Average daily auto traffic through Mesquite sets record high

 

July followed the hot summer sizzle in visitor volume when the number of people coming to Mesquite increased 8.6 percent to 123,208 according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). July 2016 saw 113,405 visitors.

Mesquite once again led all Clark County reporting stations with that percentage increase, besting Laughlin’s 1.1 percent visitor increase and Las Vegas’ decline of 1.0 percent.

The large crowds also boosted the numbers in all other categories of the LVCVA report except one.

Total occupancy rates increased 2.9 percent to 81.5 percent leading to a significant jump in total room nights occupied of 16.5 percent to 48,130.

The average daily room rate dropped slightly by 1.5 percent from last year’s 53.64 to this year’s $52.81. The revenue per available room (RevPAR) rose 2.1 percent from $42.16 last year to $43.04 this year.

Gross gaming revenue increased 6.1 percent to $8.968 million. Last year the gaming take was $8.451 million.

The average daily auto traffic on I-15 at the Nevada Arizona border increased 2.9 percent to 31,047 vehicles passing through Mesquite each day. That is a record high since LVCVA started keeping count.

Laughlin’s visitor numbers fared well as total occupancy increased 2.3 percent to 79.4 percent and total room nights occupied rose 1.9 percent to 244,023.

The average daily room rate in Laughlin increased 2.4 percent to $54.64 and RevPAR went up 5.4 percent to $43.38. Gross gaming revenues in Laughlin increased 6.8 percent to $40.647 million.

Airplane passengers in and out of Laughlin jumped 17.6 percent while the average daily auto traffic on Highway 163 increased 6.1 percent to 5,122 each day.

The LVCVA reported that gaming revenues were “a difficult comparison to a particularly strong July 2016” with overall Clark County revenues down 2.2 percent and Strip gaming declining 7.7 percent. However, downtown Las Vegas gaming revenues increased 7.8 percent and the Boulder Strip revenues jumped 19.3 percent.

Average daily room rates in Las Vegas increased 5.6 percent while RevPAR also rose 6.5 percent. Total room nights occupied in Vegas hotels and motels dropped a slight 0.6 percent.

Average daily auto traffic on all major highways into Las Vegas increased 0.5 percent with traffic on I-15 at the Nevada California border falling a miniscule 0.8 percent from July 2016.