What Impact Would Extending the Monorail to the Stadium Have?

In the April 29 QOD, you mentioned that using [16-passenger] autonomous vehicles for the subway under the Convention Center would just be a drop in the bucket. If the Monorail is extended to Mandalay Bay, how much of an impact do you see it having on the crowds expected at the Las Vegas Stadium?

The plan for the extension of the Las Vegas Monorail from the MGM Grand to Mandalay Bay is for the Monorail to continue south on Koval Lane, turn west on Reno Avenue, south on Giles Street, west on Mandalay Bay Road, then across the Strip to a station between Luxor and MBay. All those twists and turns and you'd still have to walk a ways to get to the bridge on W. Hacienda over Interstate 15 and down to the stadium.

The extension is complicated by negotiations with the owners of affected properties en route, such as Atlantic Aviation and the Ribeiro Companies.

Financing for the extension is ostensibly to be privately funded, but the cost of building it has ballooned tens of millions over the original estimate and now stands at $140 million. The Monorail company has asked the Clark County Commissioners to guarantee more than $100 million as part of an existing agreement to provide $4.5 million per year in room taxes "in case of an emergency." The hitch is that the agreement would have to be amended to continue for 30 years. Hesitation from the commissioners might doom the feasibility of the Mandalay Bay extension, as well as a new station for the Sands Expo Center.

Meanwhile, the Monorail’s expected passenger loads for game days hardly seem to justify the expense. The Monorail CEO has estimated the extra ridership at 3,000-4,000 passengers. In the context of a 65,000-seat stadium, even 5,000 Monorail passengers represents, as you say, a drop in the bucket.

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Dave Jun-28-2019

Go all the way...

If the monorail extension continued on past MB, going over I-15 all the way to the stadium, maybe THEN it would get more ridership and be worth it.

Jackie Jun-28-2019

Pure BS

Greed always kills good ideas, the increase in cost is just that -- greed.  However the Commissioners are part of that greed or has everyone forgotten Eminent Domain?

gaattc2001 Jun-28-2019

$4.5 million per year in new room taxes for 30 years....

The tourists will hardly even notice that, let alone complain about it. They've got plenty of money; and besides, where else can they go for the unique Las Vegas Experience?

But seriously, folks, the Monorail--like the stadium itself--is important mostly for the jobs and economic stimulus it provides while it's being built. Nobody gives much thought to long-term profitability, or even survival. 

To Jackie: the greed isn't unique to Vegas. When the Dallas Cowboys moved across town to Arlington, people's homes were eminent domain'ed to clear land for the new stadium. And I'm sure that's happened many times in other cities.

Kevin Lewis Jun-28-2019

Moronrail

The moronrail has always been a near-useless boondoggle. Adding on to it would be throwing good money after bad. And that still applies even if it's money sucked out of tourists' pockets.

The stadium itself is also a horrid waste of money. It will be in use A MAXIMUM OF TWELVE DAYS out of the year. How utterly stupid to spend that kind of money just to "legitimize" Vegas by bringing an NFL team there!

The money could have been used to build THIRTY new schools in the Valley, just to afford some perspective.

[email protected] Jun-28-2019

UNLV

Does anyone know if UNLV might play in the Raiders' stadium?  I went to a game there a few years ago.  The cab ride out was fine, but trying to get back to my hotel was a nightmare.  There was no cab pickup zone that I could find.  I asked two different police officers where I should go to catch a cab.  They gave me conflicting information, neither of which was right.  Finally, I lucked out in that a group of fans from my school had gotten a limo and kindly invited a group of lost fans to ride along in exchange for sharing in the cost.  If they hadn't stepped up, I might still be there!

If they play at the Raiders' stadium, the monorail would be a legitimate option, plus it would be close enough to the south Strip hotels that one could walk over there and catch a cab at a cab stand.

IdahoPat Jul-02-2019

UNLV

lschulz ...

UNLV was always going to factor into any new stadium plans, and they're already selling season tickets to reflect the move to their new home in 2020.

Also, the previous comment that said the stadium would only be used 12 times per year is nowhere close to reality. UNLV will play there, the new Las Vegas Bowl will be there, and feature a massively upgraded matchup than when it was at Sam Boyd. Also, while not announced, I fully expect the Pac-12 title game to be held here annually, not to mention several big intersectional college games, like what the Jerry Dome and Mercedes-Benz stadium in Atlanta already feature.

Question of the Day - 28 June 2019

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