MGM Resorts is "not building a new parking garage to accommodate the influx of customers" to the area surrounding the new Las Vegas arena it is constructing in conjunction with AEG -- instead, the company "plans to rely on existing garages and lots for now," according to J.D. Morris of the LAS VEGAS SUN. MGM Resorts CEO Jim Murren on Thursday said that the company "did not have all the answers as to how it would address parking once the arena opens." He said that the company was "still studying the issue." In fact, Murren said that he "originally preferred a different spot for the arena -- to the south, near his company’s Mandalay Bay resort." He added the arena is instead being built at its current location "in large part because of the surrounding infrastructure, including 'thousands of parking spaces that we don’t use today.'" Murren stressed that it was "'pretty premature' to discuss with certainty how the parking situation would work." Still, he "indicated that all options are possible -- including charging for parking spots." Doing so, at least during big events at the arena, "could arguably help control the supply of existing spaces." Murren: "Everything’s on the table at this point in time. I bet that by the end of this year, we will have a very clear plan for people to recognize that we have everyone’s interest in heart and in mind when we come up with our (parking) solution" (LASVEGASSUN.com, 10/31).
