Las Vegas Sun

April 24, 2024

CityCenter

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By Steve Marcus · May 1, 2009 · 3:50 p.m.

The Paul Smith storefront is shown in Crystals, CityCenter's retail district, Saturday, September 18, 2010.
CityCenter’s Crystals adjusts, boosts occupancy with new retailers
Monday, September 20, 2010
By Amanda Finnegan
More than nine months after its opening, Crystals is still evolving. Managers of CityCenter’s retail district are recruiting new retailers, tweaking the mall’s design and making adjustments where they see fit.
Social House's Thai beef salad
Social House improves on its quality pan-Asian cuisine in new location
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
By Brock Radke
A reclaimed treasure: Social House is back!
Fireworks soar over Aria in December at CityCenter. Gamblers make up about 30 percent of hotel guests, which is a higher percentage than at other company properties, MGM Resorts CEO Jim Murren says.
Too many rooms to fill: CityCenter’s opening felt, even as visitor volume grows
Monday, August 9, 2010
By Liz Benston
With more hotel rooms in Las Vegas than bodies to fill them, the evidence is growing that CityCenter is stealing more business from other resorts than it is creating. Many customers are choosing to stay at fancier hotels that have lowered rates.
The soaring, 80-foot tall lobby area of Veer Towers frames the Mandarin Oriental at CityCenter.
CityCenter's leaning Veer Towers officially open
Thursday, July 15, 2010
By Kyle B. Hansen
The last of the residential buildings at CityCenter officially opened Thursday, with the two leaning Veer Towers welcoming its first residents and opening model units. The two 37-floor towers include a mix of studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom units and penthouses. The units range in size from 500 to 3,300 square feet and cost between $348,000 and about $2 million, depending on the size and features of the unit.
Jobs at CityCenter give Harry Reid 22,000 talking points
POLITICS:
Friday, July 9, 2010
By Anjeanette Damon
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s campaign wanted to send a message with its selection of CityCenter as backdrop for Thursday’s rally and fundraiser with President Barack Obama.
Cannolis with pistachio foam from Sirio.
Italian throwback
Sirio at Aria plays it safe to please the masses - with a few surprises
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
By John Curtas
Sirio Maccioni is a living legend. one of a kind. The last of the great ones.
Ex-partners in nightclub, restaurant suing Eva Longoria Parker
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
By Amanda Finnegan
Two former managers and partners of Eva Longoria Parker’s Beso restaurant and Eve nightclub are suing the actress for allegedly pushing them out of their ownership stake and operation of the CityCenter restaurant-nightclub.
CityCenter unveils technology aimed at avoiding dropped calls
Monday, June 7, 2010
By Amanda Finnegan
The 67-acre CityCenter resort complex now has more than 13.5 million square feet of wireless technology in an effort to avoid dropped cell phone calls, Texas-based InnerWireless announced today.
MGM Mirage, Perini trade new charges in CityCenter lawsuit
Monday, June 7, 2010
By Steve Green
Attorneys for CityCenter and Perini Building Co. are trading new charges in the massive lawsuit over alleged unpaid construction invoices and construction defects.
That'll be 15 cents.
Spare change for beer
Todd English P.U.B.'s Nickel Beer Night serves Pabst at the right price.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
By Sarah Feldberg
Todd English P.U.B.'s Nickel Beer Night serves Pabst at the right price.
A look at the new model condos April 14, 2010, at the Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas at CityCenter.
CityCenter condo closings slow in down economy
Prospective buyers cautious amid sour real estate market, Perini dispute
Friday, May 28, 2010
By Buck Wargo
The closing of condo sales at CityCenter has gotten off to a slow start, according to analysts who track the housing market. Through the end of April, MGM Mirage and Dubai World, the owners of the project, have closed on 78 of 1,543 units at the Vdara condo-hotel, according to SalesTraq.
MGM Mirage to pay CityCenter subcontractors soon
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Associated Press
MGM Mirage is pledging to quickly pay some 600 subcontractors who helped build CityCenter on the Las Vegas Strip. The meeting comes one day after MGM Mirage invited subcontractors to a June 9 meeting.
MGM Mirage seeks CityCenter subcontractors meeting
gaming:
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Associated Press
Casino operator MGM Mirage is inviting subcontractors on the $8.5 billion CityCenter complex to work toward settling millions of dollars in claims stemming from a dispute with the project's primary contractor.
Aria, the centerpiece of the $8.5 billion CityCenter project, in Las Vegas on Monday, Dec. 14, 2009.
MGM Mirage, Perini spar over CityCenter after Gibbons meeting
Friday, May 21, 2010
By Richard N. Velotta
The depth of the conflict between Perini and MGM Mirage was on display today as both companies exchanged barbs in what has become one of the most acrimonious disputes between businesses in Southern Nevada’s history.
New group enters dispute between MGM Mirage, Perini
Thursday, May 20, 2010
By Steve Green
On the eve of a meeting between Gov. Jim Gibbons and Perini Building Co. and its CityCenter subcontractors, another group has entered the fray over construction payments.
A view of the poker room at Aria on Dec. 14, 2009, before the resort opened.
Aria to open high-limit poker room named for Phil Ivey
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Associated Press
Poker players worldwide revere Bellagio's fabled Bobby's Room, but wealthy card sharks have a new exclusive table on the Las Vegas Strip named for one of the game's most famous players.
Fireworks explode over the Aria hotel-casino during the official opening Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009.
MGM Mirage says it's working on CityCenter subcontractor claims
Friday, May 14, 2010
By Steve Green
There’s now some movement to get CityCenter subcontractors paid at least some of the money they are owed, resort complex co-owner MGM Mirage indicated today.
Two giants duke it out
editorial: Subcontractors the real victims in Perini vs. MGM Mirage fight
Friday, May 14, 2010
MGM Mirage, like other hotel owners, faces plenty of challenges in working through the current recession.
Gibbons to meet with builder over CityCenter
Monday, May 10, 2010
Associated Press
Gov. Jim Gibbons said Monday he plans to meet with the primary builder of the $8.5 billion CityCenter project to try to resolve a dispute with casino operator MGM Mirage over an unpaid bill for construction of the Las Vegas Strip complex.
CityCenter contractor critical of MGM Mirage in letter to Gibbons
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
By Steve Green
The dispute at CityCenter escalated this week when general contractor Perini launched a public relations campaign targeting MGM Mirage.
Beso's patio
Patio dining done right
Fresh new patios prepare to face their first Vegas summer
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
By Xania Woodman
Thanks to winter's toil, a fresh new crop of patios has sprung up in recent weeks, offering shaded brunches, breezy cocktail hours and romantic, candlelit al fresco dining. Remember your sunscreen.
Bridget Marquardt at The Playboy Club in the Palms on Jan. 31, 2010.
Bridget Marquardt, undead bride?
Friday, April 23, 2010
By Sarah Feldberg
The host of Eve's Halfway to Halloween party has a costume closet out of "Hoarders."
Joe Satriani at the Maryland Parkway Sam Ash on March 6, 2010.
Bridget Marquardt, undead bride?
Thursday, April 22, 2010
By Sarah Feldberg
The host of Eve's Halfway to Halloween party has a costume closet out of "Hoarders."
Center-staged: Maybe there are people interested in a grand-scale replica of an urban experience.
The other CityCenter: Couple says it's the best place in town
Talking with a couple of out-of-towners who think MGM Mirage’s latest gamble is - wait for it - the best Vegas has to offer
Monday, April 19, 2010
Steve Friess, Las Vegas Weekly
In the run-up to the grand debut of CityCenter, MGM Mirage CEO Jim Murren said a lot of stuff. As a journalist, I focused on the absurdity of so much of it, from the claim that there was something analogous to Central Park somewhere in the 67-acre, $8.5-billion complex to the suggestion that there is anything novel, nine years after the Palms opened, about the concept of a themeless Vegas resort.
A look at the new model condos April 14, 2010, at the Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas at CityCenter.
Mandarin Oriental at CityCenter unveils model condominiums
Thursday, April 15, 2010
By Amanda Finnegan
More than four months after debuting its Las Vegas hotel, Mandarin Oriental at CityCenter unveiled its model condos Wednesday in an effort to grab more luxury buyers.
A look at the new model condos Wednesday at the Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas at CityCenter.
At Mandarin Oriental, condos offer amenities at a price
CityCenter property unveils model condominiums in an effort to entice buyers
Thursday, April 15, 2010
By Amanda Finnegan
Lofty views and steep prices on display as Mandarin reveals model condominiums.
Center-staged: Maybe there are people interested in a grand-scale replica of an urban experience.
The other CityCenter
Talking with a couple of out-of-towners who think MGM Mirage’s latest gamble is - wait for it - the best place in town
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
By Steve Friess
Talking with a couple of out-of-towners who think MGM Mirage’s latest gamble is - wait for it - the best place in town.
Shawn Hummel, "crimsonflarepath"
Art for locals only
Monday, April 5, 2010
By Kristen Peterson
Exhibit at Mandarin Oriental offers opportunities for Las Vegans.
John Bollen, Aria's vice president of information technology, displays departures from McCarran International Airport on the TV in a room at Aria on Friday, March 12, 2010.
CityCenter hotels' features at your fingertips
THE STRIP: Aria, Mandarin Oriental boast the latest and great room technology in Las Vegas
Monday, April 5, 2010
By Amanda Finnegan
Not so long ago, the quintessential Strip hotel room was an exercise in minimalism. After all, it was more important to be on the casino floor than in the room. So the electronic options included a television with limited channels, a clock radio, maybe a “Magic Fingers” vibrating bed. In recent years, rooms have gotten more channels, pay-per-view and Internet access.
A local's guide to CityCenter's secrets
Monday, April 5, 2010
By Amanda Finnegan
Julian Serrano, the chef behind the regal Picasso restaurant at the Bellagio, is responsible for one of the most affordable high-end dining restaurants at CityCenter.
Yam Nuea Yang from Lemongrass at Aria.
Lemongrass' place at the table
Sunday, April 4, 2010
By Brock Radke
Earning a spot in the game-changing CityCenter.
Satisfy your seafood news at Mastro's Ocean Club.
Eating Crystals
CityCenter’s mall has some new food
Sunday, April 4, 2010
By Brock Radke
CityCenter is new. Again.
CityCenter slugfest pits owner vs. builder
Have gone to court over work done on CityCenter, and with hundreds of millions at stake, it could get ugly
Monday, March 29, 2010
By Steve Kanigher
MGM Mirage properties have seen their fair share of main event fights. Now the gaming giant’s massive flagship, CityCenter, will be at the center of an owner vs. builder battle with nearly a half-billion dollars at stake.
Social House inside Treasure Island
Social House restaurant getting a new home at CityCenter
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
By Amanda Finnegan
The popular Social House restaurant, once located in Treasure Island, is getting a new home on the Las Vegas Strip.
Bar Masa's sashimi tasting platter is packed with lovingly sliced fish.
Starting from scratch
In sushi master Masayoshi Takayama's kitchen, even experienced chefs have to relearn the basics
Friday, March 19, 2010
By Sarah Feldberg
In sushi master Masayoshi Takayama's kitchen, even experienced chefs have to relearn the basics.
CityCenter contractor says it expects payment from MGM Mirage
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
By Steve Green
CityCenter general contractor Perini Building Co. today weighed in on its lien dispute with the $8.5 billion resort complex in Las Vegas, saying it will continue with efforts to collect the $491.2 million it says is owed.
Fireworks explode over the Aria hotel-casino during the official opening Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009. Aria is the centerpiece of the $8.5 billion CityCenter project, which is a partnership between MGM Mirage and Dubai World.
CityCenter, lead contractor dispute $492 million claim
Friday, March 12, 2010
By Steve Green
MGM Mirage today disclosed that disputes have emerged involving hundreds of millions of dollars between its CityCenter joint venture and the $8.5 billion project's primary general contractor. Perini Building Co. on Thursday delivered a notice of its intent to file mechanics’ liens totaling about $492 million against CityCenter.
Can you hear me ... later? CityCenter's spotty cell-phone reception
Can you hear me ... later? CityCenter's spotty cell-phone reception
Monday, March 8, 2010
E.C. Gladstone
City Center may be a futuristic city in many respects -- heck, Aria is even recycling its wine corks — but in one unseen aspect, it is decidedly living in the past: cellular-phone service. While tourists and locals have debated the many merits of the MGM/Mirage-Dubai World development, there has been nearly universal agreement that cell reception in and around Aria, Vdara, Crystals and Mandarin Oriental is nearly nonexistent. Even (yikes!) text messages don't go through.
Enjoy gourmet delights on a budget
Review:
Friday, March 5, 2010
Ryan Sutton
Las Vegas needs fewer high-end dining venues with tasting menus and white tablecloths, and more New York-style neighborhood spots like Fatty Crab or Momofuku. Ambitious fare in casual settings with reasonable prices.
Cirque du Soleil's Viva Elvis at MGM CityCenter's Aria.
Critical Divide: Are out-of-town reviewers blinded by the lights?
Friday, March 5, 2010
Steve Friess
After "Viva Elvis" opened, local reviewers were highly critical and out-of-town critics could not have been more thrilled.
Can you hear me ... later? CityCenter's spotty cell-phone reception
Can you hear me ... later? CityCenter's spotty cell-phone reception
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
E.C. Gladstone
What's the deal with CityCenter's crappy cell service?
Interactive signs at Aria will lead to biggest jackpots
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
By Richard N. Velotta
The multimedia team at the Aria is working to develop interactive display signs that will enable gamblers to find progressive slot machines with the biggest jackpots on the casino floor.
Cirque du Soleil's Viva Elvis at MGM CityCenter's Aria.
Cirque repackages rock ‘n’ roll icon in ‘Viva Elvis’
Show at CityCenter’s Aria is Cirque’s seventh in Las Vegas
Saturday, February 20, 2010
By Joe Brown
It’s a theme-park "Grease" reunion, a live-in-person Gap commercial with an Olympics opening ceremony budget.
Cirque du Soleil's Viva Elvis at MGM CityCenter's Aria.
Review: Cirque repackages rock 'n' roll icon in 'Viva Elvis'
Show at CityCenter's Aria is Cirque's seventh in Las Vegas
Saturday, February 20, 2010
By Joe Brown
"Viva Elvis," which officially opened at CityCenter’s Aria Friday night after weeks of paid previews and adjustments, joins six other Strip-resident shows, and it’s likely to be lucky number seven for Cirque du Soleil.
Priscilla Presley and Cirque du Soleil unveil Viva Elvis at Aria in CityCenter on Dec. 15, 2009.
Priscilla: Elvis would have been honored by 'Viva Elvis'
In Larry King interview, Presley's former wife says she had input in final production
Thursday, February 18, 2010
By Dave Toplikar
During an inteview on "Larry King Live" Thursday evening, Priscilla Presley talked about helping to make changes in the new version of "Viva Elvis" by Cirque du Soleil, which opens Friday night at CityCenter's new Aria Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Pianist Eric Lewis (ELEW) plays on his feet for guests at Fendi at Crystal's grand opening.
At Fendi, a new Las Vegas landmark
The Colosseum, Eiffel Tower and now the Trevi Fountain
Thursday, February 18, 2010
By Sarah Feldberg
Last weekend Las Vegas quietly accumulated a shiny new bauble for its landmark jewelry box: the Trevi Fountain.
"Rockjazz" prodigy Eric Lewis plays the piano at the new Fendi store inside Crystals at CityCenter.
New Fendi store unveils own Trevi Fountain
Thursday, February 18, 2010
By Sarah Feldberg
Las Vegas has a habit of collecting landmarks - the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower, the tourmaline canals and singing gondoliers of Venice, even the Colosseum. Last weekend the city quietly accumulated a shiny new bauble for its jewelry box, Rome's epic meeting of water, myth and marble: the Trevi Fountain.
CityCenter condos may outperform market
Friday, February 5, 2010
By Buck Wargo
CityCenter is starting to finalize sales of condominiums, which coincides with already difficult conditions in the Las Vegas high-rise condo market, analysts said.
Jenny Holzer's artful non sequiturs light the way at Aria.
The art of provoking
The LED installation at Aria is the best evidence that CityCenter dares to be different
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Steve Friess
Some 200 other truisms greet visitors retrieving their vehicles from the subterranean valet car pick-up at Las Vegas' newest, most expensive hotel-casino, Aria at CityCenter
Middle school students from Beijing tour the "Looking Back after 30 Years" photo exhibit Tuesday morning at Crystals at CityCenter. The exhibit is on display until Feb. 22.
Photo exhibit at CityCenter highlights U.S.-China relations
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
By Amanda Finnegan
Nestled between the high-end retail shops of Crystals at CityCenter are photos of U.S. presidents shaking hands with Chinese leaders and the historic 1971 Ping-Pong match between the two countries.
CityCenter to host traveling photo display on relations with China
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
By Amanda Finnegan
A public exhibit displaying 30 years of photos symbolic of diplomatic relations between China and the United States is set to open today on the Las Vegas Strip.
Julian Serrano's paella
Julian Serrano packs Spanish into every plate
Value and flavor are hallmarks of Aria's new tapas spot
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Brock Radke
Drinking is part of eating when you’re having tapas, and you’re covered well with both parts of the experience at Serrano.
Hermes USA President and CEO Robert Chavez stands in front of the Hermes store at CityCenter's Crystals Las Vegas on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2010.
Unhurt by downturn, high-end retailer Hermes sees growth
French retailer opening new store this month at CityCenter's Crystals
Thursday, January 7, 2010
By Buck Wargo
The country is emerging from its worst economic downturn since the 1930s and Las Vegas remains mired in a recession, but a high-end French retailer hasn’t felt that impact along the Strip and is even eyeing expansion plans for the market.
Fireworks explode over the Aria hotel-casino during the official opening Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009. Aria is the centerpiece of the $8.5 billion CityCenter project, which is a partnership between MGM Mirage and Dubai World.
Money management giant has faith in MGM Mirage
T. Rowe Price has bet $277 million on casino company’s future
Monday, January 4, 2010
By Liz Benston
Although short sellers were betting on the demise of MGM Mirage last year, portfolio manager Joseph Fath of T. Rowe Price was buying shares. The money management giant has found itself increasingly alone in thinking things can only get better.
Kim Kardashian at Eve Nightclub inside CityCenter's Crystals on Dec. 30, 2009.
Kim Kardashian is the apple of Eva Longoria Parker's eye
You're so hot. No, you're so hot.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
By Xania Woodman
Eva Longoria Parker loves her some Kim Kardashian, and she doesn't care who knows it.
It's as if Las Vegas had a dream of itself - and somehow forgot to include the Las Vegans.
I have seen the future of Vegas ... and it smells good
One man’s visit to the CityCenter Sales Pavilion
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
By Joe Brown
The CityCenter Sales Pavilion is Disneyland for the competitively acquisitive. The Cirque du Soleil of open houses. "Architects Gone Wild."
DJ Tiesto and Jason "J-Roc" Craig.
Nite bite: More tickets released to Tiesto at Haze
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
By Las Vegas Weekly Staff
The Light Group has released 100 extra tickets to Haze's NYE party with Tiesto.
Crispy-skin branzino griddled in a cast iron pan at Michael Mina's fifth Las Vegas restaurant, American Fish.
At American Fish, both food and design speak for themselves
Michael Mina's new CityCenter restaurant channels rustic warmth via menu and interior
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
By Sarah Feldberg
Think modern lodge - chic design, refined food and wood in and out of the kitchen.
Michael Mina's American Fish restaurant at Aria at CityCenter features dishes such as this cornmeal-crusted trout cooked in a cast-iron skillet.
American Fish's design as interesting as its food
Michael Mina, SLDesign present 'elegant comfort' in cuisine, construction
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
By Sarah Feldberg
Two years after starting his work on Michael Mina's new American Fish restaurant at Aria, Chris Sheffield ate fish last week. The designer -- one-third of the team at tiny Philadelphia-based design group SLDesign, which created Mina's new digs -- broke his vegetarian diet to dine inside the space he worked on.
What did these people miss? Rick Lax will let you know.
Four things the other reporters missed at the Aria opening
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Rick Lax
Observations from Rix Lax and his temperature-sensitive date.
DJ Tiesto spins a set at Jet.
Haze comes out strong with a month of DJs and hosts
The Light Group's new club is kicking off 2010 in a big way
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
By Xania Woodman
We see Tiesto and David Guetta in your near future.
Guests enter the Aria hotel-casino for the first time Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009.
Will CityCenter change type of tourist in Vegas?
Gaming: Profits might drop as discounts lure thriftier visitors
Friday, December 18, 2009
By Liz Benston
After a night spent gaping at Aria’s modernist splendor, draining designer cocktails and downing caviar and sushi, invited VIPs and other well-wishers at the opening gala for CityCenter’s centerpiece resort woke up Thursday to a grim reality on the Strip: Amid the worst recession in 70 years, only the toughest, best-equipped competitors will survive the coming battle for customers.
Fireworks explode over the Aria hotel-casino during the official opening Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009. Aria is the centerpiece of the $8.5 billion CityCenter project, which is a partnership between MGM Mirage and Dubai World.
Analyst: CityCenter's opening will 'push economy forward'
Thursday, December 17, 2009
By Buck Wargo
A day after a UNLV report painted a pessimistic picture about the Las Vegas economy, a local analyst pointed to signs of improvement and at least some hope. During a video conference today, Jeremy Aguero, a principal at Applied Analysis, said “we are bullish and hopeful on the opening of CityCenter."
Guests enter the Aria hotel-casino for the first time on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009.
What's being said about CityCenter
Gaming:
Thursday, December 17, 2009
From East Coast to West Coast, from syndicated columnists to bloggers, from the national networks to local TV affiliates, the news media have been buzzing about the Strip's newest visitor attraction, CityCenter. The reviews were mixed, with some keying on entertainment and the shopping, while some critics dug a little deeper into the architecture and the wisdom of it opening in a recession. Here's an overview of those opinions, gleaned from Web sites
Artist Henry Moore's "Reclining Connected Forms" is seen Wednesday in the pocket park between Aria and Crystals at CityCenter.
At CityCenter, art for the masses right next to the slots
GAMING: Sculptures and paintings sprinkled with great care throughout Las Vegas’ newest Strip attraction
Thursday, December 17, 2009
By Liz Benston
CityCenter's $40 million modern art collection has instantly put the resort on the map as one of the world’s largest public installations of corporate-owned art. Although some industry observers worry CityCenter isn’t revolutionary enough to generate strong profits in a recession, art publication artdaily.org recently hailed it as a “cultural destination of worldwide significance.”
The exterior of Crystals at CityCenter.
The $440 paperclip: Shopping out of my league at Crystals
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Rick Lax
Rick Lax heads to CityCenter's Crystals to do some Hanukkah shopping out of his league.
Guests enter the Aria hotel-casino for the first time Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009.
Welcome to CityCenter: New Strip casino opens its doors
MGM Mirage debuts Aria, final component and crown jewel of newest casino-resort
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
By Amanda Finnegan
The wait is over. After a two-minute fireworks display, the Aria Resort & Casino opened its doors to the public late Wednesday night, giving tourists and Las Vegas residents a glimpse inside the centerpiece of CityCenter.
CityCenter chefs, from left, Jean-Philippe Maury, Todd English, Shawn McClain, Masayoshi Takayama, Sirio Maccioni, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Julian Serrano and Michael Mina pose for pictures at the opening of Aria at CityCenter in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009.
Report: CityCenter may drive Vegas room discounting trend
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
By Buck Wargo
CityCenter won’t be a panacea for the Las Vegas economy, which will actually be in worse shape next year because of nearly 8,000 new hotel rooms and condominiums on the Strip, according to a report released today by researchers at UNLV.
Cirque du Soleil gives a sneak preview of Viva Elvis at CityCenter's Aria Resort & Casino on Dec. 15, 2009.
Tickets on sale for Cirque's 'Viva Elvis' at Aria
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
By Amanda Finnegan
Cirque's most expensive resident Las Vegas show will begin regular performances in late January.
The water feature outside Aria makes a grand display during the opening ceremony for Aria at CityCenter in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009.
MGM Mirage execs gather to mark opening of CityCenter
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
By Richard N. Velotta
The countdown is nearly over. For months, MGM Mirage, the managing partner of the $8.5 billion CityCenter, has tantalized the public with a reminder of how many days it would be before Aria would be “revealed to the world.”
A couple looks over "Glacia" a water and ice feature at CityCenter 's Crystals retail mall Tuesday, December 15, 2009. The feature is one of five designed by WET, a water feature and fountain design firm based in Los Angeles. Aria, the centerpiece of the $8.5 billion project, will open after a fireworks display Wednesday night. The development is a partnership between MGM Mirage and Dubai World.
Water — swirling, spewing, frozen — to entertain visitors at CityCenter
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
By Richard N. Velotta
Most Las Vegas residents already know the work of Mark Fuller, chief excellence officer of Southern California-based WET. Millions of Strip visitors have been awed and entertained by the fountains of Bellagio, one of the signature attractions of the hotel that debuted in 1998, and by the renovated Mirage volcano, redesigned with a grander eruption just last year.
CityCenter aims to make dining experience 'cooler and hipper'
Veritable who’s who of celebrity chefs headline casino-resort’s restaurants
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
By Amanda Finnegan
The list of chefs behind CityCenter’s restaurants reads like a celebrity who’s who in the culinary world — Wolfgang Puck, Todd English, Michael Mina, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Julian Serrano, Martin Heierling. They are part of MGM Mirage’s effort to create food offerings at CityCenter that are as unique as the rest of the new casino-resort.
Cirque du Soleil's Viva Elvis. The costumes were designed by Stefano Canulli.
Tickets on sale today for Cirque's 'Viva Elvis' at Aria
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
By Amanda Finnegan
Las Vegas visitors are one step closer to a glimpse inside Cirque du Soleil’s latest creation.
A view of the casino floor in Aria, the centerpiece of the $8.5 billion CityCenter project, Monday, December 14, 2009.
Inside Aria: A glimpse into the heart of CityCenter
Sun tours property ahead of public opening on Wednesday
Monday, December 14, 2009
By Las Vegas Sun Staff
The centerpiece of CityCenter — the Aria Resort & Casino — will open Wednesday, marking a day of grand opening celebrations for the $8.5 billion project. On Monday, the Sun was given a tour of Aria. The resort will be the fourth building to open within MGM Mirage’s complex, following the openings of Vdara, Crystals and Mandarin Oriental.
Bill McBeath, president and chief operating officer of Aria, trusts that CityCenter will not cannibalize other Strip properties.
New technology was key behind development of CityCenter's Aria, president says
Monday, December 14, 2009
By Richard N. Velotta
The doors open Wednesday at Aria, the centerpiece of MGM Mirage’s new CityCenter development. The company turned the keys over to Bill McBeath, a UNLV Alumnus of the Year who joined the company in 1987.
Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said at a press conference today the CityCenter will help city's downtown by bringing in more overall visitors to the area.
Goodman: CityCenter won't hurt downtown Las Vegas
Mayor says downtown and Strip properties help each other bring in visitors
Thursday, December 10, 2009
By Dave Toplikar
Some might think the opening of CityCenter this month would draw traffic away from Las Vegas' downtown. But that's not the way Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman sees it.
A Clark County Fire Department color guard stands at attention during the opening of Clark County Fire Station 32 located at City Center Thursday, December 10, 2009.
County opens new fire station at CityCenter
Fire Station 32 is expected to become one of the county’s busiest
Thursday, December 10, 2009
By Kyle B. Hansen
Six of the most exclusive rooms at CityCenter opened Thursday with a special ceremony. But no matter how much you are willing to pay – or gamble – you can’t stay in them. They are for firefighters. The massive new development on the Strip is home to Clark County’s newest fire station, No. 32. The station houses a fire engine and a paramedic rescue unit that will respond to calls from CityCenter, which eventually will have more than 7,000 hotel rooms and condominiums, as well as neighboring resorts.
A view of the Veer Towers during a tour of MGM Mirage's CityCenter project in November.
CityCenter unveils financing program for condo buyers
CityCenter closings are scheduled to begin in January
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
By Las Vegas Sun Staff
Three weeks before CityCenter starts closing on condominiums, it unveiled a program today to provide financing to some buyers and help others arrange for the loans they need. CityCenter buyers have been awaiting word on the program because of the difficulty in obtaining high-end loans to purchase condominiums.
Bram and Sarah Tihany take in the view from the Mandarin Bar at the grand opening of the Mandarin Oriental at CityCenter on Friday, Dec. 4, 2009.
Murren: Locals will visit Strip to go to CityCenter
MGM Mirage executive says investment will pay off over years
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
By Amanda Finnegan
MGM Mirage Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jim Murren this week said he isn’t crazy and neither was opening his company’s $8.5 billion CityCenter project in one of the worst economies Las Vegas has seen. “We have to look back and look at how long it's taken to develop this, look at the money we've expended and look at it from a return on investment perspective,” Murren said.
MGM Mirage CEO Jim Murren speaks at the grand opening of the Mandarin Oriental at CityCenter, Friday, Dec. 4, 2009.
CityCenter’s Mandarin Oriental makes Vegas debut
Luxury hotel is the third and final CityCenter property opening this week
Friday, December 4, 2009
By Richard N. Velotta
One of the world’s most prestigious hotel brands made its Las Vegas debut today when the 47-story Mandarin Oriental opened at the $8.5 billion CityCenter. It was the third building of this week’s phased opening at MGM Mirage’s Strip resort campus and sets the stage for the Dec. 16 launch of Aria.
A painting by artist Frank Stella hangs behind the front desk of CityCenter's Vdara, which opened Dec. 1.
Public gets first look at CityCenter with opening of three properties
Friday, December 4, 2009
By Richard N. Velotta
Since May 2006, when MGM Mirage imploded the Boardwalk Hotel on the Strip, Las Vegas residents have patiently waited to see what the state’s largest employer had in store for the 76 acres of prime real estate between Bellagio and Monte Carlo.
The interior of Crystals features the dramatic designs of Studio Daniel Libeskind and David Rockwell.
CityCenter unveils Crystals retail district
THE STRIP: High-end mall is the second of three CityCenter buildings opening this week
Thursday, December 3, 2009
By Amanda Finnegan
Adding a slew of high-end retailers to the Las Vegas Strip, CityCenter’s Crystals retail and entertainment district opened on Thursday, marking the unveiling of the massive project’s second building. Crystals opened at noon for a charity shopping event and at 5 p.m. to the public. The 500,000-square-foot retail and dining district has direct access from Las Vegas Boulevard and houses some of the most high-end brands in fashion. The retail selection at Crystals includes names such as Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., Christian Dior, Hermes and Prada.
A room in a "Panoramic Suite" during the opening of the Vdara on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009. The 57-story, 1,495-suite luxury property is the first to open in MGM Mirage's $8.5 billion CityCenter project.
Vdara exec predicts strong sales at new hotel
Despite optimism, hotel is only sold out one night in next few months
Thursday, December 3, 2009
By Amanda Finnegan
After a night of grand opening festivities, Vdara’s first public guests checked into the hotel Wednesday and while the hotel has only sold out for one night in the next few months, Vdara’s general manager is predicting strong occupancy through the month.
Jhane Barnes is a New York fashion designer who was tapped by MGM Mirage to design about half of the uniforms that CityCenter employees will wear.
Uniform response
An acclaimed designer met the challenge of creating distinct outfits for CityCenter’s employees
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
By Liz Benston
City Center's uniforms are Star Wars inspired. Really.
Veer Towers at CityCenter
Notes on a juggernaut
A Weekly editor takes an eye-opening tour of CityCenter
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
By Scott Dickensheets
A Weekly editor takes an eye-opening tour of CityCenter.
Jim Murren, MGM Mirage chairman and CEO, applauds employees as they enter Vdara during its opening Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009. The 57-story, 1,495-suite luxury property is the first to open in MGM Mirage's $8.5 billion CityCenter project.
Vdara hotel marks opening of CityCenter
After party Tuesday night, 1,495-suite property will accept guests today
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
By Amanda Finnegan
MGM Mirage and Dubai World executives on Tuesday marked the unveiling of the first phase of their CityCenter project — Vdara — giving invited guests and media a glimpse inside the first completed property at the urban metropolis. The non-gaming, 1,495-room hotel marks the first of CityCenter’s openings, with Crystals and Mandarin Oriental opening their doors later this week.
Work continues on the retail area of MGM Mirage's CityCenter project on the Las Vegas Strip and Harmon Avenue in July.
The ins and outs of CityCenter traffic
How to navigate the Strip now that it’s home to a massive tourist magnet
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
By Kyle B. Hansen
For the motorist in Las Vegas for the first time, bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Strip can be a blessing because it allows more time for swivel-headed sightseeing. But most locals curse it as consistently the worst traffic jam in the county. Now comes CityCenter, which will have thousands of employees and draw slews of visitors.
A view of MGM Mirage's CityCenter project Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009.
MGM Mirage begins lifting veil on CityCenter today
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
By Amanda Finnegan
MGM Mirage has placed its biggest bet ever, an unprecedented $8.5 billion, on its new CityCenter complex - planned to be a city within a city – with residences, hotel towers, gourmet restaurants and an upscale retail and entertainment district.
Slot makers team up at behest of CityCenter
Many machines there will work in concert to give house flexibility
Monday, November 30, 2009
By Liz Benston
Casinos have long complained about incompatible slot machine hardware and the increasing cost of upgrading their floors. But that’s changing with CityCenter and its 4,004-room Aria resort, which will open Dec. 16 with many of its 2,000 slot machines connected by a high-tech system developed with the cooperation of major slot manufacturers. It’s an unprecedented effort, unusual in the gaming industry as well as most of the business world, where Apple and PC-based computers and AT&T and Verizon cell phones, for example, run on discrete systems.
Frenzied appeal to finish the job
Urban Planning:
Sunday, November 29, 2009
By Liz Benston
Jim Murren was MGM Mirage’s chief financial officer when he conceived of CityCenter and persuaded the company’s directors to build it. That was during a good economy.
Jim Murren, the CEO of MGM Mirage and a transplanted New Yorker, stands in front of the Aria at CityCenter, a project he conceived based on what he thought Las Vegas lacked: a world-class urban gathering place for the city's residents. "We were missing so many important quality of life building blocks -- what I would consider to be not extras but essentials, culturally and medically. The diversity that I grew up with in New York isn't here."
CityCenter: One man's concept of a real city
To Jim Murren, a CEO who had studied art and architecture and lived in New York, Las Vegas needed a true urban center
Sunday, November 29, 2009
By Liz Benston
Visitors to CityCenter, the Strip’s newest spectacle, will be driven to look up at the glistening glass and steel. It is an inexorable pull, to cock your head backward and take in the sweep of six high-rise towers — including two that lean — that create an urban scene unlike any other. The man who conceived of this place, however, would like to draw your attention to a small park bench. It is found near the center of the 67-acre site, alongside Aria, the flagship high-rise filled with 4,004 guest rooms.
CityCenter's Veer Towers were awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold certifications by the the U.S. Green Building Council.
New LEED certifications cement CityCenter's green status
Energy column:
Friday, November 27, 2009
By Nicole Lucht
All eyes are turned toward CityCenter as the green giant prepares to open next month.
Photo galleries settle lawsuit over trade secrets
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
By Steve Green
A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit over trade secrets at high-end photo galleries operating in Las Vegas.
Designer Jhane Barnes looks at a CityCenter uniform. Barnes' menswear has been sold in Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.
At CityCenter, it's not your usual uniforms for workers
Second looks may be needed to spot employees by what they’re wearing
Monday, November 23, 2009
By Liz Benston
At CityCenter’s 25,000-square-foot uniform distribution center on Dean Martin Drive, Jhane Barnes, a slight woman with squarish glasses and short hair, proudly shows off clothing racks heavy with new uniforms.
Food workers prepare to serve 400 newly hired employees during the "Day of Delight" event hosted Saturday at the Mandarin Oriental.
CityCenter hotel welcomes new employees with gala
47-story Mandarin Oriental hotel and residence scheduled to open Dec. 4
Sunday, November 22, 2009
By Kyle B. Hansen
One of CityCenter’s properties held a special event Saturday to welcome its 400 new employees. Mandarin Oriental’s Day of Delight included performances by local entertainers and a parade to show fans from all of the properties in the worldwide hotel group.
A view of Veer Towers, left, and the Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas are shown during a tour of MGM Mirage's CityCenter project Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009. The photo is taken looking east from the Aria toward Las Vegas Boulevard.
Two more CityCenter structures earn high green ratings
Mandarin Oriental and Veer Towers both get LEED Gold certifications
Friday, November 20, 2009
By Amanda Finnegan
Mandarin Oriental and Veers have both reached the high environmental standard, bringing the total of LEED Gold certified facilities to six. Others include Crystals retail district, Vdara, ARIA’s hotel tower and separately, its convention center and theater.
Chihuly coming to CityCenter
ART: Exhibition at Crystals to feature collection of artist's work
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
By Dave Toplikar
Soon more work by the artist who created the three-dimension glass sculpture in the Bellagio Hotel and Casino lobby will be coming to Las Vegas.
Many expect CityCenter to draw additional visitors to Las Vegas next year, but at least one casino consultant predicts that 70 percent to 90 percent of its revenue will come at the expense of other properties on the Strip.
Some seeing signs of Strip’s economic recovery
Daily Memo:: Convention planning, stabilizing of housing nationally good signs for Vegas
Monday, November 16, 2009
By Liz Benston
As a real-time indicator of how confident American consumers feel about spending their money, earnings of the big casino operators on the Las Vegas Strip haven’t inspired much confidence lately. And yet, a growing number of industry executives and analysts believes the market has bottomed and are forecasting a modest rebound in 2010, in part based on evidence that convention groups are more confident about booking rooms next year and signs that year-over-year gambling revenue declines have plateaued on the Strip.
A penthouse master bedroom in Veer Towers at CityCenter.
Gaming Control Board recommends licensing of CityCenter
Friday, November 13, 2009
By Richard N. Velotta
MGM Mirage’s CityCenter cleared a major hurdle today as the state Gaming Control Board unanimously recommended licensing of the $8.5 billion development.
Michele Quinn, right, who oversees CityCenter's art collection, sits with Nicole Moffatt, who has been tapped as director of CENTERpiece.
A place to buy a piece of CityCenter style
ART: Design center will feature works of notable artists, architects
Thursday, November 12, 2009
By Kristen Peterson
CityCenter officials announced this week that a design center will be created to stitch together the high-end architecture, design and public art program at the $8.5 billion project.