New airport terminal to get $600,000 coming out party

Officials at McCarran International Airport will give the new $2.4 billion Terminal 3 a $600,000 coming-out party in June.

Clark County Commissioners Tuesday approved a plan for four events spread over 18 days leading up to the first airline departures on June 27. The Clark County Department of Aviation would kick in a maximum of $200,000, with another $400,000 expected to be donated by private companies that do business with the airport or that helped build T3 in return for recognition such as naming rights to a 5K run.

The department is funded primarily by airline and concession fees, ground leases and federal grants. It does not draw local tax revenues.

While times are tight, aviation director Randall Walker said , "We are commemorating the opening of a $2.4 billion facility. I think $200,000 is a very low amount for something this size."

A major goal is to educate locals about the airport, which will have two busy terminals after decades of funneling 90 percent of traffic through one, and to try to minimize confusion. Terminal 3 will house all international carriers plus check-in counters or gates for seven domestic airlines.

By contrast, airport Deputy Director Rosemary Vassiliadis recalled that the opening of Concourse D 14 years ago came with a $400,000 black-tie extravaganza, complete with food stations sponsored by different Strip resorts and headliner entertainment.

The Terminal 3 event lineup includes: a 5-kilometer run on airport access roads on June 2, with an estimated 1,500 participants and warmups led by "an energetic Zumba instructor"; an open house on June 9; a 250-person Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce reception and art exhibit on June 13; and a VIP gala for 1,500 on June 20.

The international carriers will move from the cramped Terminal 2 on June 27, followed by the domestic airlines in stages during July and August.

The Las Vegas event management firm Destinations by Design will run the events.

Contact reporter Tim O'Reiley at toreiley
@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5290.