McCarran Airport plans to cancel some free parking passes

Jeff Schweers

Friday, Oct. 24, 1997 | 10:59 a.m.

Aviation Director Randy Walker said about 15 of the 325 free parking passes issued by McCarran International Airport "should be questioned" and he plans to cancel them.

"A couple of these names I don't have a clue why they are on the list," Walker said. Other cards that may be yanked belong to former public office holders who still have passes that entitle them to free parking.

More than 300 passes are issued to federal, state and local officials to use when they travel on official business. Otherwise, they are entitled by state law to submit those expenses for reimbursement by whatever agency they represent.

"Otherwise, the taxpayers would end up paying," Walker said. "This was started as a way to not have taxpayers' money used for parking at the airport."

Officials and others, such as reporters, who attend public meetings at the airport can have their parking stubs validated by airport staff.

Nine are issued to VIPs, such as Nevada Resort Association President Richard Bunker, Jack Jeffrey of the Southern Nevada Building Trade Council, former state Parole Board member the Rev. Jesse Scott, and former Clark County Commissioner Jay Bingham.

Other card holders include former County Manager Pat Shalmy, now president of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, and former County Commissioner Paul Christensen, a member of the newly formed Transportation Services Authority.

Bob Broadbent, who stepped down as director of aviation for Clark County last May, still has two passes.

The practice began 12 years ago under former airport manager John Solomon when the parking garage at McCarran first opened, Walker said.

Most of the passes are seldom used, Walker said. Also, they aren't costing taxpayers any money because the airport is a self-supporting entity that operates on revenue from the airline companies and its passengers.

"The people that use the airport pay for the airport in the form of passenger facility charges (ticket taxes) or buying a cup of coffee," airport spokesman Adam Mayberry said.

Several airport vendors also have free parking passes, Walker said. They pay the airport $10 a month to entitle each employee to the same free parking privileges as the aviation department's 900 workers.

Those vendors include Mike Hazenzahl of Host Marriott, which manages the food concessions at McCarran, and Kathy Ayers of W.H. Smith, which runs the news and gift concessions. Those enterprises have netted the airport $12 million in revenues.

Casino executive Michael Gaughan also has a parking pass. His slot machine concession netted the airport in excess of $24 million last year.

Commissioner Lance Malone, whose security badge was found on a burglary suspect two weeks ago, also has a parking pass that he said he will give back to the airport.

"I'm going to give up my parking pass and if I go there I'll park where everybody else parks," Malone said. "If I'm traveling on official business, I'll have a family member take me."