Introduction And Overview
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Letter from Chair of 1 October Memorial Committee 
2. Introduction
   1. A Story of Incomprehensible Tragedy
   2. A Story of Devastating Loss (Names of 58 Victims)
   3. A Story of Courage
   4. A Story of Hope & Healing
      1. LV Community Healing Garden
         
         
3. Project & Process Overview
   1. Mission, Vision, Goals 
   2. Additional Information & Resources
   3. Location
   4. Budget 
      
      
4. Pathways for Participation
   1. Call for Evaluators
   2. Call for Creative Expressions
   3. Request for Qualifications (RFQ) 
      
      
5. General Information Sessions
   
   
6. Timeline
   
   
7. Overall Process Flow Chart

Letter from Chair of 1 October Memorial Committee

Since October 1, 2017, individually and collectively, we have been traveling a road towards healing.

The Committee I am privileged to chair – 1 October Memorial Committee (1OMC) – was formed in 2019, to ensure that a significant milepost in our healing journey will be dedication of a world class permanent memorial which will remember the 58 souls who perished in the events of 1 October 2017 at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival, those who have succumbed to injuries since, honor the survivors and the many heroes who inspired the nation with their bravery, and celebrate the resiliency and compassion of our community.

For the seven members of the Committee, the mission is humbling and profound. We are grateful to leaders who formed us – the Clark County Board of County Commissioners and Governor Steve Sisolak  – and grateful to all of you for your trust and faith. From the beginning, our deepest intention has been to lead a process in which input and engagement from victims’ families, survivors, first responders, and community members will inform creation of a permanent 1 October Memorial that will serve as a place to reflect on those lost and celebrate the unmatched strength of our community.

The 1OMC’s goal is to make a recommendation to the Clark County Board of County Commissioners by September 2023 that will include specific plans for a site, design, programming and ongoing maintenance needs, as well as funding solutions, for a world-class permanent memorial.

The first phase of our work was learning from other memorial committees and listening to our impacted community’s desires and wishes for a memorial through surveys, focus groups and meetings. A compelling clarity revealed by surveys -- which thousands responded to -- were answers to the question: “In a single word, please describe the most important aspect of the memorial.” The responses --Remembrance, Respect, Honor, Healing, Unity, Peace, Community and Love -- now guide our work. They are the values and imperatives that will steer us as we convert the shared desires and aspirations revealed by phase one into a focused review of specific ideas and qualifications within this second phase, which will eventually result in completion of a world-class memorial.

Please review carefully the three separate pathways of participation in this critical phase of our journey and select the path best suited to you. We are grateful and inspired by your continuing engagement and deeply honored to be on this journey alongside you.

Sincerely,

Tennille Pereira
Chairwoman
1 October Memorial Committee

Introduction

OUR STORY IS INTRICATE.

It is a story of incomprehensible tragedy. A story of devastating loss. It is a story of courage and hope. It is a story of community. A story of resilience, grace, compassion, healing, and love. Through this process to complete a permanent memorial, we are the storytellers of our time. 

A STORY OF INCOMPREHENSIBLE TRAGEDY

 “You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.” ~ Bob Marley

On October 1, 2017, tragically and unexpectedly, Las Vegas, Nevada, became the stage for the worst mass shooting in modern history to date. That night, more than 22,000 people came together from all over the nation and world to enjoy a country music festival. On the third and final night of the festival, a lone gunman opened fire into the crowd from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. The gunfire continued, relentlessly, for more than 10 minutes, resulting in the deaths of 58 innocent concertgoers and documented injuries of more than 850 survivors. It was the raw courage shown by law enforcement who ran directly toward the hail of bullets that finally ended the carnage. At first, the devastation seemed insurmountable, but we quickly discovered that our community and its people are tough, compassionate, and unstoppable.

In the minutes that followed, chaos reigned. Employees working on the Strip in the immediate vicinity, ride share drivers, tourists and others just passing by instantly became unwitting first aid providers and consolers. First responders descended quickly. Emergency rooms, trauma units and hospitals were rapidly overwhelmed.

In the days and weeks after this horrific crime took place, residents of the Las Vegas valley and individuals from around the world, came together to mourn the lives taken. These same people also provided, and continue to provide, invaluable support for the families of the victims and all who would become the survivors of that night.

This mass shooting irrevocably changed the lives of every single person in attendance at the concert, and those who love them. Those who were not present but felt the effects were also far-reaching: the Las Vegas community at large, longtime, loyal visitors to our area, the country music community and all those who have lived through a prior mass shooting and watched this unfold on their televisions. The tragedy on October 1, 2017, changed us all.

After properly honoring those lost, our focus as a community became helping the families of the victims and the survivors navigate the next steps in their lives.

Today, our focus is on healing and mental wellness. We understand the importance a 1 October memorial will play in the overall healing process.

A STORY OF DEVASTATING LOSS

“Grief and resilience live together.” ~ Michelle Obama

THE 58 VICTIMS

Hannah Ahlers Heather Alvarado Dorene Anderson Carrie Barnette Jack Beaton Stephen Berger Candice Bowers Denise Burditus Sandra Casey Andrea Castilla Denise Cohen Austin Davis Thomas Day, Jr. Christiana Duarte Stacee Etcheber Brian Fraser Keri Galvan Dana Gardner Angela Gomez Rocio Guillen Charleston Hartfield Christopher Hazencomb Jennifer Irvine Teresa Kimura Jessica Klymchuk Carly Kreibaum Rhonda LeRocque Victor Link Jordan McIldoon

Kelsey Meadows Calla-Marie Medig James “Sonny” Melton Patricia Mestas Austin Meyer Adrian Murfitt Rachael Parker Jennifer Parks Carolyn Parsons Lisa Patterson John Phippen Melissa Ramirez Jordyn Rivera Quinton Robbins Cameron Robinson Tara Ann Roe Lisa Romero-Muniz Christopher Roybal Brett Schwanbeck Bailey Schweitzer Laura Shipp Erick Silva Susan Smith Brennan Stewart Derrick “Bo” Taylor Neysa Tonks Michelle Vo Kurt Von Tillow William Wolfe, Jr

A STORY OF COURAGE – First and All Responders

 “Hard times don’t create heroes. It is during the hard times when the ‘hero’ within us is revealed.” ~ Bob Riley

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s (“LVMPD”) Events Planning section and the team at MGM Resorts prepared for the three-day country music festival over several weeks. MGM Resorts hired third-party vendors to supply food and drinks, on-site security, and medical personnel for the festival. This location was a regular venue for entertainment throughout the year. Like many special event locations in Las Vegas, this outdoor venue was located on the famous Las Vegas Strip near several high-rise hotels. Leading up to that evening, it was yet another wonderful event, attended and enjoyed by thousands from all over, in a community that does it best. Then everything changed.

In the initial seconds and minutes, ordinary people attending or working a concert became extraordinary responders, doing whatever they could to help each other until first responders arrived. Concertgoers and on-site employees rushed to provide first aid to hundreds of injured strangers, assisted each other to seek safety, and some even remained by those who had died. As officers arrived, they responded to gunfire by running directly into the crowd of attendees who were injured, confused, and terrified because they thought the threat was coming from inside the venue, specifically the west side of the venue, at ground level.

Joining first responders were countless employees working along the Strip and other heroic passersby who did whatever they could do to aid, assist and transport the injured to hospitals.

Many more heroes came from the health care community – EMTs, doctors, nurses and hospital staff -- who did whatever it took to save lives.

That night, countless people revealed remarkable heroism within – from concertgoers and on-site employees to first responders, Strip employees and medical personnel to people who simply happened to be in the immediate area.

Overview of Scene Location photo from LVMPD

 A STORY OF HOPE & HEALING - Community Response, Local & Global

“Like tiny seeds with potent power to push through tough ground and become mighty trees, we hold innate reserves of unimaginable strength. We are resilient.” ~ Catherine DeVrye

Within minutes of the tragedy the hashtag #VegasStrong spontaneously emerged on Twitter. What began as a hashtag burgeoned into a rallying cry for the entire community and, because of global news coverage, the world. As it morphed onto flags, windows in homes, marquees, billboards, yard signs, bumper stickers, and T-shirts, it became a reminder of both the strength of Las Vegas and a resounding declaration that the community would grieve, heal, and find a path forward, together.

By the next day, the community had embraced #VegasStrong as a clarion call and residents rallied, individually and together. Everyone contributed their gifts in whatever form or manner they could, all with a spirit of togetherness. In the wake of unimaginable horror was a wellspring of goodness; the tragedy galvanized residents into a tightly knitted community. That spirit of unity and humanity rippled well beyond the community to the entire nation and the world.

We saw small as well as substantial acts of kindness, compassion, and unity all throughout our valley. Acts so numerous and response so vast, it’s impossible to list them all. The following provide just a glimpse:

• Lines to donate blood stretched for blocks with wait times as much as several hours; strangers provided water and snacks to those waiting in line.
• Donations of food and water poured – from individuals, companies, school children, faith groups and many others -- into the make-shift safe haven at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Thomas and Mack Center.
• Countless volunteers arrived at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Headquarters Family Reunification Center to provide trauma services and help to thousands seeking information about their loved ones.
• Trauma teams from around the nation came to help.
• Hospitals were flooded with food delivery orders to sustain staff and loved ones at bed sides.
• The Family Assistance Center at the Las Vegas Convention Center was established with many volunteers and returned hundreds of pieces of personal property back to victims’ family members and survivors. They received non-stop delivery of food and items to provide comfort from local and national businesses. (On October 20, 2017, when the Family Assistance Center closed its doors, Clark County’s Vegas Strong Resiliency Center opened its doors. Today, the Vegas Strong Resiliency Center is recognized nationally as a place of healing and support dedicated to serving as a multi-agency resource and referral center for residents, visitors and responders affected by the tragedy.)
• Companies provided stranded survivors help to meet basic needs as they strove to return home to loved ones in other states and countries.
• Government agencies made special provisions to help survivors quickly replace identification lost in the melee to help them get home.
• Immediately, and for months that followed, the community began donating money to help families of victims and survivors.

The sense of profound togetherness that was exemplified throughout the community in the immediate aftermath provided hope and represented the first step in a long journey to healing.

An important part of any healing journey is memorialization, which began right away when several spontaneous memorials sprang up around the community. Within a few days, 58 handmade “Crosses for Losses” were stood up by Illinois resident Greg Zanis (photo below). The mobile display was the first tangible tribute to the lives lost. A few days later the Las Vegas Community Healing Garden was dedicated. It provides an organic tribute to the 58 victims (photos below) and a place of calm, healing and compassion for families, survivors and visitors. The Las Vegas Community Healing Garden will forever remain a treasure. The permanent memorial is envisioned to extend and expand memorialization, not to replace this revered place.

An example of spontaneous memorialization, 2017 (Photo from Vegas Strong Resiliency Center)

Within days of the tragedy Greg Zanis traveled from Illinois to place 58 handmade crosses near the iconic
“Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign. The installation quickly became the first impromptu memorial site for
survivors, families and the community to gather and pay their respects. (Photo from KLAS-TV Las Vegas)

Las Vegas Community Healing Garden

On October 6, 2017, the Las Vegas Community Healing Garden was dedicated and opened to the public. It was built in three days by community members and local businesses following the October 1 tragedy at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival.  The garden features a Remembrance Wall, a grove of 58 trees lining a paved path, shrubs, and flowers, all encircling a beautiful oak tree - the Tree of Life -- donated by Siegfried and Roy.  The 58 trees were planted to signify the 58 lives lost on that tragic evening.  Painted rocks, flowers, pictures, and other mementos placed by community members offering their condolences, prayers, and remembrance of loved ones can be found at the trees and all around the garden. The Healing Garden serves as a place of calm to remember those touched by tragedy, provides a place of refuge for healing, and is a living garden celebrating life, compassion, and fellowship that we find in community.

The garden, now managed and cared for by the City of Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Community Healing Garden Committee, continues to grow and thrive.  Visitors come daily to see the beauty of the LV Community Healing Garden.  Family members lovingly decorate the trees of their loved ones.  Survivors find a place of comfort, fellowship, and healing.  Although created out of tragedy, the LV Community Healing Garden has become a beacon of hope for so many in the valley and beyond.

On October 6, 2017, the Las Vegas Community Healing Garden was dedicated and opened to the public. Fifty-eight trees,
one for each victim, surround a giant oak dubbed the Tree of Life, 2022 (Photo from Clark County)


Las Vegas Community Healing Garden, 2022 (Photo from Clark County)


Las Vegas Community Healing Garden Original Tree Map, 2017 (photo from Get Outdoors Nevada)


Remembrance Wall in the Las Vegas Community Healing Garden, 2022 (photo from Clark County)

PROJECT & PROCESS OVERVIEW

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only light can do that.”
~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

The 1 October Memorial Committee (“1OMC”) has adopted the following Mission, Vision and Goals for a permanent memorial, based on research from other communities and extensive public input.

Mission Statement for Permanent Memorial
To provide a space that will remember the 58 who perished in the immediate aftermath as a result of the 1 October 2017 tragedy at the Route 91 Harvest Festival, Las Vegas, Nevada, and those who succumbed to their injuries thereafter, honor the survivors and the many heroes who inspired the nation with their bravery, and to celebrate the resiliency and compassion of our community.

Vision Statement for Permanent Memorial
To provide an experience that brings healing, peace, respect, community, strength, unity, love, comfort, and resilience while educating about the events and impact of 1 October 2017.

Goals for Permanent Memorial

1. Convey the magnitude of the tragedy and its far-reaching impacts
2. Provide an artistic feature that honors the 58 victims who perished
3. Provide educational and/or artistic components that may offer:
   1. Victim biographies
   2. Survivor stories
   3. Community heroism stories
   4. Support for mental health
   5. Lessons learned by first responders/hospitality industry
   6. Celebration of country music community
4. Provide an alternative feature to water to offer tranquility
5. Provide controlled opportunities to incorporate mementos

Additional Resources and Information
The Mission, Vision and Goals are reflective of 1) research from experts and other communities and 2) community input gathered through surveys. The 1OMC has held 20 public meetings since October 2020. Minutes and video from meetings are accessible on 1OMC’s website –  1 October Memorial Committee. Below is a list of additional resources and information:

• Meeting highlights you may want to view:
  • 1OMC Meeting, Nov. 25, 2020 – presentation by Anita Ahuja, Manager, Mass Violence Response, California Victim Compensation Board about mass violence memorials and lessons learned – 2020 - Anita Ahuja Presentation (0:35:50 - 1:49:10)
  • 1OMC Meeting, Jan. 27, 2021 – presentation by Dr. Harriet F. Senie, Author and Art History Professor, entitled, “Memorial Options: Figures, Walls, Museums, Gardens or?” - 2021 -- Dr. Harriet Senie Presentation (0:6:20 - 1:43:40)
  • 1OMC Meeting, Dec. 22, 2021 – presentation by Daniel Krauss, Chair, Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial Commission - 2021 -- Daniel Krauss Presentation (0:21:50 – 1:45:45)
  • 1OMC Meeting, Jan. 26, 2022 – presentations by Earl Crittenden & Dr. Hilary Lewis, onePULSE Foundation, and Gordie Felt, Families of Flight 93 Memorial – 2022 - onePULSE and Flight 93 Presentations (0:16:15 – 2:37:45)
• In addition to learning from experts and other communities, 1OMC partnered with the Cannon Survey Center, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, to conduct public engagement surveys:
  • In March 2021 a 15-question online community survey was conducted. Nearly 6,100 people responded. Results include cross tabs among various stakeholder groups - Survey #1 Results, Mar. 2021
  • In April and May 2021 the Cannon Survey Center conducted eight focus groups to probe more deeply findings of the first survey - Focus Group Findings, Jun. 2021
  • In August 2021 an 8-question online survey was conducted. Nearly 5,200 people responded -- Survey #2 Results, Aug. 2021
• The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department released its After-Action Review in January 2018. To access the full report – LVMPD After-Action Review.
• Given the historic nature and magnitude of the tragedy, several community organizations documented the events, the aftermath, and #VegasStrong. As a result, many assets, artifacts and oral histories have been catalogued and preserved, and may be helpful in creating a permanent memorial. Please contact the organizations directly for additional information regarding their collections -- the Clark County Museum, UNLV Libraries Special Collections and Archives, the Nevada State Museum Las Vegas, the News Bureau of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), and the Mob Museum.
• For 90-second video tour of the Las Vegas Community Healing Garden (featured on pages 8-10) – LV Comm Healing Garden Tour.

LOCATION
In response to strong public desire for a permanent memorial to be located at the event site, MGM Resorts, a partner in this journey, generously contributed a two-acre parcel on the northeast corner of the festival site, located directly across the street from a church which, on October 1, 2017, became a beacon providing hope and help to many.

For a video tour of the memorial site, click here.

SITE MAP

BUDGET

There is no fixed budget for the memorial. The winning proposal will determine the budget target, which then will be raised through fundraising efforts. (For planning purposes, 1OMC is anticipating the project will cost in the range of $7-$10 million dollars.

PROJECT & PROCESS OVERVIEW – Participation Pathways

There are three unique pathways for participation, each designed to maximize engagement by different stakeholders – Call for Evaluators, Call for Creative Expressions, and Request for Qualifications (RFQ).  Please review the pathways and select the path best suited to your talents, capabilities, and desire to contribute.

Please note that this document and additional information on the three unique pathways are available in Spanish at 1 October Memorial, however, application forms are available only in English. 

CALL FOR EVALUATORS – Designed for people who have a perspective, interest or expertise which may be useful in evaluating responses to Request for Qualifications (RFQs). Anyone, regardless of where you live, may apply.

Applications will be reviewed by a sub-group of 1OMC and evaluators (and alternates) will be selected to form a seven-member volunteer jury (“Jury”) tasked with evaluating all RFQ submissions and recommending finalists to 1OMC.

The Jury will be comprised of representatives and alternates from the following stakeholder groups:

• One family member of a person who died on 1 October
• One survivor
• One first responder who took part in the events of 1 October or its aftermath, including police, fire, medical &/or hospital personnel
• Three people with subject matter expertise (SME) in a professional discipline relevant to developing a permanent memorial. This can include but is not limited to expertise as an artist, architect, construction, cultural historian, engineer, landscape architect, museums &/or memorials, musician, etc.

A member of 1OMC will chair and serve as a non-voting member of the Jury.

To ensure independence and fidelity in the review and evaluation of RFQs, Jury members (and alternates) will be asked to maintain anonymity and confidentiality throughout their work.

Timeline and Commitment

1. Applications for evaluators will be accepted from July 1, 2022, until 5:00 p.m. PST on July 31, 2022
2. Jury members (and alternates) will be notified by Sept. 15, 2022
3. The Jury (and alternates) will receive mandatory training on Thur, Oct. 13, 2022, 2:00–5:00 p.m. PT, in a virtual session.
4. The Jury will review RFQs in November and present a recommendation for finalists to 1OMC on Dec. 14, 2022.

It is important that Jury members and alternates are available to participate actively, which can occur entirely virtually.

For details regarding Call for Evaluators, click here.

CALL FOR CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS – 

• This unique participation pathway was designed with three intentions:
  1. To encourage anyone to share creativity born out of their personal experience to inspire design team finalists and give the teams a sense of the emotions, feelings and perspectives within the impacted community.
  2. To encourage anyone with a specific idea or design concept for a permanent memorial (or any aspect of a memorial) an opportunity to share those ideas with design team finalists.
  3. To encourage artists without the team necessary to participate in the RFQ process an opportunity to share with design team finalists their interest in contributing to the creation of a memorial.

All responses require a letter of intent. Beyond that, submissions may include any combination of:

• Drawings, schematics or narratives (up to 3)
• Audio or video recording (up to 60 seconds)
• Resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
• Portfolio of work

The window for submission of Creative Expressions will open on July 1, 2022, and close on October 31, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. PT. All submissions will be initially reviewed by Clark County staff to ensure appropriateness of content. (This is a journey of healing; content that may cause trauma will not be accepted.)

Once reviewed by Clark County staff for appropriateness of content, selected submissions will be viewable by the public in an online gallery (unless you opt out). All submissions will also be provided to RFQ Finalists, who will be expected to review and consider ideas and artists presenting through the Call for Creative Expressions for possible inclusion in final proposals.

Any legal rights to designs, concepts, drawings, schematics, or other elements contained in Creative Expression submissions will be unenforceable; all rights will be conveyed to the 1 October Memorial Committee and/or Clark County, and their successors.

For Guidelines, click here.

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) – This participation pathway is designed for professionals with expertise and capacity to design and build a world class permanent memorial. A member of the team must be licensed as an architect in the State of Nevada.

RFQ timeline

1. The window for submission of RFQs will open on August 1, 2022, and close at 3:00 p.m. PST on October 31, 2022
2. Submissions will be evaluated by jury in November 2022
3. The jury will submit scores to the Clark County Purchasing Department for review and compilation. Then it will present recommendations to the 1OMC, who will select up to 5 finalists on December 14, 2022
4. Finalists will be invited to submit their proposal by May 31, 2023
5. Finalists shall:
   • Receive $50,000 as renumeration for completing their proposals, including design concept, model and budget (payable after public presentation of proposal)
   • Formally introduce themselves (and teams) in person at a public meeting in Las Vegas on Jan. 25, 2023
   • Incorporate extensive and specific stakeholder input from families of victims, survivors, first responders, and the community into formulation of proposal
   • Be provided a database of all submissions received in response to the Call for Creative Expressions
   • Make earnest and demonstrable effort to incorporate into the proposal the ideas and artists submitted through the Call for Creative Expressions

For information regarding RFQ process, click here.

GENERAL INFORMATION SESSIONS

If you have questions about the project, process or any of the participation pathways, two general information sessions are planned. Both sessions allow virtual or in person participation (at the Clark County Government Center) and require pre-registration.

Following the sessions, questions and answers will be posted on the 1 October Memorial website.

Session #1: Thursday, July 7, 2022, 10:00 a.m. PST

Session #2: Monday, July 11, 2022, 4:00 p.m. PST

To register, please click here or use this QR code -

TIMELINE
This chart depicts key milestones for each participation pathway.

	Pathway #1: Call for Evaluators	Pathway #2: Call for Creative Expressions	Pathway #3: Call for RFQs
July 1, 2022	Release	Release
July 31, 2022	Application Deadline (5:00 p.m. PST)
Aug 1, 2022			Release
Sept. 15, 2022	Evaluators Notified of Selection
Oct 10-13, 2022	Training of Jury
Oct 31, 2022		Submission Deadline (5:00 p.m. PST)	Submission Deadline (3:00 p.m. PST)
Oct-Dec 2022		Creative Expressions Publicly Viewable
Nov 2022	Jury evaluates RFQs
Dec 14, 2022	Jury Presents, 1OMC Selects up to 5 Finalists	Database Provided to Finalists	Finalists Named
Jan 25, 2023			Finalists’ Public Self-Introduction
Feb-Apr 2023			Stakeholder Engagement & Review Database of Creative Expressions
May 31, 2023			Deadline for Submission of Proposals, Including Design Concept, Model & Budget
Jun-Jul 2023	Public Input on Finalists’ Proposals
Aug 23, 2023	1OMC Selects
Sept 2023	1OMC Presents Recommendation to Clark County Board of County Commissioners

OVERALL PROCESS FLOW CHART
This flow chart depicts the entire selection process.