Las Vegas moves forward with first underground people mover

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) Board of Directors approved a $48,675,000 contract with Elon Musk’s The Boring Co. (TBC) to design and construct a people mover for the Las Vegas Convention Center that could rapidly and safely carry passengers in autonomous electric vehicles via a loop of underground express-route tunnels.

The $48,675,000 contract highlights three underground passenger stations, a pedestrian tunnel and two vehicular tunnels with an expected total length of approximately one mile. Other essential system components include:

• An elevator/escalator system for passenger access to each station

• Pedestrian entrances, exits, coverings from the elements and landscaping

• Tunnel lighting, power and video surveillance systems

• A fully equipped control room

• Cell phone, WiFi, intercom/PA, remote data, and ventilation/life safety systems

TBC’s contract calls for an underground loop system that offers reduced total costs, less disruption to pedestrian and vehicle traffic, and faster construction time than traditional at-grade or above-ground options while maximizing passenger and pedestrian safety. The loop will be designed for ridership of at least 4,400 passengers per hour and is scalable depending on Las Vegas Convention Center attendance.

Currently in the midst of an expansion, the Las Vegas Convention Center will span 200 acres when complete in time for CES in January 2021. Conventioneers walking the facility from end to end would log approximately 1.5 miles creating the need for an on-property guest transportation solution. In 2018, Las Vegas had more than 42 million visitors. The Las Vegas Convention Center hosts more than 1.6 million attendees annually.