Elon Musk’s Boring Company received Wednesday the initial approval required to build a transportation system that would shuttle passengers in Tesla vehicles via a network of tunnels under Las Vegas.
The approval by Clark County officials of a special use permit and franchise agreement would allow the Boring Company to expand its Vegas Loop system beyond its current 1.7-mile footprint that connects the Las Vegas Convention Center campus to a 29-mile route with 51 stations that would include stops at casinos along the Las Vegas Strip, the city’s football stadium and UNLV. It would eventually reach the McCarran International Airport. The Las Vegas Review-Journal was the first to report on the approval.
The Boring Company has said it will pay for the tunnels, a point that Clark County officials reiterated Wednesday. According to the agreement with Clark county, the franchise agreement would last for 50 years.
While the project has passed an important milestone, it is not a done deal just yet. This special use permit lets The Boring Company apply for the land use and building permits for each station and the tunnels. The Boring Company will also have to get a separate franchise agreement approved by the city of Las Vegas.