A Tesla electric vehicle makes its way from the Las Vegas Convention Center towards Resorts World through the Vegas Loop Monday, July 11, 2022.
Tuesday, July 12, 2022 | 2 a.m.
The top official thinks an underground transportation system in development will transform how people get around the Strip, and he wants to give visitors a chance to experience it for themselves.
Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, on Monday was busy singing the praises of the recently opened Resorts World Vegas Loop passenger station along what officials plan to grow into a 55-stop Tesla tunnel system.
The first passenger stations are already in operation under the Las Vegas Convention Center, and attendees can ride around the campus for free from 7:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. on convention days.
The Resort World stop is the first commercial installation for the Loop, which has other stops in the works in various stages of the permitting process.
“Everybody who has an interest in this should come out to Vegas,” Hill said during a media showcase of the station Monday. “If you’re already here in Vegas, come out and give it a run.”
Completion of the Resorts World station was delayed for a time, though it opened to riders last month.
Normally, riders can get a single-use pass for $1.50 or a day pass for $2.50.
The plan is for the Boring Company — born by billionaire industrialist Tesla CEO Elon Musk — to operate a tunnel system that would eventually stretch from the Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas to Harry Reid International Airport.
Various stops at different casino resorts and other attractions — such as Allegiant Stadium — would be part of the Vegas Loop.
Officials have said the completed Loop will be able to handle close to 60,000 passengers per hour, all moving inside Tesla electric vehicles.
Drivers operate the vehicles now, but it’s possible that they could run autonomously in the future.
Because Resorts World, the $4.3 billion resort that opened last year, is so close to the Convention Center campus — basically, just across Las Vegas Boulevard — it made sense that it was the first commercial station to open, said Resorts World president Scott Sibella.
“We’ve been talking about this since the day we announced we were going to build this property,” Sibella said. “The proximity to the Convention Center is one reason why we built here. This really gives us that convention mix that we’re looking for. Our convention guests love this.”
Assuming a tunnel to Allegiant Stadium is eventually completed, Sibella said an trip from Resorts World to the home of the Las Vegas Raiders will likely take about 5 minutes.
For a tourist corridor that has long relied on taxis and, more recently, ride-share vehicles, the Boring Company’s tunnel system could revolutionize how many tourists get around Las Vegas.
Sibella said the Resorts World station handled about 5,000 passengers during a three-day period after it opened.
“It was a pretty good first week,” Sibella said. “We’re learning about how many cars are needed when conventions are happening. We’ll figure it out. It wasn’t easy to get this done, but we’re very excited.”
The tunnel that connects the Convention Center buildings opened in early 2021. The LVCVA approved about $50 million for that buildout.
Partly because officials want to show the world that an underground people-mover system can work in a tourist hotbed city, the Boring Company is footing the bill for the digging, but the owners of destination stops — like Resorts World — have to pay for their passenger stations.
Hill said LVCVA officials have been contacted by civic leaders and others from around the country and around the world about the feasibility of a project like the Vegas Loop.
“This is a really big step,” Hill said. “We think this is a transformative transportation project for Las Vegas. To see substantial progress being made, it’s pretty satisfying.”
If all goes according to plan, Hill said the next stops along the Vegas Loop could open to the public as soon as early next year.
Besides Allegiant Stadium and the city of Las Vegas, executives with Strip casino companies like Wynn Resorts and Caesars Entertainment have discussed or presented proposals for passenger stations.
“Our outlook is for the entire city,” Hill said. “This is going to have a citywide impact. Our visitors will be able to experience everything Las Vegas has to offer in a more convenient way. It will help drive this economy and create jobs moving forward.”
