El Portal Theatre

Please position yourself in front of the El Portal Theatre’s signage, laying horizontal across from the “Mullet Man” sculptural sign.

The El Portal Theatre opened in 1928 on Fremont Street, as the area’s first air-conditioned business, serving as the main multi-purpose venue in Las Vegas for many years, used for film screenings, plays, and high school graduations. As the Las Vegas community grew and diversified in subsequent decades, new venues began to open, including drive-in theaters such as the Sky Way Drive-In in 1954. During the 1950s and 1960s, there were more than 4,000 drive-in theaters in the United States, designed with budget-conscious families in mind. While the El Portal, designed by Charles Alexander MacNelledge in a Spanish Colonial Revival style, was intended to offer a comfortable environment and a quality theatrical experience, the Sky Way Drive-In’s open-air layout allowed for more freedom and flexibility. Despite their differences, both the El Portal and the Sky Way Drive-In are reflective of how the function of venues are designed to address the changing needs and tastes of the visitors they serve.

One of Las Vegas’ newest venues, Sphere opened in September 2023. Sphere immediately became an entertainment and architectural icon of the city. The venue’s dynamic exosphere measures 366-feet tall, and features a 580,000-square foot, fully programmable LED exterior display. With a seating capacity of 17,600, Sphere is the world’s largest spherical structure, and hosts a wide variety of entertainment events from concerts and raves, to film screenings and sporting events. Sphere is indicative of the next era of venue design in Las Vegas, not only transforming the city’s skyline but also reflecting the diversification of offerings the “Entertainment Capital of the World” has to offer.