Another Strip pedestrian bridge is one step closer to reality

A bridge that would allow pedestrians to more easily cross Las Vegas Boulevard in the burgeoning north Strip is one step closer to reality.

County commissioners approved Tuesday a proposal from Resorts World for a public-private partnership to construct the bridge, which would allow pedestrians to cross at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Convention Center Drive.

The resolution is just the first step. Public works staff first have to meet with the resort’s staff and come back to the commission with a proposed agreement, county spokesperson Erik Pappa said.

Part of that conversation will include hammering out how the bridge will be financed. According to the resolution, a 2007 development agreement between the county and Echelon Resorts lays out a deal for a pedestrian bridge to be funded by a combination of public and private funds.

Echelon Resorts, a proposed Boyd Gaming Corp. project planned to include five hotels and restaurants, was later sold to Genting Group in 2013 after the Great Recession.

The county previously approved a master plan for pedestrian bridge construction near the intersection, according to the approved resolution.

Resorts World Las Vegas President Peter LaVoie applauded the move.

“We are thrilled to proceed with next steps in getting this pedestrian bridge built and are grateful for the county commissioners’ approval of the project,” LaVoie said in a statement. “Efforts such as this are important in developing the North end of the Strip as foot traffic increases and more businesses are brought to the area; and we’re proud to be contributing in this way.”

Resorts World Las Vegas, which opened in June 2021, was the first Strip property to open in more than decade. Now it’s been joined in the north Strip area by the Fontainebleau, which opened its doors just last week.

Tuesday’s proposal isn’t the only proposal for a pedestrian bridge to be located in the area.

Las Vegas City Council approved a contract with Innova Technologies earlier this month to review the project design of a pedestrian bridge at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Sahara Avenue. The project, if approved, could cost as much as $40 million to build.

Contact Taylor R. Avery at TAvery@reviewjournal.com. Follow @travery98 on X.