1st offshoot of underground transit loop opens at Resorts World

The first offshoot from the Las Vegas Convention Center’s underground transit system opened Thursday at Resorts World.

Resorts World guests can now directly access the convention center’s three stations via the tunnel system built by the Boring Co., the resort announced Thursday.

“Today marks a monumental moment not only for our resort, but for Las Vegas,” Scott Sibella, president of Resorts World said in a statement. “Our passenger station will make a visit to our resort from the Las Vegas Convention Center easier than ever, and eventually connect us to key destinations throughout the city.”

Resorts World marks the first of an anticipated 55 stations on the planned Vegas Loop that will stretch up and down the Las Vegas Strip and into downtown Las Vegas. The underground system will utilize a fleet of Teslas to transport passengers.

“In addition to offering our convention customers direct access to Resorts World’s world-class hospitality and entertainment, this milestone is an important step in the development of a game-changing transportation solution in Las Vegas,” Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said in a statement.

Hours of operation for the Resorts World station will vary based on the convention center’s events and convention calendar.

Boring President Steve Davis said previously that he envisions tunneling for the Vegas Loop in downtown Las Vegas to start sometime in 2023.

Davis also said the system will be relatively cheap for riders, saying that a ride from the Fremont Street Experience downtown to Harry Reid International Airport — once that portion is operational — would cost about $12 and take eight or nine minutes.

Permitting for portions of the Vegas Loop in the resort corridor is in various phases. The Tropicana Loop on the south end of the Strip, including an Allegiant Stadium station, the Caesars Loop for Caesars Entertainment properties located along the central Strip area and an offshoot between the Westgate and the Las Vegas Convention Center are set to be the next parts to be constructed.

Each area can be built in separate phases and later be connected by tunnels. Hill said he expects some of those phases to be operational sometime in 2023.

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