While Las Vegas recovers from the coronavirus shutdown and the volume of visitors increases, it may be time to take stock of the modes that move people around the city. Sure, we have cars, buses, taxis, and shared ride services; we also have the monorail and the beginnings of an underground transit system at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
But, are we being creative enough in our approach to transporting people to the Strip and Downtown, from casino to casino, and from attraction to attraction?
Here are some innovative ideas to consider for getting around town:
• We have the SlotZilla zip line on Fremont Street Downtown. Why not take that idea to the Strip and make it the world’s longest and most efficient zip line, whisking you from the Sahara to the Tropicana and back again? Just think, visitors can zip from one resort to the next, simultaneously avoiding vehicular traffic and getting a bird’s eye view of the Strip. (Not recommend for tourists with strollers or people with acrophobia.)
• Let’s once again borrow from Downtown Las Vegas and the pub crawling party bike. Set it up for 15-20 people and move them up and down the Strip in a designated lane (yes, of course, we would call it the party lane). While no alcohol would be served on board, the fact that the bike would stop at every resort would satisfy both partiers and casino bars. Add a couple of dancers and you have a mobile Las Vegas disco as well.
• Why not borrow from the monorail and call it “monorail plus”? A track extension would bring it directly into a casino instead of along the side or in the back. Think of the excitement as the monorail arrives with players running out of the cars and right to table games and slot machines. Shorter distance equals more play. And those who finally call it a night can simply walk a few short steps to take the monorail back to their rooms.
• Call it crazy, but if the winds are right, hot air balloons could take visitors up, up and away from one part of the Strip to the next. The hard part would be deciding on a location. The Westgate, just off the Strip, could work with plenty of room up front for the balloon to set down. And, consider the Bellagio lake for soft-landing emergencies, as the balloon could come equipped with a flotation device.
• Speaking of floats…they would give a festive air to transportation and accommodate a dozen people or so. Of course, anybody riding the float (Vegas-themed, of course), would be required to raise a glass at the people walking up and down the Strip. Good experience for anybody who may ever participate in the Mardi Gras (of course, being Vegas float riders, they wouldn’t be throwing beads—they’d be throwing dice.
• For all of you two-wheelers, think of all the people on bikes who could ride down the Strip without the need for more road space. Imagine 500 high-roller motorcycle riders re-creating a Sturgis moment. Of course, the ultimate irony would be having all 500 high rollers losing at the tables and the casinos trading their markers for motorcycles. The house always wins!
These are just some ideas to meet the transportation challenge in Las Vegas. If you like them, hop aboard!
