Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

City government:

No need to roll out: New pilot program would allow food trucks to park downtown

Vegas Uncork'd: Follow that Truck

Steve Marcus

Guests line up outside the Nom Nom food truck during the Vegas Uncork’d “Follow That Truck” food festival at the Bellagio on Thursday, May 20, 2012. Celebrity chefs added to the gourmet fare from more than a dozen food trucks for the festival outside under the lights at Bellagio’s Hidden Drive.

Food truck vendors looking for a safe space to set up shop along the streets of downtown Las Vegas should motor over to City Hall by July 22 to apply for a new pilot program being launched by the city.

The program will set up three dedicated parking spaces for food trucks in downtown Las Vegas — one by the Regional Justice Center, another by City Hall and a third near the Bonneville Transit Center.

Food trucks offering their takes on everything from cheeseburgers to pizza to barbecue have proliferated downtown in recent years. But outside of planned, permitted events, finding space to operate the trucks legally downtown is a challenge.

In October, the city passed an ordinance prohibiting food trucks from selling food within 150 feet of a brick-and-mortar restaurant. In addition to the restaurant buffer, trucks are allowed to park at city parking meters for only half an hour at a time, even though it often takes them that much time to set up for the lunch rush.

The new parking spaces set aside under the city’s pilot program would only be available to food trucks and will be rented for $5 per hour.

The spaces will be allocated on a rotating basis. Interested food truck owners have until 5 p.m. Monday, July 22, to apply for the lottery that will be used to assign the spaces.

Those interested in registering for the lottery, which will be held on July 29, should contact Parking Services Manager Brandy Stanley at 702-229-6863.

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