EDITORIAL: Improving tourism infrastructure key to Las Vegas’ economy

Locals might not see it, but gaming and tourism leaders sure do. A great big bull's-eye stretches from one end of the resort corridor to the other, and convention destinations around the world are taking their best shots at it, month after month.

Las Vegas is the country's top convention destination, bar none. It has millions of square feet of exhibit and meeting space, premier dining and shopping, second-to-none entertainment, more than 150,000 hotel rooms at all price points and a conveniently located airport. But it isn't enough to retain the massive trade shows that inject hundreds of millions of dollars into our economy, let alone attract new ones.

The city is at risk of losing the convention reinvestment race to its competitors. As reported Nov. 1 by the Review-Journal's Richard Velotta, top trade shows have encountered growing pains in Las Vegas.

— The board of the International Council of Shopping Centers voted to explore moving its convention to Chicago or Orlando. It took a full-court press by Las Vegas officials to land a three-year extension.

— The Consumer Electronics Show will for the first time cap attendance at its January event.

— The Men's Apparel Guild in California spends almost $1 million moving convention attendees between the Las Vegas Convention Center and the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, which costs them time on the floor.

— A National Association of Broadcasters official said the Las Vegas Convention Center doesn't have the technical infrastructure to stream events to people who can't attend the conference.

Las Vegas has at least one good problem: Its convention calendar is so full, trade shows that want to move here can't find space to do so. But this has allowed competing cities to pick off plum events and build their successes into a pitch that includes Las Vegas' shortcomings.

It has taken years, but Las Vegas finally is moving forward on a number of fronts to greatly enhance the conference and visitor experience. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has started $2.3 billion in expansion and upgrades that will extend its footprint west to the Strip. The recently formed Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee will make recommendations for economy-growing improvements. The Regional Transportation Commission is planning transit upgrades. And UNLV is working toward the construction of a new stadium between the campus and the Strip, if the Reno political establishment doesn't sabotage it.

Identifying needs is a lot easier than paying for them. That conversation needs to start soon. Our tourist economy depends on it.