The history of mass transit on the Las Vegas Strip is defined by the failure of the Las Vegas Monorail and the emerging dominance of The Boring Company's Vegas Loop.

The Monorail's Problems

The Monorail, opened in 2004, was a financial and logistical failure due to its location behind the casinos (East side), lack of connection to the airport (blocked by the taxi lobby), and reliance on junk-bond financing which led to a 2010 bankruptcy.

The Tesla Alternative

In contrast, the LVCVA acquired the Monorail in 2020 to facilitate its replacement by the Vegas Loop. The Loop utilizes small-bore tunnels and Tesla vehicles to offer point-to-point transport.

Different Philosophies

While critics note it lacks the high throughput of traditional rail, its low capital cost (approx. $50M for the initial phase) and ability to integrate directly into casino properties align better with the city's hospitality-driven, decentralized geography.

The Shift

The shift marks a move from fixed-guideway mass transit to a flexible, subterranean Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) model. Whether it works at scale remains to be seen, but the Monorail model has clearly failed.