Options for Getting To and From the Convention Center

By SEMA News Editors

The Las Vegas Monorail is great for those staying at a hotel near a station. Trains run every seven minutes throughout the day and stop right in front of the LVCC.

As the single largest gathering of small businesses in America, the 2019 SEMA Show is expected to draw nearly 170,000 industry professionals to the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), November 5–8. This year, the Show benefits from several ground-transportation improvements, making a commute to the LVCC easier than ever. For more information about any of the following services, visit www.SEMAShow.com/ground-transportation.

Monorail

Take the monorail to the SEMA Show and save time. There are seven stations along the Las Vegas Monorail route. With a total of nine running trains, one train arrives at each station every few minutes.

The extended Show hours are:

• Monday, November 4:
      6:00 a.m.–12:00 a.m.
• Tuesday, November 5–Thursday, November 7:
      6:00 a.m.–2:00 a.m.
• Friday, November 8:
      6:00 a.m.–3:00 a.m.

Stations:

• MGM Grand Station
• Bally’s/Paris Station
• Flamingo/Caesars Palace Station
• Harrah’s/The LINQ Station
• Las Vegas Convention Center Station
• Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino Station
• SLS Station

Look for Monorail kiosks throughout the Convention Center and at participating hotels. For more information, visit
https://tix.lvmonorail.com/SEMA2019 or call 702-699-8200.

Discounted Ride Passes:

• Single Ride: $5
• 24-Hour Pass: $13
• Two-Day Pass: $23
• Three-Day Pass: $25
• Four-Day Pass: $32
• Five-Day Pass: $38
• Seven-Day Pass: $49

The Las Vegas Monorail is great for those staying at a hotel near a station. Trains run every seven minutes throughout the day and stop right in front of the LVCC.

Hotel Shuttles

Complimentary shuttle bus service is provided each morning and afternoon between the LVCC and official hotels, plus SEMA-to-AAPEX service throughout the day between the LVCC and the Sands Expo Center.

Stops are at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, North Hall Door 10 and the east end of the Performance Pavilion every 20–30 minutes on all Show days.

Hotel shuttles will carry an average of 55 passengers and will be marked with a route number. The route numbers and pickup locations at each hotel are noted on the “Shuttle Bus Pickup Locations” chart in the November issue of SEMA News on p. 406.

For shuttle service to Wynn/Encore, use the SEMA-to-AAPEX Shuttle.

Hours of Operation:

SEMA Show to Hotels

• Tuesday–Thursday: 3:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m.
• Friday: 2:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

Hotels to SEMA Show

• Tuesday–Friday: 7:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m.

SEMA-to-AAPEX Shuttle

Complimentary shuttles are available every 5–10 minutes to the AAPEX Show at the Sands Expo Center. Pickup/drop-off locations are at the east end of the Performance Pavilion and North Hall Door 10.

Hours of Operation:

• Tuesday–Thursday: 7:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m.
• Friday: 7:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. (no midday service)

SEMA Show Loop

The SEMA Show Loop is available to transport Showgoers from one side of the LVCC to the other. Shuttles run every 15 minutes and stop at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, North Hall Door 10, east end of the South Hall and east end of the Performance Pavilion. These will be 25-passenger mini buses marked “SEMA Show Loop.”

Hours of Operation:

• Saturday: 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
• Sunday: 8:00 a.m.–9:30 p.m.
• Monday: 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.
• Tuesday–Thursday: 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
• Friday: 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

Ride-Sharing

Designated drop-off/pick-up locations will be available on the east end of the Performance Pavilion and in the Blue Lot on the east end of the Grand Lobby (adjacent to the Central Hall) for Showgoers using Uber or Lyft to get to and from the LVCC.

Tip: Identify where the Uber and Lyft pick-up/drop-off locations are before ordering your ride. Many hotels have designated lots as well.

Taxis and Limousines

There are two SEMA Show designated drop-off and pick-up areas. These transportation hubs are located on the east side of the Performance Pavilion and in the Blue Lot on the east end of the Grand Lobby. For more information, call the Nevada Taxicab Authority Dispatch at 702-668-4005.

Tip: When getting dropped off, tell your driver which taxi stop you want based on where you are headed. Registration, for example, is closest to the North Taxi Stop.

Strip and DowntownExpress (SDX)

Las Vegas public bus service runs from downtown Las Vegas to the LVCC, and to the Strip. Service includes 18 stops between the LV Premium Outlets in downtown, to the City Parkway, to the LVCC, to the Fashion Show Mall/Bellagio/Excalibur/Mandalay Bay and to South Strip Transfer Terminal.

For more detailed information, visit www.rtcsnv.com or call the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada at 702-228-7433.

Hours of Operation:

• Daily: 9:00 a.m.–12:30 a.m., approximately every 15 minutes. Service starts at 7:00 a.m. on days with major conventions at the LVCC.

Airport Shuttle

Shuttle service to McCarran International Airport will run every 30 minutes Thursday and Friday. The airport shuttles will pick up at North Hall Door 10 and the east end of the Performance Pavilion.

The price is $10 per person (cash only); pay at the bus. For questions, call TMS at 866-439-8563.

Hours of Operation:

• Thursday: 7:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m.
• Friday: 7:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

SEMA Show On-Site Parking

Limited LVCC parking is available for $10 daily on Show days with in/out privileges. Parking is available in the Platinum Lot. There will be no parking in the Platinum Lot Thursday, November 7, and Friday, November 8. Visit www.SEMAShow.com/ground-transportation for more information.

Platinum Lot: Monday–Wednesday, 937 East Desert Inn Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89109

SEMA Show Off-Site Parking

• CCD Lot (305 Convention Center Dr.): $20
• Piero’s Restaurant (355 Convention Center Dr.): $50
• Marriott (325 Convention Center Dr.): $40
• Courtyard Inn (3275 Paradise Rd.): $40
• Westgate Hotel (3000 Paradise Rd.): $30
• Springhill Suites (2989 Paradise Rd.): $40
• Renaissance (3400 Paradise Rd.): $50

Options for Getting To and From the Convention Center

By SEMA News Editors

The Las Vegas Monorail is great for those staying at a hotel near a station. Trains run every seven minutes throughout the day and stop right in front of the LVCC.

As the single largest gathering of small businesses in America, the 2019 SEMA Show is expected to draw nearly 170,000 industry professionals to the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), November 5–8. This year, the Show benefits from several ground-transportation improvements, making a commute to the LVCC easier than ever. For more information about any of the following services, visit www.SEMAShow.com/ground-transportation.

Monorail

Take the monorail to the SEMA Show and save time. There are seven stations along the Las Vegas Monorail route. With a total of nine running trains, one train arrives at each station every few minutes.

The extended Show hours are:

• Monday, November 4:
      6:00 a.m.–12:00 a.m.
• Tuesday, November 5–Thursday, November 7:
      6:00 a.m.–2:00 a.m.
• Friday, November 8:
      6:00 a.m.–3:00 a.m.

Stations:

• MGM Grand Station
• Bally’s/Paris Station
• Flamingo/Caesars Palace Station
• Harrah’s/The LINQ Station
• Las Vegas Convention Center Station
• Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino Station
• SLS Station

Look for Monorail kiosks throughout the Convention Center and at participating hotels. For more information, visit
https://tix.lvmonorail.com/SEMA2019 or call 702-699-8200.

Discounted Ride Passes:

• Single Ride: $5
• 24-Hour Pass: $13
• Two-Day Pass: $23
• Three-Day Pass: $25
• Four-Day Pass: $32
• Five-Day Pass: $38
• Seven-Day Pass: $49

The Las Vegas Monorail is great for those staying at a hotel near a station. Trains run every seven minutes throughout the day and stop right in front of the LVCC.

Hotel Shuttles

Complimentary shuttle bus service is provided each morning and afternoon between the LVCC and official hotels, plus SEMA-to-AAPEX service throughout the day between the LVCC and the Sands Expo Center.

Stops are at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, North Hall Door 10 and the east end of the Performance Pavilion every 20–30 minutes on all Show days.

Hotel shuttles will carry an average of 55 passengers and will be marked with a route number. The route numbers and pickup locations at each hotel are noted on the “Shuttle Bus Pickup Locations” chart in the November issue of SEMA News on p. 406.

For shuttle service to Wynn/Encore, use the SEMA-to-AAPEX Shuttle.

Hours of Operation:

SEMA Show to Hotels

• Tuesday–Thursday: 3:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m.
• Friday: 2:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

Hotels to SEMA Show

• Tuesday–Friday: 7:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m.

SEMA-to-AAPEX Shuttle

Complimentary shuttles are available every 5–10 minutes to the AAPEX Show at the Sands Expo Center. Pickup/drop-off locations are at the east end of the Performance Pavilion and North Hall Door 10.

Hours of Operation:

• Tuesday–Thursday: 7:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m.
• Friday: 7:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. (no midday service)

SEMA Show Loop

The SEMA Show Loop is available to transport Showgoers from one side of the LVCC to the other. Shuttles run every 15 minutes and stop at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, North Hall Door 10, east end of the South Hall and east end of the Performance Pavilion. These will be 25-passenger mini buses marked “SEMA Show Loop.”

Hours of Operation:

• Saturday: 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
• Sunday: 8:00 a.m.–9:30 p.m.
• Monday: 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.
• Tuesday–Thursday: 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
• Friday: 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

Ride-Sharing

Designated drop-off/pick-up locations will be available on the east end of the Performance Pavilion and in the Blue Lot on the east end of the Grand Lobby (adjacent to the Central Hall) for Showgoers using Uber or Lyft to get to and from the LVCC.

Tip: Identify where the Uber and Lyft pick-up/drop-off locations are before ordering your ride. Many hotels have designated lots as well.

Taxis and Limousines

There are two SEMA Show designated drop-off and pick-up areas. These transportation hubs are located on the east side of the Performance Pavilion and in the Blue Lot on the east end of the Grand Lobby. For more information, call the Nevada Taxicab Authority Dispatch at 702-668-4005.

Tip: When getting dropped off, tell your driver which taxi stop you want based on where you are headed. Registration, for example, is closest to the North Taxi Stop.

Strip and DowntownExpress (SDX)

Las Vegas public bus service runs from downtown Las Vegas to the LVCC, and to the Strip. Service includes 18 stops between the LV Premium Outlets in downtown, to the City Parkway, to the LVCC, to the Fashion Show Mall/Bellagio/Excalibur/Mandalay Bay and to South Strip Transfer Terminal.

For more detailed information, visit www.rtcsnv.com or call the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada at 702-228-7433.

Hours of Operation:

• Daily: 9:00 a.m.–12:30 a.m., approximately every 15 minutes. Service starts at 7:00 a.m. on days with major conventions at the LVCC.

Airport Shuttle

Shuttle service to McCarran International Airport will run every 30 minutes Thursday and Friday. The airport shuttles will pick up at North Hall Door 10 and the east end of the Performance Pavilion.

The price is $10 per person (cash only); pay at the bus. For questions, call TMS at 866-439-8563.

Hours of Operation:

• Thursday: 7:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m.
• Friday: 7:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

SEMA Show On-Site Parking

Limited LVCC parking is available for $10 daily on Show days with in/out privileges. Parking is available in the Platinum Lot. There will be no parking in the Platinum Lot Thursday, November 7, and Friday, November 8. Visit www.SEMAShow.com/ground-transportation for more information.

Platinum Lot: Monday–Wednesday, 937 East Desert Inn Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89109

SEMA Show Off-Site Parking

• CCD Lot (305 Convention Center Dr.): $20
• Piero’s Restaurant (355 Convention Center Dr.): $50
• Marriott (325 Convention Center Dr.): $40
• Courtyard Inn (3275 Paradise Rd.): $40
• Westgate Hotel (3000 Paradise Rd.): $30
• Springhill Suites (2989 Paradise Rd.): $40
• Renaissance (3400 Paradise Rd.): $50

Fifty years ago, the Petersen Publishing Company magazine devoted to the business side of automotive enthusiasm devoted a large number of pages over two issues to cover the 1969 SEMA Show. The quotes reproduced above are the stories’ opening lines. Even five decades later, you can feel the adrenaline rush of enthusiasm and accomplishment the editors were experiencing on their first go-around with the coverage and how that rush transformed with a month’s hindsight into a less jubilant but more confident assessment of what went on at the Anaheim Convention Center in early January—and what it bode for the industry.

Fifty years ago, the Petersen Publishing Company magazine devoted to the business side of automotive enthusiasm devoted a large number of pages over two issues to cover the 1969 SEMA Show. The quotes reproduced above are the stories’ opening lines. Even five decades later, you can feel the adrenaline rush of enthusiasm and accomplishment the editors were experiencing on their first go-around with the coverage and how that rush transformed with a month’s hindsight into a less jubilant but more confident assessment of what went on at the Anaheim Convention Center in early January—and what it bode for the industry.

Here we are on the threshold of another outstanding SEMA Show—this year’s mind-blowing collection of innovative parts and accessories displayed on the most unique assemblage of one-off cars and trucks anywhere in the world. It’s a setting where the past inspires, the present fascinates and future trends materialize on the horizon. The industry is here for all opportunities, both current and future, and the SEMA Show is set to deliver.

The Show’s vehicle registration data provides a distinct view of the current industry mainstream, plus a glimpse at emerging trends. The truck and off-road side of the industry continues to lead, but there are changes. Mall crawlers are receding, while there is marked growth in the off-road side of the market. As expected, new Jeep models are continuing to drive investment in real off-roaders, but you’ll find the UTV phenomenon is a growing factor in bringing new products to the Show, and lifted trucks are especially visible when we look at the feature vehicle registration data. You’ll also find more of the expedition-type 4x4s that reflect the overlanding trend, and not just in our new Overland Experience in the Performance Pavilion. You’ll see many more around the Show if our feature vehicle data is any indication.

Also notably spiking upward this year are vehicles in the sport-compact category. Coupled with data from the SEMA-commissioned “Young Accessorizers” market study, astute observers will notice that there’s an important youth market developing right under the industry’s nose. And it’s a market with a built-in future. The study found that while only 27% of young accessorizers get their licenses when they are 16, they become likely to get a license, modify their vehicles, and spend more money on parts as they age into their 20s. By age 24, nearly 83% have licenses and make large contributions toward the $7.3 billion that these youthful enthusiasts spend on their cars each year. A full 51% of the men responding envision themselves customizing in the future, and 44% of the women as well.

As in the past, sport compacts are the vehicles of choice for this demographic, but “accessorizing” to this group can also mean making their vehicles better-connected, more efficient and safer. Learn more about the customizing preferences of this younger generation by downloading the “SEMA Young Accessorizers Report”—available now at www.sema.org/
market-research.

The SEMA Show this year also features glimpses of other future opportunities for those who know where to look. The electric-vehicle market is turning a corner, moving away from the underpowered, odd bodies of the past to new offerings of stunningly capable cars from makers in Europe, Asia and America. We see electric-vehicle motorsports afoot, along with growth in businesses retrofitting cool older cars with electric propulsion systems. The new SEMA Electrified exhibit, located at the entrance of Upper South Hall, highlights our industry’s uptake of this developing performance niche, featuring a land-speed car, electrified customs and a new crate motor concept that could be a game changer as time goes on.

The incredible evolving SEMA Show demonstrates one thing for certain: No matter the era, our enthusiast-based industry is always arriving with something new. The data trail generated by the SEMA Show provides clues as to our automotive future, and there are also the many opportunities of the present. With that in mind, I hope you’ll use the Show to see all opportunities—those available now and in the future—and maximize your success in the years ahead.