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Sun file photo
A monorail train pulls out of the Sahara Station in this 2006 file photo.
Friday, March 11, 2011 | 4:35 p.m.
The closure of the Sahara hotel-casino is likely to harm the bankrupt Las Vegas Monorail, which has a station at the Sahara that is the transportation system’s northern terminus and a connecting point to the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada’s bus transit system.
In an e-mailed statement, Ingrid Reisman, vice president of corporate communications for the Las Vegas Monorail Co., said the station would stay open.
“Despite today’s announced closure of the Sahara Hotel scheduled for May 16, the monorail station at Sahara Avenue and Paradise Road will continue to operate with access from street level escalators, elevator and stairs,” Reisman said.
The Sahara monorail station is one of two – the other is at the MGM Grand – that is staffed to sell discounted tickets to local residents who use the system.
What is unclear is how the Sahara’s closure would affect a small number of commuters who park at the hotel parking garage to use the system. Reisman said the topic could be among the matters monorail officials discuss with the Sahara in the weeks before the closure.
A spokeswoman for the Regional Transportation Commission said the closure of the Sahara wouldn't affect plans to build the Sahara Express Bus Rapid Transit line along Sahara Avenue from Hualapai Way to Boulder Highway.
The RTC is using $34.4 million in federal funds on the year-long $40 million project that will landscape the Sahara corridor, add bus-only lanes and widen sidewalks to revitalize the street. The intersection of Sahara and Paradise Road is a key stop along the corridor because of the connection to the monorail line, but spokeswoman Tracy Bower said closure of the hotel wouldn't affect the RTC’s plans.
LAMO "...COULD hurt monorail...(emphasis mine)"
Losing the Sahara is like losing that ugly girlfriend you met after Midnight.
You just have to wonder how that politically connected hack keeps making his 300G a year. He'll be back sweeping floors before long.
The only thing that hurts the monorail is the monorail itself. It was built on a lie and will die as such!
They should have just built it to connect to the airport & downtown, maybe then it wouldn't be in such trouble.
I have been to Las Vegas many times and can not figure out why the city and Casino business has never fully used the thing. First it is TOO EXPENSIVE for most people. Most visitors I hear think $5.00 each way is TOO MUCH. Second it should be EXPANDED. Out to the airport and maybe even make a loop on both sides of the strip so it is easier to get to ALL the Casinos with it. Yes, cub drivers will lose fare, but it will reduce pollution, traffic, and make the whole experience on the strip better.
The Hotels on the Strip in order that will most likely close soon: (Last ones: Hardly Ever!)
1. Riveria
2. Circus Circus
3. Bill's
4. Casino Royale
5. Harrah's
6. Flamingo
7. Tropicana
8. Excalibur
9. Ballys
10.Rio
11.Palms
12.NY NY
13.Treasure Island
14.Planet Hollywood
15.MGM GRAND
16.Luxor
17.Paris
18.Mirage
19.Mandalay Bay
20.Caesars Palace
21.Bellagio
22.Venetian
23.City Center
24.Wynn
25.Encore
26.Cosmopolitan
27.Palazzo
We are headed to a hard time. Most likely we will see a new global currency SDR! Which probobly means that even Macau's economy will be even more glued to us.
Reactions?
Cyrus992: oooops: good list... but you missed Imperial Palace somewhere close to the top! :-)
alexanderh:
Dang!! Thanks for telling me that. I thoought I had the IP.
I would place it after the Bill's.
I like the monorail. It is a great option especially with a 24 hour pass. I hope LVMonorail doesn't ever go under. It would be great if it could expand to the airport ... but I am sure the unions for the cab drivers would have some say.
A monorail system directly on the Strip would be a different story. It would have to be a 2 rail system with multi cabin-trains in operation permanently.
Obviously, this mission was a little bit to much off the budget limit and then they built it somewhere behind the casinos, not thinking of the real value of such a monorail.
Commuting would be one thing, but sigth-seing would definetely be the bigger part of the show if tourists would see the entire Strip when commuting from North to South and back.
It would reduce traffic on the chaos-Strip but of course cab drivers and bus companies wouldn't appreciate it much. Therefore they tried plan B and the entire thing went down the drain. No surprise.
From Switzerland
When we visited from the UK last year we stayed at the Strat for 11 days and used the monorail every day. It was clean, reliable and relaxing.
Don't understand why more people don't use it.
I tried the monorail once. It took forever to walk through the MGM Grand from the strip to the station. It took a while for the train to come. Then it took a long time to get to the Venetian. I am not taking that again.