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Extensions to Elon Musk’s underground people-mover system OK’d

Updated August 6, 2020 - 2:49 pm

Elon Musk’s Boring Company has gotten the green light to build the first two extensions of an underground people-mover system that could lead to a loop linking multiple properties along or near the Las Vegas Strip.

Plans for The Boring Company’s route extensions from the Las Vegas Convention Center to Encore and Resorts World were approved Wednesday by the Clark County Commission.

The two separate, point-to-point tunnels would connect the pair of resorts to the convention center but would not be linked to the convention center’s underground system now under construction.

Ultimately, plans call for linking several properties along Las Vegas Boulevard, downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and McCarran International Airport with the underground people-mover system.

The tunnel connecting the convention center with the $4.3 billion Resorts World will run 0.4 miles and is planned to run southwest from the West Hall expansion, underground along the west side of Las Vegas Boulevard, ending at an underground valet area planned for the under-construction resort.

“We are thrilled to receive approval from the County Commission to move forward with our proposed passenger station and tunnel and are eager to take the next steps in creating an innovative transportation solution for our convention guests and visitors,” said Scott Sibella, president of Resorts World.

The trip between Resorts World and the convention center is expected to take about two minutes.

The convention center entrance to the tunnel is planned for the corner near Elvis Presley Boulevard, 800 feet east of Las Vegas Boulevard on the north side of the expanded site.

The station would reduce the number of parking spaces at the convention center by 25. No parking spaces would be affected at Resorts World.

Construction of the tunnel and station is expected to begin by the end of the year, according to the resort. Resorts World is scheduled to open next summer.

Encore’s route is planned to be a 0.6-mile tunnel that will head southwest underground along the south side of the Desert Inn Road alignment, surfacing at the existing porte cochere at Encore.

The tunnel entrance at the convention center is planned to be near the space underneath the Las Vegas Monorail Station, in an existing parking lot at the northeast corner of Paradise Road and Desert Inn Road.

An emergency egress shaft would be located in the middle point along the tunnel on the south side of Desert Inn.

The proposed tunnel entrance at the convention center would eliminate another 25 parking spaces. No spaces would be eliminated at Encore.

Encore officials could not be immediately reached for comment. Previously, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority President and CEO Steve Hill said the Encore tunnel and station could be complete in early January.

The Las Vegas Monorail has a noncompete area around its nearly 4-mile route, running from the Sahara to the MGM Grand. The LVCVA is in early talks to buy the monorail, which could lead to the end of the noncompete agreement, opening up the ability for The Boring Company system to be constructed.

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

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