The legacy of toon town genius Chuck Jones will come to life in Sin City this October as Circus Circus Las Vegas opens The Chuck Jones Experience, and interactive exhibit designed to “Educate, Inspire & Entertain” visitors. The grand opening in mid-October will feature a press conference featuring some of animation’s brightest stars.
“My grandfather said that if you provide the right materials and an environment of love, creative magic will come out of young people,” says Craig Kausen, chairman of the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity and co-developer of the project with Jones’ daughter, Linda Jones Clough, and a group of Chuck fans. “The Chuck Jones Experience will provide kids, and animation fans of all ages, with an extraordinary place to not only learn about the art of animation, but to discover the creativity and magic that’s inside us all. We are thrilled to kick off Chuck’s Centennial year with the opening of this exciting new venture.”
The Chuck Jones Experience is a nearly 10,000 square-foot walk-through and activities destination utilizing the art, writings and films of Jones to nurture the spirit of creativity in guests of all ages. At the entrance is a 1,000 square-foot glass-enclosed Chuck Jones Center for Creativity classroom where art projects can be guided by teachers with arts and animation backgrounds. Further in visitors will encounter the Chuck Jones Theatre, a 1930s inspired theater with an introductory film; a virtual street populated by Jones’ memorable characters and timeline of his extraordinary life; a re-creation of his studio; the “How Do You Measure Up?” character room; collections of art work and photos of Chuck, his colleagues and family; “Animation Alley,” a multimedia wall displaying animation pieces from the CJCC collection and others; and finally the Acme Workshop where guests can create their own sound effects and voiceovers for a Jones cartoon on the Foley Stage. And of course you can commemorate your visit by picking something up from the gift shop.
“We are pleased to be joining forces with such a great partner as Circus Circus to make this project a reality,” adds Kausen. “Creative inspiration can be achieved in a very short time and being on vacation is a perfect time to tap into it. Circus Circus is well known for the fun and wonderment it inspires in guests, and it’s a crossroads for travelers from around the world. These qualities make it a great location for The Chuck Jones Experience.”
