As many of you have probably read before, we had the pleasure of visiting Star Trek: The Experience twice during it's run. Both times, we unequivocally felt like we were home among family and friends. Unfortunately, on September 1st, 2008, Star Trek: The Experience closed it's doors for the last time and we're here to mark the two year anniversary of our dear departed friend.

A Brief History of ST:TE

Star Trek: The Experience was a US$70 million permanent Star Trek-themed attraction at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel, owned by Cedar Fair Enterprise, containing shops styled after the Deep Space 9 Promenade, a restaurant styled after Quark's, The History of the Future Museum (which was a large collection of props and artifacts), and the Klingon Encounter and Borg Invasion 4D rides. The store was the largest Star Trek-themed store in the world.

It seems that the internet is full of Star Trek: The Experience news.  The only problem is that it appears to be the same story on all of the sites.  Supposedly, the failing Neonopolis is still slated to host some form of The Experience in the near future. 

Our favorite blogger and former Star Trek: The Experience cast member Jerad Formby takes us down a wonderfully reminiscent tour of his former haunt.  Star Trek: The Experience was Mecca for trek fans and we had the fantastic 'experience' of visiting it in it's prime.  For those of you Trek Fans that missed visiting, be sure to read Jerad's post.  He does an awesome job of capturing the atmosphere.

The 'future home' of Star Trek The Experience is experiencing more financial troubles.  As reported by News 3 Las Vegas, the Galaxy Theater at Neonopolis shutdown on the premiere day of the new J.J. Abrams film 'Star Trek'.  We would love to see The Experience open it's doors again and hope this isn't a sign of things to come.

According to the Las Vegas Sun today, Star Trek The Experience won't be re-launching on May 8th. The hope was to have a ground breaking ceremony on the same day as the new movie opening but, CBS Studios won't allow it.

According to David Ivy and Darren Benjamin of Trekcast, STTE will possibly re-open in Early 2010.

"We Heard it's (re-opening) in May 2010 or, early 2010. We haven't seen any construction down there (at Neonopolis) and from what we understand that they want to do, it's going to take a long time." Ivy explains. Darren Benjamin continues, "The date of May 9th 2009 that the press got a hold of was never officially stated."