Unique "Autotainment" Facility will Offer Performance and Off-Road Driving Thrills
On April 10, with tons of dirt and a dose of speed, the corner of Paradise Road and Sahara Avenue will be transformed when General Motors officially opens the doors of “The Drive.” The unique, hands-on driving facility will offer a first-of-its-kind “autotainment” experience within the United States.
“The Drive” will feature two professionally-designed driving courses, including a high-performance loop and an off-road adventure with two trails over a dirt terrain. Located at the Sahara Hotel & Casino and just steps from The Strip, “The Drive” is situated on 11 acres leased by GM from the hotel. For the duration of the project, GM will also be a marketing and advertising partner of the Las Vegas Monorail Company, and will have the only brand presence at the monorail station at the Sahara Hotel & Casino, currently the most northern point of the Las Vegas Monorail system. General Motors has also teamed up with VEGAS.com to be the exclusive ticketing source for The Drive.
“‘The Drive’ represents a significant marketing opportunity for General Motors, allowing us to showcase our products in a unique fashion that will provide a fun-filled time for the millions of people who live in or visit Las Vegas,” said Steve Tihanyi, general director, marketing and entertainment alliances for General Motors. “This platform elevates the driving experience, without pressure to buy, to another level that has never been presented within the U.S. ”
“The Drive’s” Performance course will feature a half-mile paved route with jogs and turns complete with chicanes to enjoy both the speed and handling control of pure sports car driving thrills. The Off-Road course will be situated in the middle of the oval Performance course and can be reached via a walking bridge.
The Off-Road course encompasses two adventure trails to test out HUMMER vehicles, or GM’s powerful full-size SUVs and trucks. The main trail (for HUMMERs) features a 15-foot mountain to traverse, intensely sloped banks, v-ditches, giant moguls and aggressive obstacles to climb. A secondary trail (for trucks and SUVs) presents slighter- sloped banks, a dirt hill, moguls and obstacles.
“The addition of ‘The Drive’ is proof that the monorail is rapidly becoming an icon level attraction of the most-visited city in the world,” said Curtis Myles III, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Monorail Company. “We look forward to the marketing partnership with General Motors as it embarks on this journey.”
Upon opening, the vehicle mix offered at “The Drive” will include 13 different products from six GM divisions (Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, HUMMER, Pontiac and Saab). As new products become available, the vehicle offerings at “The Drive” will be refreshed and expanded to also include Buick and Saturn vehicles.
Initial vehicle choices to be unleashed on the Performance course will include: the Chevy Corvette coupe and convertible; Pontiac GTO, Cadillac CTS-V; Pontiac Solstice roadster; Cadillac STS-V; Saab 9-3 convertible; and Chevy SSR.
Ignition keys to the rugged yet refined HUMMER H2, HUMMER H2 SUT and mid-size HUMMER H3 will be available to consumers who want to navigate the main trail of the Off-Road course. On the second trail GM will feature the 2007 Cadillac Escalade, 2006 Chevy Silverado Diesel and the 2007 Chevy Tahoe. Select vehicles will be E85 FlexFuel- compatible.
“Guests of the Sahara Hotel can get behind the wheel of a true sports car, or enjoy the thrill of an off-road experience in complete safety, and all of this is right outside our doors,” said John F. Morocco, director of operations for the Sahara Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. “The partnership with General Motors and the Monorail offers our guests a world-class attraction unlike any other on The Strip.”
“The Drive” will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. seven days a week, including holidays. Hours are subject to change due to daylight and/or special events.
A single driver ticket will cost $10 and entitles the bearer to one of the following:
Two experiences on the Performance course (four laps), or
Two experiences on the Off-Road course (two laps), or
One experience on the Performance course (two laps) plus one experience on the Off-Road course (one lap).
Drivers who want more than two experiences will be required to purchase an additional ticket. Passengers may accompany a driver at no cost. For those wanting to watch, “The Drive” will feature special viewing locations to capture pictures and witness drivers experiencing the courses offered.
All drivers must be 18 years of age or older, present a valid driver’s license, sign a safety waiver, and pass a breathalyzer test (zero tolerance). A professional driver will sit in the passenger seat with all drivers on the Performance and Off-Road courses to receive the optimum and safest experience at “The Drive.”
Driver tickets may be purchased at “The Drive,” or online in advance at VEGAS.com or LasVegas.com. Advance Driver tickets may also be purchased at any of VEGAS.com’s 26 concierge and retail locations at many of the most popular hotels on The Strip, including (but not limited to) the MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, Luxor, Paris, Bally’s, the Palms and the Stardust.
At A Glance
OVERVIEW: A unique hands-on driving facility presented by General Motors that features two fun-filled courses, including a high performance loop and an off-road adventure over a dirt terrain. The Drive provides an “autotainment” experience unlike anything else offered within the United States .
OPENING/DURATION: April 10, 2006 ; Open for a minimum of six months (upon opening)
SAHARA/MONORAIL: For the duration of The Drive, General Motors will be a marketing and advertising partner of the Las Vegas Monorail Company including having the only brand presence at the monorail station at the Sahara Hotel & Casino – the northernmost point of the Las Vegas Monorail system. The Sahara and GM have teamed up to provide special benefits at The Drive for registered hotel guests. Upon check-in, any two persons staying in one hotel room will receive a coupon that is valid for a “2-for-1” discount on tickets at The Drive.
SIZE: Resides on 11 acres leased by GM from the Sahara Hotel & Casino
LOCATION: 475 East Sahara Avenue , Las Vegas , NV 89104
Southeast corner of Sahara Avenue and Paradise Road
At the Sahara Hotel & Casino, just steps from The Strip
Adjacent to the Las Vegas Monorail station at the Sahara
DRIVING COURSES: Performance: A half-mile paved route with jogs and turns complete with chicanes to enjoy both the speed and handling control of pure sports car driving thrills; Off-Road : N avigate one of two trails encompassing dirt hill climbs, v-ditches, sloped banks, moguls and obstacles.
VEHICLES: 13 vehicle types offered upon opening* (7 performance; 6 off-road)
*As new GM products become available, the vehicle mix will be refreshed and expanded.
HOURS: Open seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (PT). Hours are subject to change due to daylight and/or special events.
TICKET COST: $10 per Driver ticket; Passengers may accompany drivers for free
TICKET OUTLETS: Driver tickets may be purchased on-site. Advance Driver tickets may be purchased online at VEGAS.com or LasVegas.com, or at any of VEGAS.com’s 26 concierge and retail locations at many of the most popular hotels on The Strip.
INFORMATION: (866) 244-0095 or thedrivelasvegas.com