Las Vegas Convention Center prepares for return of business
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — The World of Concrete arrives back in Las Vegas on Monday, June 7, the first major convention to take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center since March 2020.
Here's something that's different: When the thousands of convention-goers arrive, if they feel sick, they can go to a high-tech, telemedicine station located inside the Convention Center’s North Hall.
“Las Vegas Convention Center is the first convention center in the world to have OnMed,” says Austin White, the CEO of the company that made the health care facility.
It is, essentially, a doctor's office and a pharmacy in a box. The self-contained medical unit connects you with certified health professionals such as nurse practitioners who can diagnose and dispense, for whatever ails you.
OnMed includes two fully self-cleaning diagnostic booths, which enclose for privacy and fully disinfect after you depart. In between is an automated dispensing unit stocked with a wide variety of prescriptions.
The cost is $65 for a visit.
“So within 15 to 18 minutes, you could come in, be diagnosed, be treated, have your medication dispensed, and be walking out the door,” White tells me.
Its one-way health will take center stage at the convention center in 2021, as it resumes conventions.
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Last year, World of Concrete brought 54,000 people here. Brian Yost, the LVCVA's chief operating officer, tells me they expect fewer this year, but no matter how many show up, they'll see something different.
“They'll notice that the frequency of sanitization and cleaning of high touch surfaces, really, all surfaces, has been increased,” says Yost. “One thing they won't see, is we have significantly enhanced the air filtration.”
And here's another thing they'll notice: This will be the first real run of the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop, the near-$50 million underground people mover built by Elon Musk's The Boring Company.
It had what's called a capacity test Tuesday. Our camera couldn't go underground, but we did see people and Teslas moving above ground. Yost tells us more than 300 people took part in the test.
The system is supposed to move about 4,400 people an hour between three stations that span from the north end of our convention complex to the west end, next to the new Convention Center expansion.
The report from Tuesday?
“It's going exceptionally well. The vehicles are proving the efficiency of the system, proving that achieving that 4,400 person capacity expectation is well within our sights,” Yost says.
Clark County moves to full capacity on June 1, and masks are encouraged for those who have not been vaccinated. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority says it is working with upcoming shows to make sure their events are safe.
“You will not see the social distancing requirements. You may see some wider aisles in some shows,” Yost tells us.
