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Citycenter Las Vegas

Sun, 05 Sep 2010 18:06:01 +0000

I was traveling in a cab down Las Vegas Blvd. when I first saw the bare bones structure of CityCenter. Upon hearing me gasp, the driver casually commented, “Oh, that’s the MGM CityCenter, a city within a city. It’s being developed by MGM Mirage and the Prince of Dubai.”

Six high-rise towers reaching into the clouds topped by over 10 cranes, it was an impressive structure indeed. I’ve since found out that the driver was not far off. This joint partnership between MGM Mirage and Infinity World Development Corp, a subsidiary of Dubai World, carries the hefty price tag of $8 billion, and upon completion will be the largest privately funded development in U.S. history.

Planning for a opening in late November 2009, its 76 acres will include ARIA, a 61-story gaming resort, three luxury non-gaming hotels; Veer Towers, including 2,600 condominium units; and Crystals, a 500,000 square foot retail, dining and entertainment mecca. Also featured is a fine art program including $40 million in artwork by world renowned artists.

In addition, CityCenter boasts 300,000 square feet of meeting space and is designed to accommodate conventions with attendance up to 5,000 people.

Early in 2009, MGM will begin the daunting task of hiring some 12,000 employees required to maintain CityCenter Las Vegas.

MGM Mirage is striving to be awarded the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, and claim their design will be one of the world’s largest environmentally sustainable urban communities. Eight award winning architects have combined their vision and brains to create a sustainable development based on the following principles:

Conserving Water: A development of this size uses considerable resources in any location, but in the desert, special consideration for means of water preservation is imperative. Developers have implemented such technology as low-flow bathroom fixtures and an advanced irrigation system.

Environmental Air Quality: Materials used during construction were selected to minimize their emission of harmful compounds and minimize pollutants in the air conditioning system.

Conserving Energy: The design utilizes natural light and other technology to generate on-site power. Systems are automatically programmed to turn off the heating/cooling systems, televisions, lights or appliances when a unit is unoccupied after checkout.

Alternative Forms of Transportation: Incentives will be offered to guests and residents who do their part to support eco-friendly practices. Preferred parking will be offered to those driving low fuel emitting vehicles, or those participating in a car pooling program. Valet parking will be available for those riding their bikes to work. An above ground tramway will get people from place to place within this mini-city.

Advanced Technology: CityCenter architects have raised the bar with their use of advanced guestroom technology previously reserved for luxury custom homes and upscale resort suites. Standard amenities include:

- Upon initially entering a room, the lights will go on, curtains will automatically draw, and the TV will turn on.

- Using a one-touch remote control guests can customize lighting, room temperature, TV and video systems, music, wake-up calls, and service requests. A small panel on the night stand will display the same remote settings on a touch screen.

- Keyless locks can be unlocked easily by flashing their key over the sensor.

- A 42-inch LCD HDTV can be connected to laptops or video devices. The television is also used as a means of communication and displays messages and voicemail alerts.

- The clock radio is replaced with TV settings that control the lighting, curtain opening and initiate a selection of music.

- High speed wireless internet connection with extra bandwidth allows guests to download music or free Internet content. All in room devices are network driven, allowing management to perform remote maintenance quickly and seamlessly.

Your Guide to Las Vegas Hotels

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 04:08:35 +0000

Steve Wynn knows how to open a hotel, a resort and a casino. He has been responsible for creating some of the most well know and respected hotels in Las Vegas. The Mirage was the first hotel he built from the ground up. The success of The Mirage was followed by Treasure Island and then the award winning Bellagio debuted in 1998. But there is always room for improvement so Steve Wynn continued his winning streak and created the incredible Wynn Las Vegas.

Wynn Las Vegas is unique is almost every way. From the architectural design of the room tower to the layout of the casino, you will find a surprise around every corner. You can literally just stroll through the resort and be delighted by the sights and sounds. Every detail has been well thought out and designed for the up-most in luxury and comfort.

Upon your arrival at Wynn Las Vegas from the Las Vegas Strip you will notice something distinctly different from Steve Wynn’s previous creations. There is no feature in front of the hotel, such as the pirate battle at Treasure Island, the fountains at Bellagio or the erupting volcano at The Mirage. No, you only see a beautifully groomed mountain covered in trees and flanked by a modest yet towering waterfall. Jetting up from behind the mountain is the modern, copper colored room tower. It is quite a unique sight, especially in Las Vegas.

The resort rooms at Wynn Las Vegas are second to none. Each comes furnished with a LCD high-definition television in the main room and the bathroom. You don’t have to sit on the bed to relax because each resort room is outfitted with a couch and ottoman within a sitting area. The beds are covered with Egyptian Cotton linens. And best of all the rooms have floor to ceiling windows making for spectacular views of the Las Vegas valley. The rooms are so luxurious you may find it hard to venture down to the casino.

Wynn Las Vegas has a fine dining experience awaiting each and every taste. Each of the 10 fine dining restaurants is overseen by a world renowned chef. If you have a liking for fresh seafood, Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare is for you. Chef Paul Bartolotta creates his Italian creations with seafood flown in daily from fish markets across Europe. If you prefer a delicious steak then SW Steakhouse should definitely be on your to-do list. This is an award winning steakhouse is situated along the Lake of Dreams and named after Steve Wynn himself. Those are just a small sampling of the fine dining experiences that await you at Wynn Las Vegas.

Entertainment is not in short supply at Wynn Las Vegas. The two theaters house two completely unique productions. Le Reve is presented in an intimate aqua theater in-the-round featuring amazing acrobatics and incredible special effects. The Grail Theater is the home to Spamalot, the Tony Award winning musical. A hilarious and crazy 90-minute production, Spamalot was created by those whacky guys from Monty Python.

After you have visited the casino you can take your winnings and go on a shopping excursion. No this isn’t your typical Las Vegas souvenir shop. This is real world-class shopping. Housed in the Wynn Las Vegas Promenade are a host of international designer boutiques; Dior, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Jo Malone and Manolo Blahnik just to name a few.

There is so much more, but those are just a small selection of all the amenities Wynn Las Vegas offers it’s guests. Unparalleled luxury, beautiful surroundings, exceptional dining, world-class shopping and the best service in Las Vegas that is what Wynn Las Vegas strives to achieve. And they succeed on every level. Once you arrive and have forgotten about the world outside there really is no reason to leave, until it is that dreaded time to check-out. But I’d venture to say you won’t want to leave then either.

Off-The-Strip Las Vegas Hotels

Sat, 28 Aug 2010 07:11:33 +0000

If you are planning a trip to Sin City, you should definitely consider going to their off the strip hotels. Not only will you still enjoy your time in Las Vegas you will also save your money. The strip is in fact Las Vegas Boulevard and is one of the most well known streets in the world. However, you can choose quite a few hotels from off the strip. The buildings in the off strip area are now renovated and every hotel has its own flair of gambling. Each hotel represents the gambling but they just wish to present it in their own way.

Over the decades, the city of Las Vegas went through a massive change. Starting from the mega hotels with the impressive casinos and bright dazzling lights to the latest technology and method of entertainment, Las Vegas hotels have it all.

Off the strip, the old school Vegas where the serious gamblers who have a fixed budget are available. As the Sin City is famous for gambling, the table limits in the off the strip are in the lower area and there is a large number of slot machines and video poker. You can most likely find more nickel slot machines in off the strip areas than any other location.

Located off the strip, these hotels may cheaper than the strip but do not let the word “cheap” fool you. Cheap means that they are trying to attract the most customers by giving the lowest price for the best service. By looking for a motel off strip, you can find up with some genuinely good deals. Places like Sam’s Town are located within 10 miles of the strip but offer you the advantage of saving your money.

A problem you may have to face would be locating the hotel off the strip. The map may show that the hotel is located near the strip, but in fact, it is at a distance that you had not imagined. You may give a second thought to walking in this area at night alone since it becomes a bit sordid. Therefore, hire a cab and travel in this part of the city with safety. If you like a party environment then downtown is the place for you. The best part is, if you want to visit the strip, all you need to do is hire yourself a cab and simply go.

Even though location is not the only factor that influences your selection of Las Vegas hotels, it can still be the most important one. You can save as much money as you want without having to compromise on your services if you plan your trip carefully. The Fremont Street off the strip is loaded with casinos that one might even recognize from the movies. The famous Four Queens and The Golden Nugget are located on this very street. These do not only cost less, but also they provide you the utmost comfort and accommodate you well enough to satisfy you.

The price starts from $60 and reach up to $300 in the off the strip areas. Names such as the Americana 5, Best Western Mardi Gras Hotel & Casino, Americas Best Value Inn Tropicana, Super 8 Motel Koval Lane, Wild Wild West Gambling Hall & Hotel, and Americas Best Value Inn Lake Mead are amongst the very popular Las Vegas hotels off the strip. Other hotels, situated near the downtown or airport, can range from the price of $50 up to more than a $1000.

The Las Vegas hotels not on the strip never fail to provide you with the best food in town. Even though the Strip is more famous for having the best cuisines in the world, the off the strip Las Vegas hotels are not that far behind either. Presenting the best their abilities and rates let you, off the strip Las Vegas hotels are quite a catch. The city that never sleeps is a full package of entertainment whether it is on the Strip or off the strip.