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Star Trek: The Experience
A Sneak Preview from COMDEX
Las Vegas Hilton, Las Vegas, Nevada
by Mike Willmoth

Monday November 17, 1997
10:00am, Media Center, COMDEX

After registering for COMDEX with press credentials compliments of
ConNotations, the publication sponsored by CASFS Inc. (www.casfs.org),
our local 501(c)3 non-profit corporation, we hit the Media Center
located at the back of Pavilion 1 just west of the Las Vegas
Convention Center.  In the center we discovered one sheet of
information which caused us great interest.  It was an offer to the
media for a sneak preview of Star Trek: The Experience in the Las
Vegas Hilton!  On Tuesday from 6p-8p the media was invited to a tour
of the behind-the-scenes of this multimillion dollar extravaganza
which is expected to open early January 1998.  The press was 
asked to call a certain local number and ask for a specific person to
RSVP, but otherwise it was a free event.  I did so for all three
members of our party.

Tuesday November 18, 1997
6:00pm, Las Vegas Hilton, COMDEX

We checked with the Front Desk Information window where we were
directed left around the corner to search for Space Quest Casino.  The
Experience was to be found at the back.  The casino was interestingly
decorated with small spaceships and such on top of the slot machines.
Large screens above displayed a view of Earth as seen from space, not
the whole planet but part of the horizon as if in orbit.  Various
ships moved around simulating actual work outside the viewers station.
The various machines to lose your money on included virtual hands
dealing poker on which to bet the cards.  Very high tech.

The entrance to The Experience was partitioned off so that we had to
fill out forms before being scrutinized by a guard to verify our media
badge holders.  Slipping between the partitions let us to the actual
entrance.  Turn left and go down the stairs to enter Quark's Bar and
the Promenade from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; turn right and go up
the ramp to the attraction itself.  Quark's is really a restaurant
with ST-related menu names, although the fare is very human (much to
the chagrin of several media representatives).  Ferengi Tube Grubs
(macaroni & cheese), Tribble Tenders (just like chicken), Romulan Ale
and Saurian Brandy grace the menu. 

The ramp led to a circular area which overlooked the restaurant and
allowed a view of all four ships suspended overhead:  Enterprise D
(NCC-1701D), Enterprise (apparently) original (NCC-1701), a Klingon
battle cruiser from the Next Generation era and Voyager.  The original
Enterprise did have the 1701 designation, but the nacelles didn't look
like from the series.  I think this was a goof on their part.

We walked up the next ramp to view the history timeline starting with
Galileo and moving up to the Apollo Moon Landing, Zephram Cochrane's
first warp flight, and ending up about where we know DS9 and Voyager
are currently.  Along this ramp are small cases in which artifacts
could be placed from the various series.  We encountered a line before
we got to the end and had to wait for the media in front of us take
the tour before we could.  While waiting I noticed the sky overhead
above the ships represented stars (11,678 of them) and some twinkled.
On the far wall was a video screen of snips from the series' showing
ST actors saying profound things.  It repeated several times while we
were there and much of it was still blank.

Upon arriving at the front and entering the walkway we were given an 
introduction to the tour by one of the PR folks with instructions on
how to proceed to the end, then double back into a side hall.  Along
the way we observed some construction fellows working on various
displays set into the wall, such as a chair from one of the ships or a
Klingon chair with other related items in the display.  The hallway
led to the replica of the Next Generation bridge where one fellow
talked about the Experience when complete.  Actors will enter the
bridge while tourists are standing around.  They will interface with
the bridge controls and escort the tourists to the shuttle bay 
when a Klingon attack ensues.

The premise is that one of the tourists is a distant relative of Jean
Luc Picard and the Klingons try to kill him/her to prevent Picard from
being born.  The shuttle bay offers a 27-seat simulator with 70mm
projection on a dome above the shuttle which has transparent ceiling
and upper windows.  The actuators move up to 36 inches and the
simulator has six degrees of freedom for the ride of your life.  There
are two simulators that work simultaneously so the hotel can move a
fair number of folks through at a time (1000 guests per hour).  I seem
to remember the tour will last about 22 minutes in total with 4
minutes in the simulator.  Once the shuttle ride is over you are 
escorted down to the Promenade near Quark's where several gift shops
will offer something for every budget.  This means up to authentic
replica uniforms at $4000 to a Borg outfit made by the man himself for
almost that.  The second floor of the Promenade is only accessible to
VIPs and private parties.  I guess that means no suicides allowed by
commoners.

Star Trek: The Experience(tm) launches Las Vegas starting January 4,
1998 and will open at 11:00am on that Sunday and cost $70 million to
build.  Besides venturing onto the bridge, you'll travel on a
turbolift, speed along the grand corridor and brave an exciting
shuttlecraft mission through space and time.  Boy, is this a press
release or what!  Ferengi, Klingons and other interplanetary visitors
will wander the Promenade for you to interact with.  The
65,000-square-foot attraction will be open daily from 11am to 11pm for
an introductory admission of $9.95.  For more info call 702-732-5111
or visit the website at www.startrekexp.com.  Las Vegas Hilton room
reservations can be made at 702-732-5301 or 800-732-7117.  The
SpaceQuest Casino, a 20,000-square-foot casino adjacent to the
Experience, was designed by renowned futurist Syd Mead.  Three
10-by-24-foot "space windows" will create the illusion of being in
orbit above the Earth.  430 unique slots and table games are
available.  Star Trek:  The Experience was conceptualized by Paramount

Parks under the guidance of the Paramount Television Group (both units
of Viacom Inc.) and Rick Berman, co-creator of ST:DS9 and ST:Voyager.
Contact Susan Lomax, Paramount Parks, 704-561-8107,
slomax@earthlink.net or Timothy Chanaud, Las Vegas Hilton,
702-732-5537, tchanaud@aol.com.

Some other interesting facts: more than 300 different lighting
instruments are used; it uses a half mile of fluorescent light tubing
and a quarter mile of neon light tubing; ten miles of audio cable and
more tha 300 speakers are used in the upper level (the voyage through
space); each of the two domed theater screens in the motion simulator
theater is 60 feet across and weighs more than 9000 pounds; passengers
experience a 160-degree viewing area; 2150 screws are used in the
floor of each Transporter Room; 24 laserdisc players and 28 video
monitors and projectors are used; 22 computers (OSD 9000, Windows and
DOS) are required to run the thing.  Impressive statistics for sure.