A 2.2-mile stretch of the Vegas Loop beneath Paradise Road is expected to open before the Las Vegas Grand Prix in November, according to officials. The dual-tunnel line from the Las Vegas Convention Center to just north of Tropicana Avenue could be operational by race weekend, Nov. 19-21.
Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention Authority, called it a “real possibility” and “probable,” adding it would be “great for folks attending the race.” Boring Co. President Steve Davis confirmed in a text: “Paradise tunnels should def be open by then.”
The University Center Loop will eventually serve eight stations, including one at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, less than a mile from Grand Prix Plaza. Other planned stops include Howard Hughes Center, near Sphere, and a Boring Co. apartment complex across from Virgin Hotels.
Airport Connection Progress
The Paradise tunnels will link to a station at 4744 Paradise, where Boring Co. processes dirt and water from digging. That site will enable rides to and from Harry Reid International Airport with minimal surface travel. “You have almost 2.5 miles of tunnel, you get closer to the airport — and that’s going to be really important,” Hill said. The Nevada Transportation Authority last year approved airport rides with a dual-pricing structure: a set fare for tunnel rides plus a surface fee capped at $7 for up to 3 miles or $12 for over 3 miles.
Plans also extend the Paradise line south of Tropicana to a station at 5032 Palo Verde Road, just north of the airport terminals. Design plans were submitted to Clark County in December, and administrative design review was approved in January. Boring Co. lobbyists have met with the county multiple times this spring.
System Expansion Underway
The Paradise line is the first step in extending the Vegas Loop beyond the convention center and four existing resort stations. At full build-out, the system will include 68 miles of tunnels and 104 stations along the Strip, downtown, and to points like Chinatown and Allegiant Stadium. The point-to-point system uses Teslas, bypassing stops unlike the Las Vegas Monorail.
“We’re going to start seeing further expansion of the system over the next couple of years,” Hill said. Next extensions include linking 4744 Paradise to Park MGM via MGM Grand, and a line from the convention center to the Strat. Boring Co. received a city building permit for that line in January but still needs a county permit.
Long-term, the Vegas Loop will integrate with the Las Vegas Monorail’s infrastructure. The monorail is expected to operate until 2037; once it becomes financially unviable, tracks will be removed and replaced with precast two-lane roads.
Safety Ordinance on Tap
Clark County is expected Tuesday to approve an amended ordinance for tunneling operations, setting standard safety measures: cameras, sensors, fire suppression, and ventilation to push smoke away from evacuating passengers. Hill said approval should speed construction. “We’re excited about that,” he said.
The county and Boring Co. are also streamlining the permitting process to eliminate up-to-six-month waits for each tunnel segment, Davis previously told the Review-Journal.
