Friday, Oct. 31, 1997 | 11:28 a.m.
Compared with re-establishing train service between Las Vegas and Los Angeles, knocking down a few warehouses and punching a road under a train track will be easy for the developers of the Rio hotel-casino.
All those projects are on the agenda for the publicly traded Las Vegas-based company that announced implementation of a new master plan and the start of a $200 million first phase of construction for what ultimately will be a new 3,000-room hotel.
"It'll be like its own little hotel out there," said Rio President James Barrett, who explained some of the details of the project unveiled Thursday morning.
The most challenging aspect of the project is a goal to re-establish train service between Las Vegas and Southern California, an effort the Rio has quietly supported since Desert Wind Amtrak service ended in Southern Nevada earlier this year.
"That's going to be really tough," admitted Barrett, who explained that the Rio would like to build a train depot as part of its master plan. The main line through Las Vegas passes on the Rio property's periphery, so coordinating train service to and from the hotel could be a tremendous strategic advantage for the resort.
For years, a train depot at the Union Plaza hotel-casino property put train passengers in the downtown resort.
Barrett said the Rio has been following the efforts of government officials attempting to reinstitute train service and mostly has been observing negotiations rather than leading them. He explained that the Rio will have its hands full with other logistical issues without having to worry about trains.
When the time comes for development of the 43-acre site to the northeast of the current Rio property, several warehouse buildings will have to be demolished. Barrett explained that the company has been quietly buying the warehouse area in anticipation of the expansion of the Rio. He said several tenants still operate from the warehouses and as the company needs the space, the tenants eventually will leave.
"Many of them are making plans to move right now," said Barrett. "We're not ready to move on that just yet, but we're getting ready and the businesses using the warehouses know what's ahead."
What's ahead are construction of the new hotel -- a theme for the property has yet to be determined -- a 100,000-square-foot convention center, 10,000 square feet of new retail space and nine "Palazzo" suites geared for high-rollers.
The construction zone will be an area currently used for parking and for the warehouse properties. It will connect with the Rio on the northeast side of the resort.
Barrett also clarified the company's plan to access Las Vegas Boulevard via an extension of Twain Avenue. Although a press release on the master plan said the extension "will give the Rio additional access to the Las Vegas Strip," it will actually give the property additional access to Industrial Road.
"We'll cut under the railroad and come out right at Caesars Palace's back door," said Barrett. "We already have everything (land) we need to take that road through."
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