Insert Coin(s), a new videolounge gamebar located in the Fremont East District, celebrated its grand opening April 15, followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Mayor Oscar Goodman on April 28.

Insert Coin(s), located at 512 Fremont St., is a unique 'nightclub meets arcade' concept that features videogames, a bar and dance floor. DJs and Video DJs provide added entertainment. The concepts are blended seamlessly in the spacious venue, resulting in a fun, exciting place that has something for everyone. The Insert Coin(s) team has also embraced the creative spirit of the area by dedicating wall space as a gallery for local art and participating in First Friday festivities.

Christopher LaPorte was drawn to downtown because of the heavy pedestrian traffic, urban city feel, and the variety of bars with different personalities within walking distance. As the nightlife scene grows, LaPorte looks forward to seeing the business community expand and diversify.

"The definition of community is all different people and groups gathering together," said LaPorte. "If every person or every business is the same, it simply doesn't work. That's what we're all working to create in Fremont East and throughout downtown."

Other new bars in the area are also bringing unique options to the nightlife scene. Downtown Vintage Guitars, located in the Arts District at 1106 S. 3^rd St., is a cozy vintage guitar shop with a bar and small performance stage inside. Lady Silvia, the urban lounge opening soon on the first floor of Soho Lofts, is modeled after an old-world library, with glamorous chandeliers and large bookshelves. Owner Sam Cherry envisions a place where patrons can relax with a cup of coffee and a book during the day and party to DJ-spun music at night.

Within the next two years, these and other small businesses will benefit from the opening of multiple landmark projects opening in the area, including the Las Vegas Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, the Neon Museum, The Smith Center for the Performing Arts at Symphony Park and the new Las Vegas City Hall Complex. Zappos.com, the $1 billion online shoe and apparel retailer, will also move its headquarters and more than 1,000 employees to the existing Las Vegas City Hall.

Photo: bryangateb photography - Insert Coin(s), 512 Fremont Street