It’s the midpoint of the year, time for Las Vegas to take stock of projects considered as possible in recent years (and as recently as January). Were they possible or were they pipe dreams? Las Vegas can certainly come up with great ideas, but where is the follow through? Is the glass half-full or half-empty?
Let’s look at six ideas and where they are in the grand scheme of things:
- The over and under: The Monorail was supposed to go to the airport, but apparently the Las Vegas Loop, an all-electric high-speed underground public transportation system, will get there first. Evidently the shortest distance between two points is underground.
- Bicycle lanes on the Strip? Sure, more parking spots for bicycles were recently added at Allegiant Stadium, but the chance of a bicycle lane on the Strip is about as half-empty an idea as the monorail going to the airport. The argument could be made that safety is an issue. Drivers distracted by giant resort screens or reader boards while driving down the Strip might veer into a bike lane and wipe out a bicyclist. So far, this proposal is a flat tire.
- Less Elvis: The entertainment world in Las Vegas has changed dramatically in the last decade. The land of Elvis has been replaced by Cirque du Soleil shows, comedians and magicians. Not only has Elvis aged, but Elvis impersonators are aging as well. It seems to be a dying art form. Perhaps it’s time to admit that Elvis has left the building.
MORE FOLLOW THROUGH?
- And speaking of wedding chapels: As the divorce rate rises nationwide, there’s no reason to add more wedding chapels to the Las Vegas inventory. That’s the glass half-empty. But the upside is that within the Las Vegas legal community, there are more divorce lawyers than ever! Glass half-full! That is, until the settlement.
- Will Las Vegas, the natural home of high-tech applications, integrate AI into casino industry operations? What would be the outcome of resorts giving up the human touch? Would you trust your car to a robot valet?
- Gaming was supposed to be eclipsed by entertainment. Instead, professional sports have eclipsed entertainment. The Vegas Golden Knights, the Raiders, and—perhaps—eventually the Oakland A’s are generating revenue that might have gone to casino entertainment coffers.The follow through is easy—forget losing casino revenue, just build casinos in T-Mobile Arena and Allegiant Stadium.
What conclusion can we draw? Has there been follow through at the midpoint of 2023? Probably to some degree, but the results are mixed. The glass appears to be half-full. But you can always leave it to Las Vegas to dream up projects you can shake a Strip at.
Fill ‘er up!
