McCarran deal with car-rental firms advances

Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2004 | 11:26 a.m.

The Clark County Commission has approved an agreement with 10 car-rental companies to move those companies into a new consolidated service area near McCarran International Airport in 2006.

Construction of the $160 million consolidated car rental facility began in January, and should wrap up in early 2006. The area, at Warm Springs Road and Gilespie Street, should hold all of the car rental companies with service areas at the airport.

"This is the lease agreement that basically commits both them and us to the space," Aviation Department Director Randy Walker said.

As part of the deal, the county will provide the companies with a total of $7.2 million to prepare the service areas for their needs, including providing signs for the companies. Walker said the companies are expected to pay more from their own pockets.

The annual revenue for renting the service areas to the car rental companies is expected to be about $20 million annually, Walker said. Under the agreement, the airport would take 10 percent of the gross revenue generated by the companies at the new facility.

Walker said the new car rental center will mean fewer shuttles going between the companies and the main airport terminals. Instead, one shuttle will service all the companies when the facility opens, he said.

The facility also will provide room for expansion. One company, US Rent A Car, does not have an existing rental area at the airport but will move into the new service center, Walker said.