ith less foot traffic expected after the Sahara closes May 16, investors might shy away from setting up shop in the economically troubled area. Neighboring the Sahara, the Fountainebleau sits unfinished and the Echelon project is little more than a concrete slab.
"It makes it less interesting for people to get from one part of the strip to another," Brown said. "It's already difficult to move pretty far along the Strip, and having an interruption (such as the Sahara closure) will reduce foot traffic."
The Stratosphere will soon be the lone casino-resort in the immediate area, but its director of customer service said it doesn't expect to be hurt by the Sahara's closure.
"Potentially we'll see a decline in foot traffic, but we believe we have a great location," said Tim Kuykendall, of the Stratosphere. "It's easy to access off Interstate 15 and Sahara (Avenue) and the Monorail still runs through here."
Brown said it could be at least two years before any major investments can be expected on the Strip.
