Several years ago I read - Beneath the Neon by Matthew O'Brien. I just can't seem to put it down re-reading and re-reading. Since reading I been taking pictures of the tunnels/drain whenever I see them, mapping them,researching them and even having conversations with some of the homeless on the bridges between casinos who call them their homes much to the wife's dismay. . I have even gone back and forth with Matt via email and facebook. I have become nearly consumed with them as I have a fascination with things like this ............ abandoned buildings and homes, tunnels, caves etc. So this last trip - pre Memorial day I made up my mind I was going to visit one and go through it. Disclaimer - these tunnels can be very dangerous - do not do this without knowing exactly what you are getting into. My beginner tunnel/drain was near the Las Vegas Welcome Sign ......................... got up very early and went. I encountered one homeless man at the entrance to the tunnel. He did not want his picture taken - said his name was Charles. Nice guy - I felt at ease around him. Asked him how long he had been living in the tunnel. 2 years - had a business got sued, IRS seized all his assets and boom his life went to shit. He had much disdain for the IRS and the government. Here are some pics ............ The tunnel to the west littered with beer cans was basically a bathroom for those living down there - I did not go in. The smell was over powering and I was told loaded with black widows the farther you go. The tunnel to east had about 5 or six cardboard boxes where Charles and those down there would make their camps. No one else was down there at the time other than Charles. It comes out at beside a wedding chapel across from Mandalay Bay inside a 30 foot barbed wire fence just outside the runway at McCarren. I also visited and went in a much larger tunnel that is under the LinQ hotel ............ this one was amazing. I'll post some pictures of it later today ......... got to get some work done.
Nice pictures of somewhere a lot of people visiting Vegas don't realise exist, I remember watching a documentary about the homeless living in the storm drains I think it was from the same guy who got into the Bluefountaine and got to the top of it
Motorcat, thanks for the fascinating pics and post about the other side of Vegas. Looking forward to seeing more pics, thanks for sharing those with us!
Interesting post and pics. Looking forward to more. Thanks for sharing the other side of Vegas very few know or care about. It's so scary to think that there are people living in these places when at any moment they can be swept away and killed if they are unaware of what's happening. Just the other day on t.v. was a documentary that highlighted the Vegas tunnels and the people who live in it. A whole different world down there.
Not to steal any thunder from Motorcat, but here's Part 1 of the UnderCity videos The Stig mentioned above: [video]https://youtu.be/sDDbACgIwj8[/video] I, too, am fascinated with these videos and this topic (although I'm not brave/stupid enough to head down in there). Looking forward to what else you discovered.
I've seen these videos before and some others. I think remember them saying it was really dangerous and that they almost were shot at. Also, thecarve, love that Wilco album
This guy so ripped of Matt O'Brien. Matt did this stuff some 9 years ago. This guy used Matt as a resource - promised him a mention and some air time and all Matt got was a small credit at the end and a pair of boots. Youtube search Beneath the Neon to see some of Matt's original work ................ Lisa Ling and Matt do a venture into the tunnels as well. Just getting home - I'll have some more pics up soon.
Ok - this set was taken underneath the LinQ Hotel starts with the entrance - ends with the exit. There is an opening in a fenced off section in the parking deck underneath the LinQ Hotel. One I could not believe it was open and two not a no trespass sign in sight. Not that I pay much attention to No Trespass signs. Anyway - this tunnel/drain leads to the area you usually see on TV when it floods. Entrance I unknowingly kicked a can about right here and nearly shit myself. blurred but I love the pic The exit I was warned about going in here - so I did not........... A very dangerous part of the system. From the monorail That is all I got .......... wish I could of done another one but the wife was PO'ed about the first tunnel and ready to divorce me after this one. Can't wait for the next trip ---- the plan is to go under Ceasars from the other side of I15 and come out on the other side of the strip.
Thanks for the pics! It truly is fascinating. I've followed Matt since he first wrote about the tunnels in LV Weekly. Got a chance to meet him when he spoke at a writer's group - good stuff. My brother lives behind the Palms, the wash runs behind his apartment. Whenever there is the threat of rain, the drain folks surface and line the upper banks of the wash with their belongings. It's always a relief to see they get out, but you know some aren't so lucky.
I can't relate to this guy, I don't find this interesting. Anything in Nevada outside of the strip and downtown is completely not interesting to me. Maybe I'm not well rounded, who knows?!
I saw a documentary a few years ago and they estimated there were over 1,000 people living in the tunnels in Vegas. Whenever the flash floods hit I wonder how many get swept away. Most people have no clue what's directly under them when they're in Vegas.
This has always been interesting to me too. I read or watch everything about it when it comes up. The first I heard of it was from a show Dr Phil did on a couple that lived in the tunnel. I often wonder what happened to them.
Did Dr Phil have them on the show? I can't imagine that. The show would have to go into the tunnels... find two homeless people... fly them to where they film the Dr Phil show, put them up in a hotel, clean them up and give them decent clothing, film the show, fly them back to the tunnel and give them their clothing back and tell them to have a nice day. They probably filmed it on location.
The documentary I saw, you'd swear the couple wasn't homeless. They were wearing nice clean clothes and had a small area setup like an apartment in the tunnel. Sheets of plywood for walls, old abandoned furniture and some old worn out carpet for flooring
On Dr Phil, the daughters of the woman called. They knew where she was and they wanted her to get help. They did go to the location and filmed where they were living, had a little dwelling basically set up in the tunnel. Then they brought her out for the show, explained how/why she got into that situation, talked to her and her daughters, sent her for treatment for her substance abuse directly from the show etc. I am just wondering if she went back to the tunnels or if she continued with treatment and got help.
