The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) has debuted its Las Vegas Convention Center’s (LVCC) $1bn West Hall expansion with a ribbon cutting before doors opened to Informa Markets’ World of Concrete show, 8 June. The start of World of Concrete represents the first major convention to return to the destination and to the US post-pandemic.
World of Concrete’s arrival comes on the heels of Las Vegas’ full reopening to 100% capacity on 1 June.
The LVCC Loop, the underground tunnel developed by Elon Musk’s The Boring Company, designed to shuttle convention attendees throughout the 200-acre campus in all-electric Tesla vehicles, also became fully operational.
The $52.5m Loop connects the West Hall to the LVCC’s North and South Halls via two one-way vehicular tunnels, including three passenger stations. The system serves as a fun and quick transportation solution to move convention attendees throughout the sprawling campus approximately 40 feet below ground in less than two minutes, while a walk could take 20 minutes or more. The Loop is first commercial project of its kind by The Boring Company.
Plans have been announced to expand the system throughout the resort corridor. Known as the Vegas Loop, the expanded system will ease traffic congestion and offer a new transportation option for visitors from as far north as Downtown Las Vegas, throughout the Strip and as far south as Allegiant Stadium.
The 1.4m sq.ft. (130,000sqm) West Hall features a contemporary design and 600,000 sq.ft of exhibition space and the largest column-free exhibition space in North America.
The addition of the West Hall brings the total square feet of meeting space in the destination to 14 million and makes the LVCC the second largest facility in the country. During a normal year, the meetings and convention industry represents $11.4bn in economic impact to the area.
Attending the ribbon cutting were Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak; Clark County Commission chairwoman Marilyn Kirkpatrick, LVCVA Board chairman and Henderson City Councilman John Marz, LVCVA President and CEO Steve Hill, and CEO of Informa Markets Charlie McCurdy.
“This convention reinvigorates our commitment to be bold in how we envision the future of infrastructure and recovery of our state and this is only the beginning,” said Governor Sisolak during the ribbon cutting ceremony. “We are back in Las Vegas and there is no better or safer place to come to have a convention than Las Vegas.
“We are excited to welcome our convention customers back to Las Vegas and to our new West Hall, reigniting the meetings and convention industry,” said Steve Hill, LVCVA president and CEO. “Today is not only a great day for our city, it’s a great day for the meetings and conventions industry across Las Vegas and across the United States.”
Informa Markets remains committed to Las Vegas, with plans to host ten additional events in the destination before the end of the year. World of Concrete will return to the LVCC next January.
“We are thrilled to be returning to the live event format, especially in the home of the exhibitions industry in the US, Las Vegas,” said Nan Walsh, president, North America at Informa Markets. “There is an unparalleled magic about in-person connection - from sharing laughs with old friends, creating new ones, learning from industry experts, and seeing and feeling the latest products and innovations. We are so happy to be the first large-scale trade show to return to the show floor in the US, and the first to use the Las Vegas Convention Center’s incredible new West Hall, and through that partnership I believe we are signalling a return to business and connection that is needed now more than ever.”
For additional information on the LVCC and meetings and conventions in Las Vegas, visit: www.vegasmeansbusiness.com.
Photo: Copyright 2020 Las Vegas News Bureau/Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
