LVCVA board OKs $435M Convention Center renovation

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority on Tuesday authorized spending $435 million for the renovation of the North, Central and South exhibition halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Board members also approved access to build a new section of the Vegas Loop, the 29-mile Boring Co. underground transit system, with an easement agreement for a tunnel connection to the Westgate Las Vegas resort.

The convention center renovation project, referred to as the Phase 3 Renovation following earlier project phases involving the West Hall, was first approved by the LVCVA board of directors and a special oversight committee in 2017. A professional services contract was approved on the project in December 2018, and work was outlined to upgrade all three existing exhibition halls to essentially create a brand-new convention center.

But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and room-tax revenue dropped, the board opted to delay the project.

The revised project will now focus on upgrading the North and Central halls, expanding the entrance and lobby at the east entrance of the South Hall near the Convention Center Loop transit station and permanently moving LVCVA executive offices to the South Hall.

The two-year project, which will begin in 2024, will upgrade the halls to standards established with the new West Hall that opened in June and make the frontage similar to the West Hall facade.

LVCVA President and CEO Steve Hill said most of the work will involve the North and Central halls – the oldest portions of the Convention Center. Upgrades to the South Hall, put into service about 20 years ago, will occur at a later time, he said.

A collaboration between Hunt Construction and the Penta Building Group was selected for the preconstruction and construction phases of the project. Details are expected to be outlined in April.

The Hunt-Penta collaboration barely topped a proposal in a competitive bid process with Las Vegas-based Martin-Harris Construction, which worked on the $1 billion West Hall project.

The project includes $2.8 million in preconstruction services and $432.2 million for construction. The total cost will be paid over five fiscal years, including $1 million to be spent this year.

Loop connection

In other business, the LVCVA board unanimously approved underground access for The Boring Co. to build a Vegas Loop connection to Westgate Las Vegas.

Westgate would become the third resort with direct access to the Convention Center.

A tunnel connecting Resorts World Las Vegas to the northern end of the West Hall is near completion, and engineering is underway for a tunnel connecting Encore Las Vegas to the system. The Resorts World station already has been completed at the property, company officials said.

The newest tunnel project will be funded, built, operated and maintained by The Boring Co.

The tunnel from Westgate would be built under a section of Elvis Presley Boulevard and Paradise Road and meet at a station planned at the Diamond Lot connecting to Resorts World. That tunnel also is expected to be extended south about 1,000 feet to the existing West Hall station.

The Boring Co. is in the midst of designing a network of tunnels in the resort corridor that would connect 51 stations, including stops at Harry Reid International Airport and Allegiant Stadium.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.