Forever One Memorial Timeline and Budget Under Review as Organizers Announce Changes

The timeline and budget for Las Vegas' permanent memorial for those killed in the mass shooting on Oct. 1, 2017, are under review, with a formal announcement of changes expected soon.

The Vegas Strong Fund has raised at least $22 million to date for the Forever One Memorial, which will honor the 58 people killed during the 2017 Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting on the Las Vegas Strip. Major contributions include $10 million from Clark County, $5 million from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, a $5 million pledge and land donation from MGM Resorts International, $1 million from the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation, and additional support from community donors and memorial paver sales.

Initial estimates placed the total project cost at roughly $40 million, but recent project refinements have prompted a review of the final price, which is still being finalized. Survivors and families are being notified about the updated timeline and budget ahead of yesterday's announcement, with details on a potential 2027 opening to follow.

Forever One Memorial Committee Chair Jan Jones Blackhurst said the goal of opening on the shooting's 10th anniversary remains intact.

"We're still expecting to open the memorial on the 10th anniversary," Jones Blackhurst said. "We're working aggressively and collaboratively towards that end. We have every belief that it will happen."

Jones Blackhurst has framed the project as a reflection of the community's broader identity.

"Building this memorial is something of joy. It's something of remembrance. It's a proof point that Las Vegas is a community that we are all proud to call home," Jones Blackhurst said previously.

For families of victims, the memorial carries deeply personal meaning. "It's a dedication for all the victims of this event. Our family, my parents, should have not buried my sister this early," Bissember said.

The two-acre memorial site, located near the corner of East Reno Avenue and Giles Street where the shooting occurred, was donated by MGM Resorts International. The Forever One Memorial design, created by JCJ Architecture and approved by Clark County in September 2023, features a community plaza, an Angel Wall bearing the names of victims, 58 candle-like beams, and a 58-foot Tower of Light.