Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/260044
W hen Doug McPhail first heard about Downtown Container Park, the Tony Hsieh – backed vent u re wa s st ill in the planning stages. McPhail took a phone call from longtime colleague Michael Downs, who had been v ice president of operat ions for Bellagio before giving up that post to work with Hsieh a s Dow ntow n Project 's execut ive v ice president of operat ions. A s Dow ns descr ibed h is new job a nd t he a mor - phous enterprise in front of him, McPhail says, "I doubted his sanity." T hat wa s one yea r ago. Today t he dapperly d ressed McPha il ser ves a s operations director for Container Park, which opened in late November and is emerging as a hot destination for boutique shopping, dining, and hanging out. There are free concerts every day, the playground includes a tree-house slide, and visitors are greeted by a statue of a f lame- throwing praying mantis. Stroller walkways and free art classes are under consideration. Cont a iner Pa rk ser ves severa l f unct ions. It gives Downtown a centerpiece, providing peo- ple w it h a rea son to wa lk in a cit y t hat 's not a lways considered pedest r ia n-fr iendly, a nd it br ings g reener y to t he urba n env ironment. It also gives locals and tourists a good reason to stay in the area. "Families come here with their children, and we provide the toys," says McPhail, who received more t ha n 10 0 request s for operator licenses within two weeks of opening. "I did a lot of net- working, trolled the Downtown farmers market, spoke to vendors at First Friday," the Downtown community arts event. "The whole enterprise has just been so harmonious." In fact, several of Container Park's 38 tenants, including the frozen dessert specialist ChillSpot and the fashion boutique 702dtlv, were scooped up f rom t heir First Fr iday boot hs. "I shared my enthusiasm and optimism with t hem," McPha il says. "But we a ll k now t hat not hing in life comes w it hout r isk. What I could guarantee was that we had a deep brain trust here and quality people who had been t hrough ser ious ventures." He added value by offering good terms and short leases to tenants, many of whom were opening their first brick-and-mortar stores. Self Contained AMID A PILE OF SHIPPING CONTAINERS, DOUG MCPHAIL IS BUILDING A RETAIL AND COMMUNITY INCUBATOR, AND ENVISIONING A DYNAMIC NEW DOWNTOWN. BY JAY JOHNSTONE PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM DECKER continued on page 66 At first Doug McPhail (LEFT) thought the whole project was insane; now he's running it. BELOW: Container Park's entrance. " I could guarantee that we had a deep brain trust here." DOUG MCPHAIL 64 VEGASMAGAZINE.COM THOUGHT LEADER 064-066_V_SP_ThoughtLeader_Winter14.indd 64 2/10/14 5:08 PM