Las Vegas people mover build begins 21 Nov 2019

A US$52.5 million underground people mover project for the Las Vegas Convention Centre is preparing to begin. With three underground passenger stations, the twin tunnels of about one mile (1.6km) each will connect the existing 3.2 million ft² (297,000m²) of convention space with the new 1.4 million ft² (130,000m²) West Hall currently under construction. The project is part of a US$1.52 billion expansion and renovation project at the 200-acre conference campus.

The people mover is the first commercial contract of The Boring Company, founded by Elon Musk. The same used and refurbished Lovat TBM and segmental lining system as used on the first excavation effort by the company in Los Angeles has moved to Las Vegas for the people mover. The machine is to operate at about 12m below ground surface and the prediction is that it will progress at 100ft (30.5m) per day. The TBM launched on 15 November 2019.

When completed, scheduled for January 2021, it is said that electric Tesla vehicles will carry up to 16 people per vehicle across the 200-acre conference campus in one minute. The system is said to be designed for a ridership of at least 4,400 passengers/hr and scalable depending on convention attendance.

In a statement on the occasion of the TBM launch, Steve Hill, CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority said that the system will have the potential to expand in the future and link Las Vegas visitor attractions including Downtown Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Strip, and McCarran International Airport.