Royally Flushed

The Crystals in Las Vegas will open its doors to shoppers on December 3. (Photo/content property of www.RoyallyFlushed.com)

So much has happened since our January report on the happenings at MGM Mirage’s CityCenter Las Vegas that what we’ve decided to do is post our newest CityCenter photos and then give some highlights of the project along with a list of websites/articles you can go to for more info.

Aria Resort & Casino

Scheduled to open December 16, Aria is taking room reservations now at their new website. Click around the ARIA Home Page and you’ll find photos of the rooms, a section on some of the chefs and restaurants planned plus info on the new “Elvis” show at Aria which, to quote the website, comes from the “creative geniuses at Cirque du Soleil® (who) have created a new show exclusively for ARIA. The production pays tribute to Elvis’ music and life, fusing dance and acrobatics, live music and iconic tracks, nostalgia and modernity, high technology and raw emotion. In short, the show will be in Elvis’ image: powerful, sexy, whimsical and truly unique.”

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Las Vegas

This 47-story non-gaming hotel features 227 residences plus 392 Adam D. Tihany-designed rooms and suites with contemporary decor and “subtle oriental touches.”  The 23rd-floor Sky Lobby is just one of the luxurious design elements guests will encounter when staying at the new hotel.  Check out the Mandarin Oriental Hotel website for artist’s renderings of the rooms, the soaring lobby and an exclusive online brochure.  Opening date is currently scheduled for December 4th and the hotel will begin taking reservations on August 17th. (more…)

A view of the new CityCenter project in Las Vegas. (Click on each photo to enlarge.)

Check out these latest photos from two new construction projects happening on the Strip in Las Vegas.  With soaring glass towers in shades of cool blue and chartreuse, wickedly-angled walls and sharp points define some structures while sinuous curves soften and enrich others.  These are the elements that define the new CityCenter project and its neighbor to the north, the Cosmopolitan Resort and Casino.

CityCenter, from MGM Mirage and partner Infinity World Development Corp, a subsidiary of Dubai World, (more…)

All day today, I have been thinking about a quote from the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off — “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”  That’s how I feel about all the news flying out of Las Vegas lately.  I guess I just needed a little time to absorb it all, cut the wheat from the chaff, and then make a few observations in a post.

Here’s a run-down on the current highlights (and lowlights) of life in Las Vegas for some of the major casino industry players:

From MGM Mirage:  “CityCenter Holdings, LLC, a joint venture between MGM MIRAGE (NYSE: MGM) and Infinity World Development Corp, today announced certain scope changes related to The Harmon Hotel & Spa which include postponing the opening of the hotel to late 2010 and cancelling The Harmon residential condominium component.”  The press release cited “contractor construction errors” as partially to blame for the reconfiguring of the project.  All other components of CityCenter remain on schedule for a December 2009 grand opening.

Speaking of CityCenter, it began taking applications Monday to fill the approximately 12,000 jobs available at the new property.  Myriad positions from food and beverage service to hotel and casino operations, retail help and more will need to be staffed before the December grand opening.  Check the CityCenterCareers website for more information.

In mid-December, while we were all busy buying gifts at the local mall (or maybe Walmart this year,) Phil Ruffin, former owner of the New Frontier, was busy getting his own bargain – Treasure Island from owner MGM Mirage for a reported $775 million.  Ruffin, a Wichita, Kansas businessman, sold the New Frontier in May 2007 for more than $1.24 billion. That casino was closed shortly thereafter and demolished in November 2007.  The deal on TI is expected to go through in early-summer.

Are there more property sales ahead for MGM Mirage?  The answer “possibly” is leaning more and more toward “probably.”  See what you think after reading  this article at Bloomberg.com based on an interview with new MGM Mirage CEO James Murren.  The reporter says that Mr. Murren “plans to “dramatically” reduce debt and will consider further casino sales as he overhauls the company’s balance sheet.”

One question we can easily answer is “Will there be more massive changes in Las Vegas this year?”  And that answer is a resounding “most definitely.”