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Steve Marcus / Las Vegas Sun
A view of the casino floor in Aria, the centerpiece of the $8.5 billion CityCenter project, Monday, December 14, 2009.
Monday, Dec. 14, 2009 | 8:53 p.m.
Sun Coverage
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 earlier this month.
The 4,004-room resort and casino will feature more than 150,000 square feet of gaming space, a 215,000-square-foot pool area with 50 cabanas and an 80,000-square-foot spa, the largest among MGM Mirage properties.
The resort also will include 10 bars and lounges, and 16 restaurants. Aria will be home to Cirque du Soleil’s newest show, “Viva Elvis,” which takes guests on a trip through Elvis Presley’s life and music, with first performances beginning Friday.
Until Wednesday, VIPs and company executives will be testing the waters at Aria, ensuring the resort is ready for its first public guests.
Good luck to everyone.
Very nice. Wishing CityCenter and it's employees great success.
Wow ! it kinda reminds me of the old Stardust Casino where the tables used to be...
Hey Mr.Gun! I've been here from Michigan going on 3 yrs. now! I'm a sheet Metal worker! I'm laied off now from the Fountain Bleau project and would really like to return to work soon if possile. People that gamble here or anywhere ardn't suckers, their thrill seakers. Can you remember the first time you won a little money?It was a thrill wasn't it? It's a thrill for us all.I think you brecome a sucker when you think that bit of luck will continue. Like all addictions you need a strong will to walk away, to realize gambling isn't for you. And I think your wrong to say Las Vegas was built on idiot's comming here to be ripped off! Cities Like Las Vegas and Laughlin and all the Cities in between here and L.A. sooner or later had to appear. It's natural expansion. If a person is going to gamble anywhere Las Vegas, is as good as any for a first time experience! If they decide to come back for more all the better for Las Vegas and Nevada. What we need here is more people comming here, win or lose Las Vegas is spectacular in many respects. I really wish though the City had a better way of permoting itself more. There are other great points of intrest like Red Rock, Mt. Charleston and the Hoover Dam. To many times the people that come here don't ever know about the Duce, the transit systenm that might make their stay a little more rewarding. There's Fremont Street and old Las Vegas. They just do things in walking distance of their hotels. I bet people don't know that there's China Town right down the street. There's a lot to be said for Las Vegas but the City could do a little more I think. I hope the people that leave here leave with a feeling of a 1 time experience eagar to come back. I only wish the City had more of the greats. I think those were the best times. All I can say is Viva Las Vegas!!
Mr. Tungchow,, ( if that is your real name, and not just a private joke )
If you are going to take the time to post, for god sake, take the time to spell correctly and use proper grammer in your sentence structure. You are just proving how stupid common labor people really are !
It's spelled grammar, proving how stupid common limo drivers really are.
The irony here, Chauffeur, is "grammar" isn't spelled "grammer" so who is the stupid one here?
It's bad enough that the odds are staggering against you, but they machines were rigged to steal your money while promoting thrill and excitement, and entertainment. From 6pm to maybe 11pm they will rigged machines and situations for you to win a little, give you everything that you want, then after 11pm they will go for the kill. The dummy who doesn't know this will be the victim, now that you know don't be stupid. They didn't throw billions into it, then let you win, they won't, that is the fact, that is common sense.
another unneeded mega resort that spreads the slice a little thinner. This was a monumental (mis)management disaster. 8.5 billion---9 properties in one market and you spend 8.5 billion building what--another property in the same market to compete with the 9 you already have!!!!! genius!!! This will hurt everyone in the business for a few months until everyone makes the walk around the property. mgm, it has driven to the brink of bankruptcy and they are hanging by a thread even now. This bs about bringing new customers to las vegas is just that--bs.
The water wall is neat . At least you can see that for free.
No, I have to say it's a beautiful casino, but ..THAT'S ALL I'M GONNA SAY!!!
I predict in 2013 that they will tear down City Center
and replace it with a 1.5 million square foot.......
SLOTS-O-FUN MEGA Casino.
Hurray for .10 craps, 5 star shrimp-like plastes for .50 cents
and best of all, free entertainment (looking at all the midwest dorks)
That must be a joke, of course there is a sports book.
Continental commitment, good you do some changes to daily routines, by the way nothing else is worth a look.
Lovely picture. I would share it with the best of the best.
Congratulations to Las Vegas. Let's hope these openings get things moving in a better direction for all of us.
Hope that PeterGun will behave himself. He has posted nothing but garbage to this nice article.
Aria is luxurious and beautiful!
Wow! It looks great! Makes me want to get on a plane and come back to Vegas.....of course, the 10 degrees outside today has nothing to do with it!!! I look at the pictures and it's times like this that I miss the excitement of living in Vegas. Even though the visits to the Strip were far and few between, the times I did go down there it was always exciting and fun.
I hope terrorists will not target this place....
$8B at risk and whole a lot more for market, moreover a lot of civillians in danger if targeted. Scary.
The casino will be really smoking!
THE CASINO AND THE BARS, NIGHTCLUBS AND LOUNGES WILL BE FULL OF SECONDHAND SMOKE.
SO SORRY FOR THE EMPLOYEES! HOLD YOUR BREATH!
BREATHING IS NOT A CHOICE, NO MATTER WHERE YOU WORK!
Casino can be viewed differently. No bad picture.
WoW,Another casino that looks like just like the other ones,except its new.That picture looks exactly like the bellagio,s main floor with the walkway spacing,etc
And yay,another 4,000 rooms open up in 13 hours.
PeterGun
" I would tip her at least 25 cents if I was sitting there"
judging by the people gambling when they took that picture,I highly doubt they even have .25.
nice t-shirt,,nice flannel,,nice baseball cap
just saying
peace out
also found out from neighbour who will be dealing at the Aria,unless your grandfathered in by 6 pm,the BJ table minimum is 25.00
oh well that wont affect all you whales that post here
Gambling can be an entertainment for some. Just like how some like shopping, strip clubs, or going to bars and clubs.. But you can also get a return on your investment also. I've seen the high's and low's with gambling. If the city center and survive the upcoming economy then good for them. I play at the higher end resorts, why not? You want the best so you play at the best. Wynn, Palazzo, Bellagio, With out any casino's in Las Vegas and gamblers what would you have? Gambling is huge to the economy.
I moved here to Las Vegas this past January and have been very disappointed in the casinos here.
Service stinks attitude stinks odds on tables stink.No wonder once the economy crashed Las Vegas took one of the harder hits in the country.
I live just off the Strip and I will say one thing,I do not even go to the Strip anymore.I could walk to the Venitian Bellagio,Flamingo,Ceasers,Bally's,Paris,Planet Hollywood,now City Center in a matter of minutes and do not even bother,service is horrific.What a waste of beautiful properties.I drive over to the Orleans or out to the M instead because they make me feel welcome when I come in.They have no clue how much I am going to play that night and still serve me as if I were a high roller.
I hope City Center does well but I seriously doubt it because the employees are scared to breath much less be friendly and courtious.
anhdavid78 - "From 6pm to maybe 11pm they will rigged machines and situations for you to win a little, give you everything that you want, then after 11pm they will go for the kill." ~ Easily the most ignorant thing I've read today....and ranks as 2nd funny comment of the day.
:)
S711
What bubble do you live in Sinatra? If you don't think these casinos are capable of adjusting the payout ratios, I have some land I'd like to sell you on the moon. They blatantly advertised that they have a central processing center for controlling the machines. Go drop $500 down there tomorrow and then come back and let us know how you fared.
as a liberal, i am shocked at all this greed. they should have taken the money it cost to build citycenter and create housing and provide meals for child molesters.
My wife and I look forward to seeing the place .
I just love Las Vegas.
especially the Wynn encore.