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The Las Vegas Monorail’s ridership is sinking fast. In December they hit a new record low of roughly 478,000 passengers. The total ridership for 2006 was down about 32 percent from 2005. It seems people are turning away from the monorail in droves.

I think there are two problems with the monorail as it exists today – convenience and cost.

The monorail is not very convenient, to get to the stations, which are behind the casinos, takes a fairly long hike in most cases. The walk from the strip to one of the station is often longer than the walk between two casinos. Add to that the long walk after you get off the monorail and you just spend too much time walking.

The next problem is the cost. At $5.00 a ride it is just too expensive. If you have two people, you are better off taking a taxi. A taxi ride anywhere along the strip will cost about the same, it will be quicker, more pleasant and involve less walking. The monorail, at less than 4 miles long, is tiny compared to other transit systems. The subway in New York City, for example costs only $1.50 per ride. The cost of the monorail is way out of line for what it provides.

In the original plans for the monorail was a line that went to the airport, and it looks like that might finally happen. In December the Clark County government voted to approve the extension. This might one reason for people to start taking the monorail. The ride would be a little longer than the existing line between casinos, and people might be willing to pay $5.00 for it. At peak time the taxi line at McCarran airport can be huge, and the monorail could provide a good alternative. Also, many of the hotel lobbies are in the backs of the casinos, close to the monorail station. The question is, do travelers want to lug their suitcases around the monorail?

It will be a while before it will be seen if this new extension improves things, officials hope to start working on the extension by 2008 and have it finished by 2011. Until then, it would be no suprise to see the ridership keep shrinking.

LAS VEGAS, Feb. 20 /PRNewswire/ — STOMP OUT LOUD, the extraordinary new production from the creators of the international sensation STOMP, comes to Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas this spring with a cast double the size of the original production and performed inside a new, $28 million theater specifically created for this production.

Directed and created by Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas, STOMP OUT LOUD will begin performances on March 24, 2007 with a grand opening slated for early April.

A unique combination of percussion, movement, and visual comedy, STOMP has created its own inimitable form of musical entertainment. With STOMP OUT LOUD, the experience is transformed for Las Vegas with new sequences and choreography, a dynamically expanded cast and a completely new environment that will immerse the audience from the moment they enter the 1,500-seat theatre. STOMP OUT LOUD is a journey through sound, a celebration of the everyday, and a comic interplay of characters wordlessly communicating through dance and percussion.

“We are very excited to bring STOMP OUT LOUD to Las Vegas because it gives us the chance to do things with the show that we’ve always wanted to do,” says co-creator Steve McNicholas. “We think it’s an ideal match and look forward to showing audiences a side of STOMP that they’ve never seen before,” added co-creator Luke Cresswell.

“STOMP OUT LOUD brings an energy, wit and exuberance that makes it the perfect entertainment centerpiece for Planet Hollywood,” said Robert Earl, co-chairman of Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. “Whether you’ve seen STOMP before or not makes no difference. You’ve never seen anything like STOMP OUT LOUD.”

STOMP OUT LOUD will perform in The Showroom at Aladdin Resort & Casino, soon to be Planet Hollywood Hotel & Casino Thursday though Tuesday (dark Wednesday) with ticket prices ranging from $50 to $110. Tickets are scheduled to go on sale by March 1.

STOMP, which originated in Brighton, UK, opened in New York in 1994 and has since played over 10,000 shows around the world. STOMP is currently playing in New York, London’s West End, and on both international and North American tours. STOMP is the winner of London’s Olivier Award, off-Broadway’s Outer Critics Circle Award for Unique Theatrical Experience, and an Obie Award. Cresswell and McNicholas’ credits and awards include an Academy Award nomination for the short film Brooms, four Emmy nominations (winning one) for their HBO special, and a Best Film award for the Imax film Pulse: A Stomp Odyssey. Visit www.stomponline.com for US information and www.stomp.co.uk for news on the London and European companies.

STOMP OUT LOUD is produced by BASE Entertainment (Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular), together with the producers of Stomp: Columbia Artist Theatricals LLC (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), Schuster Entertainment Inc. (Shockheaded Peter, Oleanna, Vita and Virginia), Marc Routh Productions (The Producers, Hairspray), Richard Frankel Productions (The Producers, Hairspray), in association with Yes/No Productions.