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Jun. 17, 2009
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

County approves Rent-a-Car Center slot machine bid despite cost

Commissioners won't seek new bids on contract 41.6 percent higher than engineer's estimate

By BENJAMIN SPILLMAN
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL



Anxious to get revenue wherever they can find it, Clark County commissioners approved a construction proposal that will make way for slot machines at an airport rental car facility despite a recommendation to reject all the bids.

Commissioners voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve a $375,553 bid to complete office space at the Rent-a-Car Center at McCarran International Airport even though the bid was 41.6 percent higher than an engineer's estimate of what the job should cost.

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    • The office space is important in terms of generating revenue because it will house an area to supervise slot machines, a requirement under Nevada gambling regulations.

    Slot machines are a major revenue-generating concession at the airport, earning about $38.5 million from more than 1,300 slot machines in the last fiscal year. Operating revenue for the entire year at McCarran and four smaller county airports was $376 million.

    Officials hope to install 40 slots at the Rent-a-Car Center, although they don't have an estimate of how much money they will generate. With the vote Tuesday, the project could be complete by fall.

    A recommendation on the commission agenda suggested rejecting all three bids as an option.

    But commissioners decided that seeking new bids would take too much time and opted to move forward with the only bid that met legal qualifications.

    "I don't want to lose that slot machine revenue," Commissioner Steve Sisolak said.

    Before the vote, Clark County Aviation Director Randall Walker told the board "every week of delay is lost revenue."

    Walker added, "It would take us at least a month to get this re-bid and back to the board."

    The bid commissioners accepted was from Shaw Lundquist Construction.

    Two other bids deemed nonresponsive for failing to conform to bid requirements came in at $356,237 and $285,844, respectively.

    One bidder fell from contention after a mistake, discovered after the bid was submitted, that underestimated the cost of doing the project by $157,000.

    The other bidder failed to list a subcontractor that had been specified in the request for proposal.

    In other airport-related business the commission:

    • Decided against a plan to put about 2.3 acres of land at 4700 S. Paradise Road up for sale.

    The commissioners were wary of an appraisal saying the land was worth $5.2 million because earlier appraisals, written before the Las Vegas real estate market fell precipitously, valued the property below $3 million.

    • Approved a one-year extension of a lobbying and governmental affairs contract with Marcus G. Faust valued at $200,000 annually.

    Contact reporter Benjamin Spillman at bspillman@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3861.

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    lvfarmer wrote on June 17, 2009 09:43 AM: The Rent-a-Center is great. I rent my car & and check in on-line. All I have to do is catch the bus at the airport.
    At the Rent-a-Center I bypass the counters, walk to the garage and pick-up my car and I'm on my at the most 15 to 20 min.


    educated wrote on June 17, 2009 07:55 AM: Just for the record: This consolidated Rent-a-Center is a big mess. The wait to get a car is at least 1 hour if not longer whereas before, one could get their car right down the street and you were off. Thanks for nothing. I actually only come to Vegas anymore when I have to and I used to live her for 43 years, don't miss it.


    vegastourist wrote on June 17, 2009 06:23 AM: Some observations from a non-resident:

    1. With your commissioners deciding to take the highest bid on this project, I believe that they could be elected to hold office in Texas.

    2. As a frequent user of rent cars in Las Vegas, I will be surprised if the revenue is anything near what they are expecting. At the airport, I'm a captive audience and looking for ways to kill time until boarding my plane. At the rent center, I want my car muy pronto so I can get to my casino destination.

    3. Why in the heck does the county need a lobbyist? Doesn't Nevada have a county government association and/or municipal association that carries legislation forward? Additionally, I would have thought that any county commissioner would know who to contact in the lege or in the congressional delegation about legislation in which they are interested.


    Bat Guano wrote on June 17, 2009 06:10 AM: Slot machines in rental cars is long overdue. Way to go Vegas.


    -the chad wrote on June 17, 2009 05:20 AM: I say we just give everyone in line to rent a car a wireless video slot machine with a credit card swipe, heck, even make a 'demo' version for the kids, can't start them too young ya know, lol.


    Gopher wrote on June 17, 2009 05:15 AM: The fix is in and local govt is operating as always. Somebody has paid off the Board and the taxpayer will be left holding the bag.


    ex gambler wrote on June 17, 2009 03:01 AM: Maybe we can have the car renters play keno while they are waiting to check out their cars and perhaps we can serve them booze to coax a few more bucks out of them before they pull out.


    But the gaming company will not bear responsibility if that intoxicated gambler drives off and kills someone. Gaming companies are exempt from responsibilty. Their only responsibility is to managements compensation package.