A company affiliated with the Las Vegas Spaceport has acquired land for an air taxi helipad near Allegiant Stadium to deliver people to games and concerts at the 65,000-seat home of the Las Vegas Raiders.
If the Federal Aviation Administration approves, UpWin Air Taxi would fly people to within walking distance of Allegiant Stadium at 3625 W. Russell Road.
No timeline has been set for approval.
The landing site is being called Raiders Station and will feature four landing pads and a Raiders-themed welcoming center.
“As traffic congestion continues to grow, UpWin is delivering a faster, more efficient transportation solution,” said Robert Lauer, CEO of UpWin and the top executive behind the Las Vegas Spaceport 31 miles west of Las Vegas near Pahrump. “With our Raiders Station, we’re setting the standard for an air mobility revolution that will redefine how people move around Las Vegas.”
Lauer said having four landing pads would assure there would be no air traffic congestion prior to events.
Lauer estimates flights would last about three minutes and cost $30 per person. He’s now developing a network of landing pads around the Las Vegas Valley from which to transport people to the stadium.
Lauer said his network of landing sites would include luxury hotels, shopping centers, world-class restaurants and major entertainment venues throughout the city. Future plans also include emergency air ambulance services, direct flights to hospitals, and connections to the Spaceport, which has been designated by Clark County as Las Vegas Executive Airport.
Lauer said initially, UpWin would operate standard helicopters for its service but could eventually move to electric-powered helicopters once they’re certified.
Lauer envisions his air taxis flying in prescribed “sky highways” 500 feet off the ground. Air tour helicopters that fly along the Strip fly at around 1,000 feet.
Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.
