Due to an overwhelming influx of tourists in Las Vegas, officials in Clark County, Nevada, are contemplating the addition of a second airport to accommodate the growing number of visitors. The current facility, Harry Reid International Airport, is approaching its capacity, with over 48 million passengers in the first seven months of this year. With a 16% in passenger traffic, concerns are arising about reaching full capacity by 2030.
Rosemary Vassiliadis, the director of aviation for Clark County, highlighted the challenges of expanding Harry Reid International due to encroachment from Las Vegas Boulevard and the railroad. The proposed second airport would be situated approximately 30 miles south of the city and is viewed as a vital addition to Southern Nevada’s economic viability.
Acknowledging the potential cost of up to £14 billion, Clark County Commission Chairman Jim Gibson sees the new airport as a necessary investment.“This (second) airport’s been talked about for such a long time. I don’t know if people thought it was just a thought, an idea, a hope, you know, something that would be fun. It’s not. I mean, how could anybody even think of that when anybody that flies in or out of Las Vegas sees how busy it is?”, he said.
Vassiliadis emphasised that the second airport is not merely a concept but a practical response to the evident strain on Las Vegas’s current air infrastructure.
Vassiliadis attributed the surge in Las Vegas tourism to the city’s iconic tagline, coined by advertising executive Billy Vassiliadis twenty years ago: “What happens here, stays here.” Las Vegas aims to further boost tourism, leveraging its reputation as the ‘sports capital of the world’ alongside its entertainment offerings.
