The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority’s board of directors has approved a plan to demolish the shuttered Riviera property, paving the way for the hotel-casino to replace it with more convention space. According to an article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority’s decision affirms a recommendation of its Convention Center District committee to tear down the 60-year-old building.
Board members voted unanimously to demolish the property, which likely will occur early next year, choosing that option over delaying its removal or preserving a portion of the structure.
The committee considered two plans at a meeting in July, according to the article. Under one, it would demolish the historic hotel as soon as feasible, which would allow the authority to clear the land and rent it to convention vendors wanting outdoor exhibit space.
The other option was to hold off on its removal. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that earlier during the board’s meeting, Kelden Engel, who plans to attend the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ hotel administration school as a freshman in the fall, made an impassioned plea to preserve at least one of the towers of the Riviera.
The authority bought the Riviera for $182.5 million plus $8.5 million in transaction costs in February. It expects to spend $2.3 billion to expand the Las Vegas Convention Center to the Las Vegas Strip.
The board was told by a contractor leading the expansion project that it could cost $42 million to demolish the casino and replace the 26-acre site with a paved lot for temporary outside exhibit space until it can build convention space that would expand its footprint from 3.1 million square feet to 5 million square feet.
Board members voted unanimously to demolish the property, which likely will occur early next year, choosing that option over delaying its removal or preserving a portion of the structure.
The committee considered two plans at a meeting in July, according to the article. Under one, it would demolish the historic hotel as soon as feasible, which would allow the authority to clear the land and rent it to convention vendors wanting outdoor exhibit space.
The other option was to hold off on its removal. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that earlier during the board’s meeting, Kelden Engel, who plans to attend the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ hotel administration school as a freshman in the fall, made an impassioned plea to preserve at least one of the towers of the Riviera.
The authority bought the Riviera for $182.5 million plus $8.5 million in transaction costs in February. It expects to spend $2.3 billion to expand the Las Vegas Convention Center to the Las Vegas Strip.
The board was told by a contractor leading the expansion project that it could cost $42 million to demolish the casino and replace the 26-acre site with a paved lot for temporary outside exhibit space until it can build convention space that would expand its footprint from 3.1 million square feet to 5 million square feet.
The exact cost of the demolition won't be known until the agency seeks bids for the work.
Terry Miller of Cordell Corp., which is managing the Las Vegas Convention Center District project, says it would cost $5 million to $10 million a year to secure and maintain the building if demolition were delayed.
Authority officials have said the Riviera would be inventoried for hazardous materials before it is torn down. Demolition would go to a public bid and at that time it would be determined if the building would be imploded or demolished by a more conventional means.
Terry Miller of Cordell Corp., which is managing the Las Vegas Convention Center District project, says it would cost $5 million to $10 million a year to secure and maintain the building if demolition were delayed.
Authority officials have said the Riviera would be inventoried for hazardous materials before it is torn down. Demolition would go to a public bid and at that time it would be determined if the building would be imploded or demolished by a more conventional means.