On December 9, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority formally acquired the assets of the Las Vegas Monorail Company, an effort to preserve a popular transportation option for attendees of conventions and trade shows at the Las Vegas Convention Center and various meetings-heavy hotels on the Strip. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court approved the sale in late November.
Interestingly, the deal now allows other transportation options to emerge on the east side of Las Vegas Boulevard by eliminating the non-compete perimeter around the monorail system. In particular, it clears the way for additional progress on the Boring Company’s underground tunnel, named the Vegas Loop.
The first incarnation of the Loop project is designed to move visitors from various parts of the convention center to the new West Hall expansion, a distance of up to two miles. The 1.4-million-square-foot new hall is due to open in January. But if the initial three-station movement system is successful, it will be expanded beyond the convention center to McCarron International Airport and downtown Las Vegas/Fremont Street District.
Since 2004, the Las Vegas Monorail Company has connected the convention center with six stops next to major hotels: MGM Grand, Bally’s/Paris Las Vegas, Flamingo/Caesars Palace, Harrah’s/The LINQ, Westgate Las Vegas, and Sahara Las Vegas. The fully electric monorail eliminates 27 tons of carbon monoxide from the city’s air each year.
The LVCC hosts roughly 20 percent of the 42.1 million meeting and event attendees who come to Las Vegas each year.
