Future of Las Vegas Monorail: Challenges, Transition Plans, and City’s Expanding Appeal
The old Las Vegas Monorail will keep running for up to a decade before possibly converting into a section of the Vegas Loop roadway, according to the latest update from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
This estimation comes from LVCVA CEO, Steve Hill. He told the Las Vegas Sun, “That is what the end of life of a monorail looks like. They are starting to go down to the point that we can’t keep these things running on a reliable basis.”
Hill, a Las Vegas resident of 37 years, shot down a light rail as a commute option, saying there’s not enough room and building costs would be too high along the Strip. Instead, the Vegas Loop, a privately funded underground transportation network, will eventually replace the Monorail.
The Las Vegas Monorail covers 3.9 miles with seven stops from Sahara to MGM Grand and carries about 10,000 riders daily. After over 20 years of operating, it is no longer an effective transit system.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Boring Company hopes to expand Vegas Loop’s tunneling toward the Convention Center. After COVID, convention attendance numbers returned to 90% of what they were in 2019. With connections to three major convention centers, the Loop could help Las Vegas stay a top spot for meetings.
Large events like the 2024 Super Bowl and Formula One races challenged how people got around the city. This big project plans to improve transportation and connect key spots, including future lines reaching out to UNLV.
As the Vegas Loop develops, the LVCVA commits itself to drawing more crowds to the city, hoping to expand its appeal beyond gambling. Hill says outlets hope the city will host the Super Bowl again, with 2030 and 2031 as potential years in talks with the NFL.
