CR87-p01-News1:SJC-Casino Review 23/12/09 15:03 Page 1
www.CasinoReview-Online.com • January 2010 • 087
Golden Lotus: Big Launch: International
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NEWS3 REPORT24 PREVIEW62
CityCenter ups the ante
as MGM reinvents Vegas
Towering high over
tion of resorts and resi-
the resorts of Las
dences; it wants to be a com-
munity. Alongside themed
Vegas, CityCenter
properties such as Paris and
represents the
New York New York, City-
Center is more a real life, cut
biggest gamble ever and paste from midtown
taken by the world’s
Manhattan than anything the
city has seen before.
biggest operator and
Bobby Baldwin, president
the biggest bet ever
and CEO of CityCenter,
placed in the city.
believes its great pedestrian
corridors, dynamic public
MGM Mirage’s
spaces, authentic richness
chief executive Jim
and diversity of experiences
evoke the energy of the
Murren is confident world’s most exciting places.
that a recovering
“CityCenter bridges the
vitality of Las Vegas with the
economy will help it experiences travellers seek
succeed. Phil
when they visit great cities
around the world, whether
Martin reports.
London, Hong Kong or San
Francisco - spectacular archi-
cityslicker tecture, culturally significant
UNITED STATES art, great public spaces,
sophisticated hotels, unique
The biggest opening in the restaurants and incredible
2009 casino calendar took amenities,” he explained. “It
place in mid-December with is an evolutionary destina-
the unveiling of Aria, the tion that aims to transform
casino resort element of Las Vegas as a new symbol at
MGM Mirage’s sprawling City- its core, like the Guggenheim
Center on the Las Vegas Strip. in Bilbao, the Pompidou in
Opening to a canopy of Paris or the Sony Center in
fireworks illuminating the Berlin. We believe this
night sky, optimists see City- moment marks a turning
Center as breathing new life rants and a new Cirque du we can get back to levels of will be measured, and it open early next year, and the point in the financial future
into a struggling Las Vegas. Soleil show, called Viva Elvis. spending in 2005 and 2006, won’t be surpassed in scope Harmon hotel, which is sched- of our community.”
Pessimists view it as adding The battle cry from MGM we will once again be a very and grandeur for decades.” uled to open later in 2010, William Grounds, the pres-
thousands of high-end rooms Mirage’s chief executive Jim profitable business. Our foe Two hotels opened earlier complete a concept that has ident of Infinity World Devel-
to an increasingly saturated Murren was certainly is weakening, the economy, in December: the 47-storey taken sixty months and a great opment, the Dubai World
market.The f ear is that it could emphatic. “We believe that the recession, the financial Mandarin Oriental and the deal of stress to construct. subsidiary that partnered
further cannibalise room Las Vegas is a better place crisis, our opponent is now 1,500-room, non-smoking The key to success in the with MGM Mirage, added: “I
rates, which are at their most today and a different place the one that’s close to its Vdara. The Crystals mall of competitive Las Vegas truly believe this magnifi-
competitive for a long time. today,” he said. “We are no knees and we’re just gaining shops and restaurants also market is, of course, to differ- cent project is destined to
Aria itself has 4,004 hotel longer in a declining momentum and gaining opened before the casino. entiate from the neighbours. join the pantheon of urban
rooms, over 150,000 square economy. We are in a recov- strength. CityCenter will The final elements of this Conceived as a true centre to icons that not only symbol-
feet of gaming floor, 10 bars ering economy. Room occu- become the benchmark by colossal project, the Veer con- The Strip, CityCenter aims to ise a great metropolitan area
and nightclubs, 16 restau- pancy is at 90 per cent and if which all new developments dominium towers, which will be much more than a collec- but also shape its future.”
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