The Las Vegas Convention Center Loop (LVCC Loop) is a transportation system servicing the Las Vegas Convention Center. Operating since 2021, the system uses Tesla Model 3 cars to shuttle passengers among five stations. Initial construction by The Boring Company commenced in November 2019,[2] with intermittent tunnel drilling for future stations continuing through the early and mid-2020s.[3]
| Las Vegas Convention Center Loop | |
|---|---|
 Las Vegas Convention Center Loop | |
| Overview | |
| Other name(s) | LVCC Loop; Vegas Loop |
| Status | Operating hours coincide with events at Convention Center[1] |
| Owner | |
| Termini |
|
| Stations | 5 |
| Website | |
| Service | |
| Type | Passenger shuttle |
| System | Underground car shuttle private roadway |
| Rolling stock | 70 Tesla Model 3 cars (all replaced with Tesla Model Y) |
| History | |
| Opened | June 1, 2021 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 2.2 miles (3.5 km) |
| Character | Twin Tunnel |
| Electrification | Tesla Supercharger[nb 1] |
| Operating speed | 35 mph (56 km/h) |
LVCC Loop | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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History
editThe Boring Company won the contract in May 2019. The Boring Company's contract was for $48.7 million.[4] The Boring Company first tunnel was started on November 15, 2019, digging at about 49 feet (15 m) per day; the 4,475 feet (1,364 m) first leg tunnel was completed on February 14, 2020.[5][6] The Boring Company's second tunnel was finished in May 2020.[7]
The Boring Company started testing the system with volunteers in May 2021. The test demonstrated the new transport system could move up to about 4,400 passengers per hour with an end-to-time of about two minutes. In July 2021 the peak passenger flow was recorded at 1,355 passengers per hour.[8][9][10]
In February 2024,[11] following investigation, the Boring Company was issued eight violations and fined $112,000 by OSHA, which the company is contesting.[12] Subsequently, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) has assumed an active safety monitoring role in the project.[13] That April, the Boring Company was named among the "Dirty Dozen" workplace safety offenders by the National Council of Occupational Safety and Health.[12]
System
editThe transportation system consists of twin tunnels in which Tesla cars are driven by employees to shuttle passengers to stops at the Las Vegas Convention Center complex and Las Vegas transportation connections.[14] The loop cost $53 million when it opened in June 2021 and is 40 feet (12 m) below ground. The two below-ground stations have escalators and elevators. The loop is 1.7 miles (2.7 km) in length and covers a 25-minute walking distance. The plan is for the cars to be autonomous vehicles in the future.[7]
Stations
edit- LVCC Loop South Station, Las Vegas Convention Center South at the South Hall, ground level corner of Convention Center Drive and Joe W. Brown Drive. 36°07′41″N 115°08′48″W / 36.128194°N 115.146588°W
- LVCC Loop Central Station, Las Vegas Convention Center Central, below ground at the Center Hall on Sliver Drive. 36°07′53″N 115°09′10″W / 36.131306°N 115.152700°W
- LVCC Loop Riviera Station, for departures only, Las Vegas Convention Riviera ground level at the north end of West Hall, near Elvis Presley Blvd. 36°08′09″N 115°09′35″W / 36.135889°N 115.159639°W
- Resorts World Station on Convention Center Drive, below ground at Resorts World Las Vegas a resort, mall, and casino. At the entrance to Resorts World, 36°08′00″N 115°09′59″W / 36.133389°N 115.166444°W. [15]
Future Stops
editThere are additional phases planned; the completed phase there will have about 68 miles (109 km) of tunnels and 55 stops, including stops at Harry Reid International Airport, Allegiant Stadium, the Oakland A's future Las Vegas Stadium, Brightline West Las Vegas Station, UNLV, and downtown Las Vegas.[16][17][18][19] The next planned expansion was for tunnels to the Encore and Westgate resorts.[15][20]
The Boring Company tunnel boring machine, Prufrock-2, was drilling toward Encore on Las Vegas Boulevard, and had tunneled to Westgate on Paradise Road in 2023.[21][22] In April 2024, the Boring Company announced the Westgate station would be opening soon.[23] Also in April 2024, it was reported that the next tunnel began construction, to connect the convention center to a station located at 3150 Paradise Road.[24] In May 2024, a Las Vegas Loop tunnel was drilled to Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, one of four such tunnels prepared for additional future Tesla transportation system stations.[3] In September 2024, the tunneling operation to Paradise Road was completed.[25]
Connections
edit
The Loop connects to the Las Vegas Monorail at the Boingo Station, LV Monorail station at the corner of Paradise Road and East Desert Inn Road at an Island above East Desert Inn Road. Buses that are near the Loop and Las Vegas Convention Center are the: RTC 108,[26] RTC 119[27] and Las Vegas Deuce.[28][29]
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ Battery cars roadway without track or line electrification.
References
edit- ^ "Vegas Loop". lvloop.com. The Boring Company. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
- ^ Romero, Dennis (November 16, 2019). "In Las Vegas, Elon Musk's tunneling company digs in". NBC News. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
- ^ a b "Las Vegas Loop tunnel reaches Virgin Hotel near UNLV, company announces on X". 8NewsNow. Nexstar Media. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
- ^ Bliss, Laura (May 29, 2019). "Elon Musk's $49 Million Las Vegas Loop Makes Perfect Sense — for Las Vegas". Bloomberg. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ^ "Boring Company's Las Vegas Tunnel Excavation Has Finally Been Completed". interestingengineering.com. February 17, 2020. Archived from the original on February 21, 2020. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
- ^ Velotta, Richard N. (February 14, 2020). "1st tunnel completed for Las Vegas Convention Center's people-mover". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ^ a b O'Kane, Sean (May 14, 2020). "Elon Musk's Boring Company finishes digging Las Vegas tunnels". The Verge. Archived from the original on May 21, 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
- ^ Wang, Brian (May 29, 2021). "Vegas Boring Loop Surpasses 4400 Passengers Per Hour Target in Testing". NextBigFuture.com. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
- ^ Velotta, Richard N. (June 8, 2021). "Boring Co.'s underground loop begins moving customers in Las Vegas". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
- ^ Harris, Mark (November 12, 2021). "Early data shows Elon Musk's Las Vegas Loop not yet up to speed". TechCrunch. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
- ^ Lane, Tiffany (February 28, 2024). "Nevada OSHA finds multiple safety violations at Elon Musk's Boring Company tunnel worksite". news3lv.com. Sinclair. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
- ^ a b Gentry, Dana (April 30, 2024). "Musk's Boring Company makes list of 'Dirty Dozen' workplace safety offenders". Nevada Current. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
- ^ Mathews, Jessica. "The CEO of the Las Vegas agency behind Boring Company's first tunnel system says his team will be "more involved" after safety incidents". fortune.com. Fortune. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
- ^ Velotta, Richard N. (June 8, 2021). "Boring Co.'s underground loop begins moving customers in Las Vegas". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
- ^ a b Hargis, Mark (August 31, 2022). "Resorts World LOOP Station". Las Vegas Monorail.
- ^ "Expanded Vegas Loop plans advance with commission approval". Las Vegas Sun. June 13, 2023.
- ^ "Vegas Loop". The Boring Company. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- ^ "Vegas Loop expansion: County approves plan to build 69 underground stations". Interesting Engineering. May 5, 2023.
- ^ "Elon Musk's The Boring Company seeks to double the size of its Vegas Loop". TechCrunch. March 21, 2023.
- ^ "LVCC Loop | Passenger Station Map, Updates & More Info". www.lvcva.com.
- ^ The Boring Company Vegas Loop construction making progress, by Maria Merano, August 31, 2023 teslarati.com
- ^ Prufrock, boringcompany.com
- ^ "Opening Soon".
- ^ "Vegas Loop begins boring operations for station near UNLV". Las Vegas Review-Journal. April 15, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- ^ https://x.com/boringcompany/status/1831898124690031008.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada 108" (PDF).
- ^ "Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada 119" (PDF).
- ^ "Fares & Passes". Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada.
- ^ "Buses on the Strip in Las Vegas (RTC, The Deuce and More) - OnTheStrip.com". December 29, 2021.