Clark County OKs key agreements for Resorts World loop project

The Boring Co.’s underground transportation system expansion into the Las Vegas Strip moved a step closer to the start of digging.

The Clark County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved the revocable license and maintenance agreements for a planned tunnel from the Las Vegas Convention Center to the under-construction Resorts World property.

Boring has also submitted its excavation and construction permits for the project, which are under review by the county, according to Nancy Amundsen, director of comprehensive planning.

The Resorts World loop is planned to run from the recently completed West Hall of the convention center underneath the Las Vegas Strip to the resort.

Resorts World’s station would be located below grade at its planned porte cochere, while the convention center station tied to the project will be above ground, just east of the southeast corner of Las Vegas and Elvis Presley boulevards, according to plans.

A similar plan is in place to construct a separate tunnel from the convention center to the Encore property. Both the Resorts World and Encore tunnels would be separate from the $55 million Convention Center Loop, which will shuttle conventiongoers around the facilities’ various exhibit halls.

The Resorts World tunnel’s completion is tentatively timed to coincide with the $4.3 billion resort’s planned summer opening date.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority paid for the construction of the Convention Center Loop, while Boring is responsible for the costs associated with building the tunnels and stations to the two resorts. Both resorts will likely pitch in a small amount toward the project, tied to the construction of the stations.

Officials have not given a cost estimate for the two extensions.

Plans are also in place for a Vegas Loop that would transport riders to resorts up and down the Strip to downtown Las Vegas, with stops planned for Allegiant Stadium and possibly McCarran International Airport. All the systems feature Tesla model vehicles running autonomously in tunnels in a point-to-point system, so passengers don’t have to wait to stop at each individual location en route to their destination.

Resorts World said last year the loop would provide a ride between the two properties in under two minutes.

Commission Chair Marilyn Kirkpatrick said she would like a detailed presentation on Boring on the next meeting agenda, to better understand the company and the project.

“I want to know details. Who’s in charge? Who’s on first? Who is on third? So that we can at least for the public kind of explain this,” Kirkpatrick said. “Even at my own house last night sitting at the dinner table we had a debate on what it really is. When my granddaughter tells me to look it up on the internet I really have a problem.

“So I would like a public presentation, A to Z, of what the Boring Company really is.”

Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.