want to get a good look at the original Star Trek: The Experience, the ‘virtual tour’ company DigitalProperties has created a site with 360 degree virtual reality images from the attraction as it was at the Hilton. Visit the site at startrek360.com.
To bad they can’t reuse the huge ships at the new attraction. I’m sure one lucky fan will get good use out of them.
I want the Borg alcove. Put it in my living room and make people go o__O
The Borg alcove apears to be upside down!
I hope to see a new version of the Experience soon.
I very much enjoyed the old version but sadly only got to experience it once. I liked the associated exhibits and Quark’s Bar.
It will be nice to be able to board a Federation starship once again. (Did I just actually write that? ;-) )
I miss the experience :(
I was just in Vegas for a business meeting and I missed not being able to enjoy my favorite attraction while in town. Can’t wait to see the new Star Trek Experience they are developing.
I miss the experience as well
As much as I love the new movie I hope it doesn’t lose its 24th Century look. It was cool.
I want that Voyager model. I will bid 50 bucks. ;)
Nuts. But no great surprise. :(
I have my doubts they can recapture the magic of the original experience, but I guess we’ll find out sooner or later.
Greatest April Fools prank ever: Buy the Borg Alcove, Put it in a Trekkie’s bedroom, remove the bed.
Spoiler Warning! One aspect of the “New Experience” has been leaked. There is a barber shop where a Klingon gives one a shaved head, so you can look just like Nero.
Is Gaila’s dorm room on the tour? BTW: Didn’t she perish in the conflict at Vulcan??
#12
No. She was in the seats behind Kirk at the end of the film. Perhaps she escaped death via a lifeboat.
I was afraid they were going to do something like this. This proves the new Experience, if it shows up, will be a mostly jj verse experience…That kinda sucks and seems backwards historically—How can they have a History of the Future museum when the future has been rebooted to a new version of TOS? Sadly this means both attractions will be gone. If they are selling seats of the simulator then their main plan has changed…They were going to update the vegas movie to land downtown instead of at the Hilton, now they are selling the seats…Quarks Bar is a much cooler bar than the one in Trek09—if they are not keeping the attractions I doubt they will keep Quarks either?? It would be very out of place….the New Experience needs to cover old and new and reboot trek equally….I cant believe they are scrapping the rides/attractions…there should be a jjverse ride along with the other two adventures. I am glad I got to experience them while I did since they dont seem to be coming back…mmm I bet they will have the JJverse talent design the whole experience….BAD IDEA….it needs to reflect ALL OF TREK….I wouldnt care if the JJVERSE was the main focus but TNG and TOS and Voyager and ds9 should all be represented…we need more attractions there not less…add a jjverse ride but dont git rid of the other two gread rides…Sadly I saw this because ebay was selling the collector dish from the ent.d model…and the glass panels showing the history of the future were also sold online…I can see Some of the stuff not being used but hey getting yer pix in the Borg Alcove should still be available to…I am not sure what Paramount is doing….I knew there was a reason we didnt hear anything bout it reopening….I had a feeling they were gonna start from scratch with jjverse now..SIGH…..
So Quarksbartender, April, Vernon Wilmer, all the experience fans, what does everybody think???
Is Vernon ever gonna release part 3 yet?? Cant even find his spot to dl the other two chapters anywhere….
Also as usual being outta work since last April wont be able to afford to buy anything from the Experience when they do auction it off oh welll sigh sniff pout….:(
I know a few barflies who’d enjoy installing Quark’s in their basement.
Also how could they not want to use those beautiful giant models? They were imposing, impressive as hell….I find it hard to believe they dont want those? What they gonna do make better ones? I doubt that seriously….
The Experience came to Hyde Park, London in ’02 .
I (and a couple) broke away from our guide….and I have a treasured shot of me sat in Jean-Luc’s chair with the (Science or Engineering?) station behind.
Scotty wasn’t available, but I beamed. :)
I think the Experience 2.0 should be a combo of ST-XI Enterprise, ST-8 Enterprise-E, and Klingon Bird of Prey, those three bridges; various props, and mural representations of NX-01, ST-6 Enterprise-A, Voyager, and Deep Space Nine. AND actual moon rocks on display from one of the Apollo missions. IMHO, that would be very cool!
nightshade, did you even read the article, or the linked article on Alec’s blog? This stuff is not exactly in mint condition.
stop freaking out
Let’s hope they make it TOS-related this time.
Star Trek: The Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton was wonderful. We’re fortunate that we had an entire decade to geek out in that immersive environment. It really felt like I was inside the Trek universe.
I’ll never forget Quark’s bar and restaurant (and the “Warp Core Breach” was delicious), the D bridge, and the total dedication of the 100% in-character talent. (BTW huge props to “3 of 6”, who somehow pulled off both “scary” and “friendly”.) It was pure heaven, and I have great memories and lots of pictures.
Its too bad CBS can’t make a deal with Disney. “Star Trek: The Experience” as part of Disney parks’ “Tomorrowland” area would be fantastic, a lot better than the silliness that Disney has there (other than Space Mountain) currently.
haha Sorry Anthony and thanx for your concern over me :)….I suppose it was in even worse shape when they tore it all apart too huh….I guess we will see….Your Opinion of the shabbiness of the Experience’s when you reviewed it was not quite my opinion of it at that time..In fact two weeks before closing it still seemed shiny and futuristic and wonderful to me but maybe at least part of my perceptions were subjectively influenced by how wonderful all the hard working actors, and staff were there…from my first visit in 1998 to my last the experience always lived up to and exceeded my expectations in every way….thanks mostly I admit to the atmosphere combined with the great employees who worked there…I hope their new incarnation will include actors in costume and not just be a sterile object filled museum or bar….I think the main reason for the experience being great were the people that worked there….part of me is afraid they may be trying to eliminate the human element as well….granted you are right Anthony we know nothing of what they are planning to do at this time….we will see…I promise to take a stress pill and talk to HAL about it….heheh
the ‘D’ was destroyed, I saw what was left hanging above the torn out experience in Dec. 2008. The saucer was still there and I was told that because of the way it was attached they could not save it.
It’s a shame the big models are in such bad shape. They were originally fabricated by Penwal Industries, the folks who made the 1:1 (364 foot!) scale model of the Saturn V for the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
GREAT article!
***ATTENTION*** Anthony Pascale
Do you know if the Voyager modle is the original that was used to shoot Star Trek voyager? Or is it a replica?
The pictures and virtual tour are really nice. But, does anyone have the videos they used to play in the lobby of Star Trek: The Experience? They were a bunch of clips from different episodes and movies. I really enjoyed them.
Anyone?
shame about the models
I hope they don’t change the entire theme to solely reflect the new movie. Perhaps in the History of the Future it could have its off shoot since it is a parallel universe.
I would like some of the stuff to be included but if there is any 23rd Century theme then I think it would be fun to do TOS era, be cool to dress it like the bar on Station K 7.
Also I hope that they can keep Quark’s as that was a great bar.
Add more of the other periods but don’t lose the 24th Century
nightshade, I think the problem with the bar in the new movie is that its very contemporary and like many a regular bar today but Qusrk’s was special, it felt like another place, another time and the architecture was a lot better.
I hope they keep Quark’s, It was great.
I don’t mind stuf added towards the new movie but I would not be in favour of the new experience tailoring just to the new movie.
I would likwt the 22nd Century, the TOS era23rd Century and the 24th Century to be reflected.
18
I was at the Hyde park Exhibit as well. Was brilliant sitting in the captain’s chair.
If they do make a new ST:TE, I hope a lot of it’s the same (or very similar) to how it was in Vegas. I still wanted to see it so badly, but I just don’t have any way to get to Vegas! )=
(Besides… I gotta see Quark’s, fo’ sho’.)
All the models at the experience were replicas made for the attraction and i think all of en bigger by far than the original models–
And i also hope they keep quarks bar it was great and much cooler than the bar in trek09
Anthony; thanks so much for this article and the clarification. I think a lot of fans and employees were led to believe that most of this stuff would somehow be incorporated into the new STTE. I did wonder how they would accomplish that, however…I have no doubt the new one will be awesome. Different, but awesome.
Those of us who spent many happy years at the Hilton playing Star Trek are hoping to get some of our costumes out of this auction..frankly I think we should have been given those things at closing, but anyway, I’m not too proud to beg for (or bid on) Tahryn’s and T’Pril’s costumes. I’m sure they would want me to have them..
Oh, and #28, get in touch with Vernon Wilmer at kosstamojan@yahoo.com. He’s the archivist for anything related to STTE… He can totally hook you up, I’m sure.
Lets just get them to build it again and then we can worry about what it is like or made into. I have seen some the items from when it closed down being sold on Ebay by Chad.
While one wishes that the signs, props, ships, etc could and should be used at STTE 2, it is nice to know that these items will find their way into the hands of the fans of STTE & Quarks. I sure would not mind a Saurian Brandy bottle. Better still, I will buy the drink replicator that was behind the bar that dispensed the drink base for Warp Core Breach and Borg Spheres…. I have the recipes from the bartenders.
Jim Nightshade, I feel your pain and share it with you as Sybok would say. But I think it is too early to give up hope for the actual, final lay out of the place. If they on on track for Neonopolis in DownTown LV, then there is still hope, that place is huge and the room is there for a many things. I am right there with you in that it would be great to have the old place back as it was or as close as possible. Realistically, I knew that there would be some or a lot of differences.
To all the actor and bartenders, I do sincerly wish that they get their jobs backs. In speaking and partying with them when I am in LV, they all loved their jobs and would be back in a heartbeat.
The nice part is that I have Quarls 1.5 to go visit when I am in Vegas, they even have a sign to prove it. However, Ceder Fair is still a big R.B. as far as I am concerned for not finding a way to keep it open with Hilton. We have to wait for the up-coming parts of Vernons film project; Star Trek: My Experience.
how about two places to get food & drinks? k-7 (family friendly kaf complete with tribbles for the kids) and the iowa bar from st09 where you can go and get a stiff drink. i think it could work nicely and you’d get a wide range of ppl coming to the experience. basically, include the prime universe and the jj-verse but id love for this version 2.0 experience to focus on he 22 and 23rd centuries. i mean i want to walk down corridors of the the tos 1701 and sit on the bridge of jj’s 1701 for sure.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbOGbkHlyVw
Watch this and see a great idea on how and where to revive STTE.
Just this:
Please keep Quark’s.
It had become a modern institution.
If they do, I’ll be there in full Odo regalia for its re-opening.
It’s a shame to see the 1701 refit in the corner behind Voyager.
Anthony, thanks for the great update!!
April, thanks for the replay and insight!
I just wounder how much money they would have made if they had kept the Experience open until they built the new one! If I’m not mistaken, nothing has gennerated any money in the old place! If CBS waits long enough, they will have ST The Experience on the web with skype type interaction and they will charge by the minute. I’m sorry, but attention to the fans has not been the number one rule.
Again great job Anthony!
Many people I think would have visited The Experience in the wake of the excitement over ST2009, and it’s a crying shame it was closed by the time the movie was released.
I had wanted to visit TE again before its closure in September of ’08, but it was not to be.
It seems to me that the Hilton has been a destination of choice for Creation conventions in LV and it’s sad that TE is no longer actually there.
I’ve stayed at the LV Hilton on several occasions since, and the place where TE was is a shell of its former self, bearing advertisements for in-house restaurants and generally looking a bit sad.
The SpaceQuest Casino itself has apparently fallen on not-so-great-times, judging from the bar hours there (it didn’t open until about 4 p.m. on the days I was there on each occasion I stayed at the hotel).
I did enjoy the fantastic Star Trek slot machines near the entrance of the old TE; those machines have been a fixture of LV casinos for the last years or so and have been quite popular. Still, not at all the same.
They could at least have kept Quark’s Bar open, somehow, some way, despite its location.
^^ and the place where the TE formerly was is a shell of its former self….
As corrected.
Well April, Sheri and me (jeff) hope you do get your costumes-i agree you all should have been given them originally when it closed-i still miss you all and the dedicsted employees like yoou were what brought the experience to life for so many of us-thanks for the kind words n support sybok bailey(that could be a new drink)-i guess we will see what happens-i am sitting at quarks bar in the 360 degree tour i am at the far right end by the ice machine-they must have taken that pic two weeks before they closed when we were last there….
Different isn’t necessarily bad, folks! So many people freak when they hear that everything isn’t going to be exactly like it used to be.
I hope the new Experience is mostly TOS (both Classic and JJ), with some elements from the other eras of Trek.
Like it or not, 24th century fans, but TOS sells. it’s been proven time and time again. I don’t mean that to be a taunt, just stating fact.
Saddened to see both the ships and those signs sitting abandoned and dusty. Loved those shops.
I miss ST:TE, but I’m one of the folks that thought it had gone downhill over the years. I remember attending in ’98 (my honeymoon!) and being totally bamboozled. The rides, walking the promenade and looking up at the (faux) second level, and imagining Odo staring down at me. The selection of high-end items in the Admiral’s Collection. The museum… everything was amazing! (I still have a bottle of Klingon Blood Wine from ’98! I’m sure it’s no good by now… but it’s a keeper!)
Over the years, the “stores” just became one long continual store. The high-end stuff vanished, and more and more cheap goo-gags appeared. The second level of the promenade vanished, and became a plain ceiling. (That took away a LOT of the immersive quality for me. Didn’t know they’d made a function room up there until much later.) The rides became dated. The admission got higher and higher. Finally, I was mostly just going to hang at Quarks, which I never fell OUT of love with.
My last visit kind of depressed me, as Klingon Encounter felt SO out of date… and I bought nothing on the Promenade. There really wasn’t anything cool anymore. (I’ll always regret not buying a jean jacket they had years prior… that had an amazing image of the Klingon homeworld on the back.)
That all said, the staff and actors were ALWAYS phenomenal. I wished I could have their jobs! The 100% in-character never ceased to amaze me… especially several of the Klingons. Couldn’t be easy to radiate friendly hostility all the time! YOU guys kept me coming back.
I doubt I can afford the auction… but I’ll be watching. Meantime, I look forward to ST:TE 2.0. If it’s half as much fun as 1.0 was… I can’t wait.
Anyone know where this warehouse is? I’d like to look around, even if I cant buy yet.
#3, Shields at max, that alcove is upside down. Nice catch.
#27 – The hanging model from The Experience is simply a medium-detail replica from Penwal Industries. The actual filming miniature was 5 feet long and built by Brazil Fabrication, and currently resides with a collector in the UK.
peb
yo can get that Iowa bar anywhere
we need a star tek specific bar.
44 As I said I would like all eras represented, 22nd Century, 23rd and 24th Century
A bar designed like K7 would be cool to see. And the lighting would be excellent.