LAS VEGAS -- Mayor Oscar Goodman, and other city officials, gathered downtown to celebrate the opening of a new downtown district Friday.

At 7:45 p.m., the vintage-style neon lights of the new Freemont Entertainment District were lit for the first time. Officials said the lighting ceremony is the culmination of a $5.5 million improvement project to redevelop the look and image of downtown.

"This signals yet another successful achievement in the ongoing rebirth and urban renaissance of downtown Las Vegas," Goodman said. "With the completion of this major project, Fremont East will be transformed into an exciting, thriving area that will offer entertainment options for residents and tourists alike."

The redevelopment includes a three-block section of Fremont Street between Las Vegas Boulevard and Seventh Street. Officials said some of the improvements include wider sidewalks and more pedestrian-friendly streets, landscaping, lighted gateways and four 40-foot-tall, retro-looking neon signs.