Twin Brother (file photo by Bill Hughes)

Slow and steady, The Royal Resort and its lounge — known as The Royal House — has been moving toward its goal of becoming a music destination. It’s become a regular hangout to some for its “Sunday Sermon” open mic, and its now biweekly tribute nights, where local musicians play the music of one artist, draw triple-digit attendance figures (last week’s Pixies night was one of the venue’s most successful nights ever).

Now, the higher-ups at The Royal Resort have decided to double down on their cultural objectives and will launch a well-funded, 25-act indie music festival on March 23-24. The Pastel Project will include two areas for live music — including an all-ages outdoor stage — featuring a slew of Pitchfork-friendly, headliner modern rock/electro acts (to be released soon), and a smattering of indie-oriented Vegas bands including Twin Brother, Rusty Maples, Minor Suns, Zach Ryan & the Rouge and Halloween Town. There will also be food trucks and possible amusement diversions. No onsale date for passes is scheduled yet, but they will cost $39 for Friday, $49 for Saturday and $69 for both days, putting it in the ballpark of other national indie festivals. (A $99 VIP pass option will also be available each day.)

“I’m trying to make it fun, like [Los Angeles'] FYF Fest,” says Ryan Pardey, the Royal’s entertainment director (and Halloween Town’s leadman). The festival’s name is spring-themed, and aims to have “green” tie-ins and sponsors for environmental consciousness. If successful, The Royal will also launch a September version, which Pardey hopes will be even bigger.

There’s a white elephant in the room, however. The Pastel Project happens right in the middle of our existing indie music festival, Neon Reverb, which spans March 20-25 and also has a September edition. It will book the same sort of bands Neon Reverb tends to program. And yet, it has nothing to do with Neon Reverb, despite the Royal having participated as a host venue in the fall 2011 version.

Pardey says this is not a shot across the bow. Despite knowing Neon Reverb’s spring dates, The Royal’s owners were firm on the March 23-24 date, due to the ebb of conventions that week — the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority will reportedly have a promotional role with the festival — as well as its proximity to Austin, Texas, mega-conference South By Southwest (March 14-18) and Southern California’s Coachella (April 13-15 and 20-22), creating a month where many acts route their touring through the southwestern U.S. Pardey also points to Pastel’s hours: Thanks to the all-ages outdoor stage, Friday’s shows begin at 5 p.m., Saturday’s will start in the early afternoon, and both must adhere to a 10 p.m. curfew (the indoor stage will start and end later). “People can do both,” he argues. “I don’t see this as being competitive. I think this is positive for the scene.”