The Las Vegas Boulevard strip’s new CityCenter—a joint project between MGM Mirage and Infinity World Development Corp, a subsidiary of Dubai World—is on track for a slate of openings in December. Here's what to expect at the project, one of the world’s largest sustainable developments, which incorporates elements like the use of reclaimed water and on-site power generation to underscore its green efforts, and includes a $40 million public fine art program.
Vdara Hotel, expected to open December 1, is a crescent-shaped 57-story all-suite hotel and spa for non-gaming, non-smoking types. It has about 1,500 suites, ranging from approximately 500 to 1,650 square feet (along with residential units). Rooms have kitchens, plus open floor plans and horizontal windows for sweeping views of the city and mountains. Vdara Health & Beauty is an 18,000-square-foot, two-level spa, salon, and fitness center. Food and beverage options include the restaurant Silk Road and the lobby bar Bar Vdara. Sky Pool & Lounge has spa cabanas with semisecluded plunge pools. There is 10,000 square feet of conference space. The U.S. Green Building Council has awarded gold LEED certification to Vdara.
Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas, expected to open December 4, has 392 hotel rooms and suites and 227 residences, including the Mandarin Penthouse Collection with two- and three- bedroom units ranging from 2,065 square feet to 3,900 square feet. Decor is modern and Eastern inspired. On the outside, Mandarin Oriental displays Typewriter Eraser, Scale X, 1998-1999, a piece by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, which looks like a giant blue and red typewriter eraser.
Aria Resort & Casino, expected to open December 16, is a soaring 4,004-room steel and glass structure designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects. In its reception area, artist Maya Lin created an 84-foot silver cast of the Colorado River. Dining options, from casual to upscale, come from chefs such as Michael Mina, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and Sirio Maccioni. Cirque du Soleil offers a production celebrating the music of Elvis Presley. There is 300,000 square feet of meeting and convention space. A spa has 62 individual treatment rooms and three spa suites, plus a 215,000-square-foot pool deck, where 50 cabanas have room for 1,500 guests. Aria's hotel tower, convention center, and theater have also received gold LEED certification.
Designed by Studio Daniel Libeskind, Crystals, CityCenter’s 500,000 square foot retail and dining district, will offer retailers like Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Prada, Christian Dior, and Tiffany & Company, and is expected to open December 3. Crystals also will offer dining from Wolfgang Puck, Todd English, and others. David Rockwell and Rockwell Group handled the interior architecture.
The Harmon, slated to open in late 2010, will have 400 hotel rooms and suites. Operated by the Light Group in partnership with Zabeel Investments, the non-gaming hotel will offer Las Vegas’ first Mr. Chow restaurant, a hair salon by Frédéric Fekkai, retail, a spa, and 17,500 square feet of event space. (The Harmon's formerly announced residence project has been canceled.) Veer Towers, two glass towers leaning in opposite directions, five degrees from center, are 37-story buildings each housing approximately 335 modern condominiums, plus a pool, fitness center, spa, cabanas, and a patio for outdoor entertaining. Residential occupancies are slated to begin in mid-January 2010.