Las Vegas Convention Center construction reaches milestone

(PRESS RELEASE) -- On 20 August 2019, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority celebrated a tremendous milestone in the progression of its 1.4 million square foot expansion as the ‘final’ beam was hoisted above the 600,000-square-foot exhibit hall of this astonishing facility.

800 tradesmen and tradeswomen currently working on the construction site signed a 60-foot long, 90,000 pound beam that is now integrated into the expansion project’s new 600,000-square-foot exhibit hall, cementing their contributions to Las Vegas’ continued legacy as a leading business destination. The event also included an unveiling of the American flag to be hung on site.

The 1.4 million square-foot expansion will be followed by a complete renovation and modernization of the Las Vegas Convention Center’s existing 3.2 million sq. ft. The total budget for the expansion and renovation is currently $1.475 billion.

“Supporting the Las Vegas destination through growing meetings and exhibitions is just one of many ways we fill the nearly 150,000 hotel rooms in our destination and can accommodate the nearly 15,000 of additional hotel rooms that are on the way,” said Brian Yost, LVCVA Chief Operating Officer.”

The raising of the signed beam in the new exhibit hall celebrates a significant milestone in the development of the expansion project. In late-October, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) will officially “top out” the expansion when tradesmen and tradeswomen reach the highest point of the expansion and fully enclose the facility. To date, more than 25,000 tons of structural steel and 47,000 cubic yards of concrete have been utilized on the project site. The expansion is on schedule and 50% complete.

The expansion is scheduled for completion in December 2020 and the facility will welcome its first full-facility event in January 2021 during CES. CES, the largest and most influential technology event on the planet, attracted more than 180,000 attendees to Las Vegas in 2019.

The convention center expansion and renovation is to allow for the Las Vegas destination to remain the leading destination for business travel. Planning is also underway for development of the first commercial underground people mover for the Las Vegas Convention Center via an underground tunnel that will have three convenient locations throughout the span of the entire Las Vegas Convention Center facility. Elon Musk’s The Boring Company has been tapped to design and construct the innovative system that is the next evolution for efficient transportation models in high-traffic areas.

In addition to the Las Vegas Convention Center expansion and renovation, continued investment in the meeting and convention industry remains strong in Las Vegas with nearly 3.5 million additional sq. ft. of meeting space coming online in Las Vegas within the next five years. Large-scale convention and exhibit space projects throughout the destination include the recently completed 250,000 sq. ft. MGM Grand Conference Center expansion, and several projects slated for completion in 2020, including the 550,000 sq. ft. Caesars FORUM, 430,000 sq. ft. Wynn Las Vegas meeting space expansion and the 315,000 sq. ft. Expo at World Market Center.