ACE transportation from downtown to the strip

Well the regional transportation system installed the high speed bus (ACE GOLD) from downtown to the strip. It also provides more convenient access to Furniture (World Market) and off price mall.

I would have thought that this $75 million transit system would be the ticket to keeping downtown out of the doldrums. However annual gaming revenue for downtown Las Vegas has dropped -1.90% for April/May/June while it dropped -1.40% for Clark county as a whole.

Golden Nugget made $57.7 million for 2nd quarter 2010 versus $56.5 million for 2nd quarter 2009. That is with the addition of a brand new 500 room hotel tower and a new restaurant and some shops. A mere $1.2 million increase in revenue for a whole quarter.

Downtown Las Vegas (including the Stratosphere) now makes $504 million in gaming revenue for an entire year.

Can anything save downtown?

Can anything save downtown?


I know it's not that simple, and I don't want to kick the casinos when they're down but...

Better odds, looser slots, more comps, free parking...

Quote: pacomartin

Can anything save downtown?

Do you think this regional transit system really has much of an impact either way? Buses are slow and dirty and have weirdos and whackos on them. And don't tell me that these particular buses are clean, have nice drivers, are fast and well-policed. ALL buses are viewed by me as dirty, slow and disgusting ordeals. So I'm not going to ride them, got it! 75 Million dollar transit system or 500 million dollar transit system: it makes no difference to me. I don't ride buses!! And I sure as heck ain't gonna ride no bus on my vacation!! Now you can consider my views to be unique, but heck, I drink Budweiser! I daresay my views on buses are not all that unique.

I'm not sure whether you are saying buses allow gamblers to leave downtown casinos or whether you think buses should allow Strip Prowlers to go to downtown casinos.

People value different things. Politicians value buses: they can barter location of maintenance facilities, they can barter locations of stops, they can barter votes of drivers. Politicians love them. Real people don't.

If one finds oneself to already be downtown for some reason, gambling is likely to take place in a downtown casino. If one finds oneself on the Vegas Strip, gambling is likely to take place there. If one finds oneself on the Boulder Strip, gambling is going to take place there. If one wants to meet up with friends the various treking decisions will hardly be based on fares but instead on time and ordeal factors. Sitting in a Strip traffic jam in lousy. Bus or Taxi.

So what was a bus going to do? Bring a panhandler from the strip to downtown? Bring someone from a knockoff mall to the Venetian? Bring someone from Arizona Charlies East to Arizona Charlies West? Whats the difference between the two?

Quote: FleaStiff

Do you think this regional transit system really has much of an impact either way? Buses are slow and dirty and have weirdos and whackos on them. And don't tell me that these particular buses are clean, have nice drivers, are fast and well-policed. ALL buses are viewed by me as dirty, slow and disgusting ordeals. So I'm not going to ride them, got it! 75 Million dollar transit system or 500 million dollar transit system: it makes no difference to me. I don't ride buses!! And I sure as heck ain't gonna ride no bus on my vacation!! Now you can consider my views to be unique, but heck, I drink Budweiser! I daresay my views on buses are not all that unique.

I think if you had ridden the Ace or the Deuce, you might have a different opinion. The Ace in particular will get you from downtown to the Strip and into a casino MUCH faster than driving and parking will--the key is that when you park on the Strip, it's usually a fifteen-minute walk from the garage to the casino. And of course, if you use valet parking, you have to tip, and the wait for your car on a busy night can be interminable.

The buses are clean and air-conditioned, the seats are comfortable, and there are displays that show every stop and your current location. The Deuce is a double-decker that's actually fun to ride in; you can sit on top and look down at the world. I agree with you regarding buses in general, but these buses are an exception.

The Deuce is great... it's almost the same bus as runs past my house here in BC... not surprising as they borrowed the double deckers from up here to decide if buses in Vegas would work.

They work here, and they work down there.

As to matters of taste, if your drink Bud, I think your views on transportation are null and void ;)

I rode the Gold line from the strip to downtown and back for a day in August. I had lunch and some beers and lost about $400 while I was there. Hope I helped the downtown economy!

The bus was standing room only in both directions, so it seems to be accomplishing its mission. If the downtown casinos still can't make money considering the buses are carrying as many people as possible to their doorstep, they need to look elsewhere for an excuse.

I hope that regional transport works. It is crucial to saving our cities. Vancouver is a high density city with good transport that should be a model for North America.

But Downtown Las Vegas peaked in gaming revenue in 1992-93. All the projects to keep the downtown going (construction of Main Street Casino, the Fremont Street Experience, Construction of Stratosphere, World Furniture Market, the Offprice Shopping Mall, Neonopolis Mall, Fremont East nightlife district) have not done anything to keep gaming revenue from its continual slide. There are still plans to dump more money into the district (both private and tax money).

The improved transport should have increased some spending as people come to to the Viva Vision. Hopefully, by radically reducing the travel time to the Convention Center, it would be more appealing to businessmen.

There is some long term hope that the corridor will sprout some new loft style homes, as people will simply ride the ACE Gold to jobs on the strip. People who can't afford Turnberry condominiums may be able to live in the city, and still only be a few minutes away via public transportation.

Quote: PapaChubby

I rode the Gold line from the strip to downtown and back for a day in August. I had lunch and some beers and lost about $400 while I was there. Hope I helped the downtown economy!

The bus was standing room only in both directions, so it seems to be accomplishing its mission. If the downtown casinos still can't make money considering the buses are carrying as many people as possible to their doorstep, they need to look elsewhere for an excuse.

Each of the 227 blackjack tables in downtown is now making about $495 per day. So you losing your $400 probably helped the economy.

A slot machine in PARX casino in Pennsylvania in July 2010 takes in over $340 a day. Not much less than a blackjack table in downtown Las Vegas. A slot machine in downtown Vegas makes about $88 a day, while a Megabucks machine takes in almost $200 a day.