McCarran’s consolidated rental car center questioned

Adrienne Packer

Wednesday, April 5, 2000 | 11:04 a.m.

As McCarran International Airport moved forward with its year-old plans to build a consolidated car rental center Tuesday, one Clark County commissioner began questioning whether the project is a good idea.

After some debate, the commission approved three new car rental companies that will join eight others moving into the Gilespie Street complex in 2003.

Commissioner Mary Kincaid abstained from the vote because she doesn't fully support the consolidated car rental concept and she has concerns about the impact on airport revenues.

"I'm concerned that there might be a drop in revenue because visitors would rather take a cab to the Strip than wait in line for a phone (to call the car rental business) and then a shuttle," Kincaid said.

Airport officials' request to allow Alamo Rent A Car, Enterprise Rent A Car and T&C LLC take the three remaining vacancies at the complex was the 10th time the commission considered a request concerning the car rental facility.

Among other decisions, the commission has given Airport Director Randy Walker the go-ahead in spending $23 million to buy the property just south of Interstate 215 and to begin negotiating with architects.

Kincaid told Walker on Tuesday that she has received phone calls from some of the eight airport car rental facilities that will move into the new complex.

She said the companies -- including Sav-mor Rent A Car, which is a major fund-raiser for Kincaid -- are already in stiff competition and adding three more will take more business away from them.

The existing companies have opposed the move, saying once tourists board a common bus to the facility, they might change their mind about which company to use.

Lesser known rental car companies might also be concerned that with three additional businesses in the complex, they might not receive as much spill-over when the larger companies are booked.

But Walker said that is not his concern.

"Whatever system can help get 55 million passengers through the airport and into cars is what we're worried about, not how eight rental car facilities do," he said.

The benefits of a consolidated complex far outweigh the disadvantages, Walker said. He said the existing system is inefficient; he recently saw 10 car rental shuttles leave the curb with a total of 32 passengers.

Aside from shuttles taking up curb space, Walker said there is little land available at the airport for the companies to expand.

"We have had phenomenal growth at the airport and we have no space to let them grow," Walker said.

Walker said Alamo and Enterprise are two of the more popular companies that do not have airport businesses. The third company, T&C, helps fulfill the county's disadvantaged business enterprise requirements.

T&C's application must meet all criteria listed in the federal law for disadvantaged business enterprises -- companies in which the majority owner is either a minority or a woman. The airport and federal government review all disadvantaged business applications.

The share of car rental revenues the airport receives from the businesses is second to airport slot machines in the amount of revenue generated. Walker estimated the airport received $20 million from car rentals last year. He said there is little doubt that the revenue will go up.