Photographer/Skater Richie Banks Builds a Skatepark on Las Vegas's Outskirts
“The Great American Dirt Farm” is an abandoned mine that Banks transformed into a brand-new concrete park.
As a photographer, videographer and skateboarder, Richie Banks is a man who’s been known to wear many hats — another one of which is skatepark designer. Banks is heavily into DIY skate spots, having built several on the outskirts of Las Vegas. The somewhat remote locales are completely intentional: Banks isn’t “trying to spend money [on materials] and have the city [destroy the spot].”
For his latest effort, Banks enlisted a deep crew of Las Vegas skateboarders to build what he calls “The Great American Dirt Farm,” placed around an abandoned mine. The Berrics followed Banks and his team while they spent multiple 12+ hour days removing dirt from the spot, laying down fresh cement and installing obstacles like rails and hubbas. “You can do this with your friends in whatever town or city you live in,” says Banks. “You gotta be fully into your own idea to get everyone excited. That’s it — you just have to go for it.”
Check out the arduous build process and triumphant skate session that followed it in the video above. For more skate-related content, check out a heartfelt 30-plus minute video Na-Kel Smith recently posted on Instagram, in which he opens up about racism in the skateboarding industry.
