In a decisive move by Clark County commissioners, the Las Vegas Strip’s northern gateway is poised for transformation with the green light granted on Tuesday for a pedestrian bridge designed to span the bustling intersection of Convention Center Drive and Las Vegas Boulevard. This aerial connector, an elegant solution to unite the glittering facades of Resorts World and Wynn Las Vegas, aligns with an artist’s conception dating back to the genesis of Resorts World, where such a bridge was envisioned as an integral element of the resort’s infrastructure.
The ambitious endeavor, presented by Resorts World, revolves around a synergy of public and private resources, mirroring a past development venture from 2007 when Boyd Gaming was set to erect the illustrious $4.8 billion Echelon Place on the very grounds now destined for the bridge. However, this blueprint succumbed to the Great Recession, leading to Boyd’s disposal of the site to Genting Group for a reported $350 million. It was under Genting’s aegis that Resorts World began to rise from the desert in 2013, adding a new silhouette to the Las Vegas skyline.
Enthusiasm resonates from Resorts World as reflected in a statement by spokesperson LaVoie, who expressed elation at the advancement of this much-anticipated pedestrian bridge, a marker of progress for the northern strip. Such infrastructural developments are vital as foot traffic swells and the commercial ecosystem expands, with Resorts World taking pride in spearheading this transformation.
But this isn’t the only pedestrian overpass heralding the future of Las Vegas thoroughfares. Earlier, the city council gave their nod to Innova Technologies, tasking them to scrutinize plans for a futuristic, $40 million pedestrian bridge at the nexus of Las Vegas Boulevard and Sahara Avenue—mightily reminiscent of a scene from ‘The Jetsons.’ This project awaits a detailed review from the city, which will ultimately lead to its bidding out for construction, though no definitive timeline has been disclosed.
The need for these skywalks couldn’t be more pressing, as the northern Strip has seen a sharp increase in pedestrian activity, notably after the December 13 debut of Fontainebleau Las Vegas, marking the Strip’s first new casino resort since Resorts World’s inauguration on June 24, 2021. Statistics from the city illuminate the urgency: between 2009 and 2018, the Sahara intersection witnessed 595 crashes, resulting in two fatalities and 326 injuries.
As the blueprint for the Resorts World bridge sails towards reality, the next checkpoint is an essential accord with Clark County Public Works, a pact that will pave the way for bridging the divide between spectacle and safety on the Las Vegas Strip.
