The Secret Underground Community That Lives in the Tunnels Under Las Vegas is Not For the Faint of Heart

By: Ene Ayegba | Published: Nov 11, 2023

Las Vegas is famous for its glittering lights, lively nightlife, and grand casinos. However, only a few people visiting Sin City know about its underground area. Most tourists stroll up and down the sites, gambling, shopping, sightseeing, and eating all day. However, most of them never discover the labyrinth of underground tunnels beneath the city that has become a sanctuary for unhoused people.

Many people have heard of the tunnels, but few have seen them. Even some locals have confused looks when the underground tunnels are mentioned. We’ll be exploring this hidden world and the challenges faced by the people who call it home.

The Origin of the Underground Tunnels

How this underground city began remains a mystery. Some say the tunnels began as a way for bootleggers to escape during the prohibition era, but that’s a common misconception. The government first started digging these tunnels to redirect water from the city.

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However, the government never expected what it would become in the years to come or that their little project would become a lifeline for the unhoused community.

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A Labyrinth of Tunnels

The maze of tunnels beneath Las Vegas is elaborate and fascinating. It encompasses hundreds of miles intending to capture and redirect water. There are several entrances to these tunnels all over the town.

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Some of the biggest entrances are next to popular casino resorts like the Rio, Caesars Palace, and the Flamingo. Although some tunnels are only 4-5 feet tall, some can be as high as 15 feet.

Building a Life Underground

While the tunnels are mostly dark and damp, thousands of people in the Las Vegas area call these tunnels home. Sadly, the people living in this underground city are America’s forgotten.

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Although the tunnels offer little comfort, it is a welcome shelter for those left behind by the country. Some of them are only living in the tunnels temporarily, while other tenants have made them their permanent homes.

America’s Housing Insecurity Epidemic

One wonders how there are so many unhoused people living in the city. It all began with the housing insecurity epidemic in the US. Over 200,000 Americans sleep in public places because they have nowhere else to call home.

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You can find hundreds of people crowding shelters, pitching tents, and sleeping under bridges in various towns. But, eventually, people found that the underground city offered lasting solace and made a home there.

The Pandemic’s Toll on Housing

Although America already had a housing crisis, the pandemic only seemed to exacerbate the issue. Many came to accept it, and most looked away and ignored the glaring problem.

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With most unhoused people sleeping under the city, it was easier to pretend that the growing crisis didn’t exist. The government turned a blind eye to the ever-increasing number of people moving to the tunnels, and soon, the underground city had thriving communities.

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Finding Comfort Underground

The hidden community contrasts sharply with the bright signs glowing around the clock above the surface. There’s no fresh water below the city, and the only electricity comes from batteries.

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However, the people living underground have managed to piece together what they can find while finding comfort in the little things. Each tunnel has its rituals and customs. There are also unofficial leaders enforcing the set tunnel laws.

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Trapped in the Tunnels Grip

Entering the tunnels isn’t always easy, as there’s little to no space left for new residents, and getting out can be even more difficult. Although many people would love to leave, most are afraid to explore the world beyond the tunnels.

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The fear of getting to a place far more traumatic and dangerous than anything they’ve experienced in the tunnels keeps most people in place. The residents strive to survive each passing day, hoping that they’ll eventually be able to climb out of the darkness of the underground city.

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Creating an Underground Haven

The people living in the city have created a haven for themselves with whatever they can find. They have beds with bed frames, barbecue grills, coolers, tables, and chairs. Most of these items were pulled from curbs and dumpsters, but they’ve helped to set up a home for the residents.

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Most of the beds and bookcases are set up so that they’re a foot or two off the ground, and you’ll never guess why.

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Shelter from the Storm

The underground tunnels were created to redirect floods from the city. Therefore, when the water comes through, it usually comes fast and hard. Due to this, the water sweeps away everything it comes in contact with.

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The residents find creative ways to survive the floods. They try not to stay too far from the entrance since it’s easy to get swept away in the waves coursing through the tunnels. The powerful waves of water have been dangerous enough to have deadly consequences, but people keep braving the dangers to settle in the tunnels.

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An Underground Struggle with Addiction

Although the underground city is considered a haven, it’s also filled with residents who struggle with addiction. It has also become a makeshift home for drug peddlers looking to stay under the radar of law enforcement officials.

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However, not everyone in the city is an addict. Some people simply ran away from home and have nowhere to go or lost jobs and their homes. The tunnels offer some semblance of a home for people from all walks of life.

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A Hotbed of Mayhem and Mischief

The floods aren’t the only danger faced by tunnel residents. The underground city is also home to violence and crime, and it has become a hotbed of criminals taking advantage of vulnerable people.

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Several tunnel residents have also been attacked by predators who prey on the unhoused community. Some are hiding from the law, some from their parents, and others from people who wish them harm.

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A Sharing Culture

Despite the dangers haunting the tunnels, there’s also a culture of sharing. This culture developed due to the belief that there are times your life will be entirely dependent on your neighbor. It is also a great way to survive the horrors beneath the city.

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The tunnel residents look out for each other and share their resources. They’re happy to share, whether it’s a can of food or a sleeping bag. As a result, many have formed close bonds and become family along the way.

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Law and Order

Due to the nature of life beneath the city, having a sort of law and order in the tunnels became imperative. Every community in the tunnels has elected officials and a mayor who keeps the peace.

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These officials are vital to the survival of folks living in the tunnels. They ensure the safety of residents from those hiding from the law while ensuring that every resident is safe.

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Enter Paul Vautrinot

Paul is a 34-year-old man with arm and neck tattoos always peeking out of his shirts. He is the executive director of Shine A Light, a non-profit outreach program designed to assist those who live in the tunnels.

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Source: Shine a Light Foundation/Facebook

Each year, Shine A Light helps dozens of tunnel residents with drug counseling, job training, and housing. However, Paul Vautrinot wasn’t always in this position; you’ll never guess his origins.

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Rocky Beginnings

Paul stayed in the tunnels for three years, and how he ended up there might surprise you. He grew up in Las Vegas with a mother who was an addict. However, Paul didn’t move to the tunnels to escape his mother.

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He experimented with drugs as a teenager, and at 18, the daughter of a wealthy businessman offered Paul a taste of opium. Thus began Paul’s long journey with heroin.

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Life on the Streets

It wasn’t until a year later that Paul began to live on the street. One day, he met a group of older men who invited him down to their tunnel, and Paul saw a new life beneath the city he had always lived in.

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Some of these men had lived in the underground city for almost a decade. They had furniture, a cooler filled with cold beers, and a fire pit. They offered Paul a mattress, a bed, and a nightstand so he could take up residence in the tunnels.

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The New Guy

Being the newest resident in the underground city, Paul’s bed was the closest to the entrance. He had a special tunnel job reserved only for the newest residents. Paul was responsible for always informing other residents when someone was coming.

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He learned the various sounds for alerting visitors, especially about the police. Although this was a different pace from the life Paul knew above the tunnels, he was happy to have shelter and a community to share it with.

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Living By the Rules

Paul soon learned that there were codes the tunnel residents lived by and mutually agreed upon rules that all residents, including himself, had to follow.

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The consequence of breaking the code was a scary alternative for Paul. It meant you could simply return from a day’s hustle and find your items on fire. This was the method of evicting residents from the tunnels, and it was the most effective.

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A New Home

Paul settled into his new home and got acquainted with more residents in the underground city. He loved to explore the labyrinthine maze and develop new friendships. He even had a few relationships with other tunnel residents.

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Few people knew the tunnels the way that Paul did. When he wanted to, Paul would speed through the labyrinth of tunnels on his bike in pitch darkness, and he never missed his way. He was loved by all and content with his new life.

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Living on the Edge

Soon, Paul started to deal drugs from his new home. He hatched an elaborate plan to ensure he thrived in his new business. He would meet buyers at various grates in town, take their money through the bars and pass the drugs.

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Right after, Paul would speed into the darkness, never being caught. At first, Paul wasn’t sure his plan would work, but it soon proved fruitful. As his clientele grew, Paul stacked up on the funds and dealt even more drugs.

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The Rise and Fall of a Drug Lord

As his business grew, so did the attention it drew. Soon, Paul ran off all the drug-dealing veterans who took him in. He became the best plug for drugs and recruited even more people. However, the good times weren’t without their dangers.

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Although Paul drew the type of attention he wanted, he also attracted the attention of the police. Soon, it all became too much for him. After three years in the business, Paul got tired of the drama, the run from the police, and the sick feeling he couldn’t get rid of when he needed to use drugs.

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A Journey of Redemption

When Paul got arrested, he decided he was done with the old life. He entered drug court, got sober, and got a job at a car wash just above the tunnels where he once lived. Paul knew many people like him might also want to get out, so he took a step no one expected.

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He began volunteering at Shine A Light, which helped people just like him. When the founder decided to move from Las Vegas, he asked Paul if he would like to keep it going, and Paul was only too happy to oblige.

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A Helping Hand

Paul has seen many people come and go from the underground community. Although the tunnels are dark and bleak, he can’t resist the pull to return to the underground city and help where possible. He saw many residents move to different cities, get arrested, and even get clean; he was always happy to help wherever possible.

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Paul was often in the tunnels visiting various camps and communities. He loved handing out supplies and always offered to help other residents whenever they were ready to leave the tunnels.

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Shedding Light on the Hidden City

Paul and his outreach program Shine A Light were instrumental in drawing attention to the underground city. The city is a symbol of hope and a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. It remains a reminder that even in the darkest places, there’s a potential for light.

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And while no one knows what awaits the community that has been created in the tunnels, Paul and his team are always ready to lend a helping hand when needed.

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