Where I Stand — Guest Columnist Randy Walker: A growing commitment

Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2004 | 8:53 a.m.

Editor's note: In August the Where I Stand column is turned over to guest writers. Today's columnist is Randy Walker, director of the Clark County Department of Aviation, which oversees McCarran International Airport.

CLARK COUNTY is one of the fastest, burgeoning communities in the country and has seen unprecedented growth. Nowhere is that more evident than at McCarran International Airport.

McCarran was the one of the first large airports in the nation to rebound to pre-9/11 volumes. The growth of the leisure traveler and convention attendee market as well as Clark County residents' travel continues at a rapid pace.

Last year more than 36 million passengers came through McCarran, making it the seventh busiest airport in the United States. In the past six months, McCarran has seen a 15.2 percent increase in passenger traffic over last year, hosting more than 20 million passengers. If this pace continues it will be a banner year.

Therein lies both the good news and the challenges faced by the Clark County Department of Aviation.

Immediately after 9/11 we were confronted by two primary but contradictory challenges: First, to work with the Transportation Security Administration to meet the new standards of the federal security directives. Second, to implement efficiencies into the newly created procedures for our passengers.

As we look forward we recognize one indisputable fact: McCarran is vital to the economic well being for the community we serve. Therefore we are implementing strategically developed plans to accommodate an ever-increasing visitor volume and the growing numbers of traveling residents.

To that end, McCarran is building facilities that will expand our services, reduce passenger wait times through the checkpoint and enhance security. By the end of the month, seven new lanes at the C and D checkpoints will be in operation at Terminal 1.

By early next year the D concourse will have 10 additional gates to accommodate our increasing number of flights and passenger activity, and thanks to our U.S. senators from Nevada a total of 1,054 Transportation Security Administration screeners will fully staff our 32 security checkpoint lanes. In addition, a new ultra-high-frequency baggage tracking system will sort screened baggage at a lower cost, but with a higher security performance than the current baggage screening system.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation 2003 third-quarter survey, McCarran has the distinction of handling the second-largest origin and destination passenger ratios in the country. Virtually every departing passenger must be screened through the security checkpoint, compared to other airports where passengers hub from one airport to the next before arriving to their destination.

On average, 65,000 passengers are screened each day at McCarran and the tourist levels are sure to increase in the coming months. There is a direct correlation between our county's growth and McCarran International Airport's expansion.

We have always responded to our community's needs and understand the economic benefits of serving our travelers well. According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, tourism's economic impact for the year 2003 was $32.8 billion dollars in Southern Nevada, which is up from $31.6 billion in 2002. Almost half of all visitors arrive by air via McCarran.

One of McCarran's biggest challenges is striking a balance between customer service and security so that we can continue to attract large numbers of tourists to Las Vegas through McCarran. McCarran prides itself in maintaining a safe and secure environment and is committed to providing our visitors with a positive experience that will lure them back again.

Travelers have a choice when it comes to making vacation plans and Las Vegas must maintain its commitment to innovation, distinction and first-class service in order to compete. For every hotel room that is built in Clark County, statistics have shown that 350 additional tourists will visit our desert oasis. It is projected that 10,000 additional hotel rooms will be opening by the end of 2006, and we are doing everything to alleviate the concerns that come with this growing demand by expanding our airport to accommodate the growing number of travelers.

Our airport must be more efficient and prepared for the future. Work has resumed on our master plan, which includes future terminal and runway expansions, road and taxiway construction, noise mitigation and potentially another major commercial airport located 40 miles south of Las Vegas.

Though the growth is relentless, we have planned for these circumstances and understand the vital role in which we contribute to the community. Our airport is unique in that many of our travelers come here at their leisure and it's imperative that McCarran provide the best facilities possible at a reasonable cost to the airlines and its passengers.

Since the airport's humble beginnings in 1948 -- when a small, general aviation strip was provided for people to come and visit Las Vegas -- Clark County officials have recognized the distinctive allure of this valley. Today, that small strip of land has grown to 2,800 acres.

No one could have ever imagined what we witness today -- Las Vegas being one of the top tourist destinations, attracting people from all over the world. But I would like to think the level of commitment that it took to build a small runway in the middle of the desert, because of a love for the community, still lives on as we prepare to meet the needs of tomorrow's travelers.