Elon Musk’s Boring Company Gives Time, Cost Estimates for Vegas Loop Trips

Posted on: April 17, 2021, 09:57h. 

Last updated on: April 17, 2021, 04:30h.

Steve Bittenbender Read More
Expertise: Legislation, Sports Betting, Horse Racing.

The Las Vegas Convention Center Loop still has yet to take its first official passenger from one end of the complex to the other. But Elon Musk’s The Boring Company is already moving forward with plans to expand the underground people mover to other parts of Sin City.

Boring Company Loop
Tesla vehicles sit at one of the three stations for The Boring Company’s Las Vegas Convention Center Loop. While the convention center project has yet to officially open, the company is already giving estimates on how much it will cost and how long it will take to get to various Las Vegas attractions in the proposed expanded tunnel system. (Image LVCVA)

Earlier this week, The Boring Company showed estimated examples of how quickly – and for how much – people can get from one Vegas destination to another on the Loop.

As envisioned, the Loop would connect downtown Vegas attractions, such as the Fremont Street Experience and the Plaza Hotel and Casino. Their infusion would allow travel to the LVCC, resorts on the Strip, and such off-Strip destinations as the Palms, Allegiant Stadium, and McCarran International Airport.

Eventually, the company wants to connect Las Vegas to Los Angeles. But the company isn’t alone in wanting to make that connection. There are others seeking to build a high-speed rail corridor between the two cities.

Boring Project “Makes a Lot of Sense”

According to a chart on The Boring Company’s website, it’s 4.9 miles from the LVCC to McCarran. But the company says the Vegas Loop can get people to the airport in just five minutes. And at a cost of just $10 a vehicle, too.

From the convention center to Allegiant Stadium would take four minutes to travel the 3.6 miles and cost just $6. Meanwhile, a 2.8-mile trip downtown from the convention center would take just 3 minutes and cost $5.

While the map on The Boring Company’s website looks similar to a bus route or a subway map, the big difference is the tunnel system would allow for direct point-to-point travel. That means someone going from Caesars Palace to T-Mobile Arena would not have to make a stop at each of the points in between. The vehicles, which will be provided by Musk’s Tesla Motors, can also travel much faster than a bus or the Strip’s Monorail.

It makes a lot of sense when there’s not going to be any better way to do that than underground, in a Tesla, not having to stop for a traffic light, for congestion, or for any other thing along the way,” said Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. He was speaking in an interview this week with the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Hill added that since the estimated cost is per vehicle, it would make it a competitive transit option when compared to taking a bus or using Uber.

Vegas Loop Has City, Clark County Approvals

Earlier this month, the authority and The Boring Company showcased the recently completed $52.5 million twin-tunnel loop system at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Work has been underway for months on getting the approvals needed to build the tunnels throughout the Las Vegas area.

In December, The Boring Company got initial approval from the Las Vegas City Council to move forward on plans to connect the convention center loop to downtown.

Then in February, the Clark County Commissioners gave The Boring Company permission to start work on a tunnel connecting the convention center to Resorts World Casino Las Vegas. Developer Genting Berhad expects the $4.3 billion resort to open this summer.

Whereas the LVCVA paid $52.5 million for the LVCC loop, The Boring Company has said no public money will be needed to build the tunnels in the larger system.