WMC to enhance transportation for July market
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, July 2, 2007
Las Vegas — Anticipating the traffic that comes with growth, the World Market Center will implement an enhanced transportation and traffic plan for the upcoming market in July.
The moves include:
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Advance communications to attendees to customize a personal transportation plan to maximize new and alternate routes to the WMC.
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Streamlined operations with larger and geographically separated loading areas for taxis, shuttles and personal vehicles to allow for great efficiency, speed and flow.
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More frequent M-line shuttle service during peak periods and increased attendee comfort from the misted shade structure at the shuttle terminal.
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Enhanced signage and increased passenger assistance.
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Relocation of the registration pavilion to the entrance of Buildings A and B in order to expand the transportation terminal.
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Non-stop "people movers" to carry attendees between the World Market Center buildings and the Pavilions tents.
The WMC has partnered with the Orlando, Fla.-based Gameday Management Group, an event transportation management company that has participated in events such as the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500 and the 2005 presidential inauguration.
Market officials said the free, air-conditioned M-Line shuttle service will be offered between all host hotels, the WMC campus, and the temporary exhibits in the Sands Expo.
Further helping the traffic flow from the WMC is a new $3.6 million Discover Drive roadway project in downtown Las Vegas, which opened in February.
Located north of Alta Drive, the new portion of Discovery Drive starts at Martin Luther King Blvd. and extents east under I-15 to connect to Grand Central Parkway with two travel lanes in each direction.
"With Discovery Drive open, we literally have an extra avenue to and from our back door which will provide quicker access for market attendees, and allow us to split the flow of traffic to reduce congestion," said Gerry Sawyer, the WMC's chief operating officer.
Looking to the future, the WMC is building a $60 million, eight-story, 3,600-vehicle parking garage in the complex that will be completed in time for the July 2008 market. It will be north of the third building, now under construction.
