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Thursday, Dec. 17, 2009 | 2 a.m.
Aria opens its doors to the public
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CityCenter's Aria has opened its doors to the public. Fireworks exploded over the centerpiece of the $8.5 billion CityCenter project, and people eagerly awaited to be the first inside Aria, which is a partnership between MGM Mirage and Dubai World.
Related stories
- Welcome to CityCenter: New Strip casino opens its doors (12-17-2009)
- At CityCenter, art for the masses right next to the slots (12-17-2009)
- MGM Mirage execs gather to mark opening of CityCenter (12-16-2009)
- CityCenter aims to make dining experience 'cooler and hipper' (12-16-2009)
- Water — swirling, spewing, frozen — to entertain visitors at CityCenter (12-16-2009)
- Inside Aria: A glimpse into the heart of CityCenter (12-14-2009)
- CityCenter's Mandarin Oriental makes Vegas debut (12-4-2009)
- CityCenter unveils Crystals retail district (12-3-2009)
- Vdara hotel marks opening of CityCenter (12-2-2009)
Sun Coverage
From East Coast to West Coast, from syndicated columnists to bloggers, from the national networks to local TV affiliates, the news media have been buzzing about the Strip's newest visitor attraction, CityCenter. The reviews were mixed, with some keying on entertainment and the shopping, while some critics dug a little deeper into the architecture and the wisdom of it opening in a recession. Here's an overview of those opinions, gleaned from Web sites.
• "With its crescent of intersecting wings and oval glass tower, the Aria casino hotel is the crown jewel of CityCenter, the Dubai-scale, $8.5 billion, celebrity-architect mega-development by MGM Mirage that's dumping a casino and 6,000 unwanted hotel rooms on Las Vegas. Locals hope it will save their foreclosure-hobbled city." — Bloomberg's architecture critic James S. Russell in that wire service's story. Russell went on to say he liked Aria, but the design for the Harmon was "phoned in" and the Mandarin Oriental hotel is "stiff." But, he said, the Crystals shopping area "is a fun antidote to the smothering fairy-tale pomp that has become the Las Vegas norm."
• "'If you build it, they will come,' is a famous line from the movie 'Field of Dreams.' In CityCenter's case, that's not guaranteed. And this is no cornfield in Iowa." — National Public Radio's Ted Robbins, questioning whether CityCenter's unofficial themes of urbanism, architecture and art, and the work of architects Pelli, Rafael Vinoly, Daniel Libeskind, Norman Foster and Helmut Jahn, and artists Maya Lin, Frank Stella and Henry Moore, will draw tourists.
• "CityCenter's true theme is leverage. Ranking as the largest private development in American history, big enough to fill the tallest building in Los Angeles, the U.S. Bank Tower, roughly a dozen times over, the complex is a palace — a series of connected palaces, actually — for the age of towering debt and easy credit. They should have put Alan Greenspan's face on the poker chips." — Los Angeles Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne.
• Despite problems, CityCenter "is opening, something many didn't think was possible a few months ago after Wall Street stopped lending and MGM Mirage was sued by its partner in the project, Dubai World, amid debt troubles." — Forbes.com in a story that shouted "CityCenter Lives!" in its headline.
• "I do not believe we should be held accountable, or that the success of CityCenter should be measured, by the numbers we put up in the first week or month." — MGM Mirage CEO Jim Murren's explanation to Forbes about his desire for the early measures of CityCenter to be based on the experience it provides.
• "MGM Mirage's CityCenter is possibly the biggest bet in Las Vegas' history. With four towering hotels, a casino, a high-end shopping complex and 42 restaurants and bars, it's an $8.5 billion, 18-million-square-foot behemoth and the crown jewel of the Strip." — ABC's "Nightline," as part of a Wednesday night report showing the flagship hotel Aria as it was readied for its grand opening.
• "Its soaring glass towers and world-class sculptures are eye-popping centerpieces. But for Maria Gaines (a new CityCenter employee), it represents a life preserver, a job that saved her from drowning in debt." — Dan Simons' video report on CNN.
• "Skeptics say it could be tough to get recession-battered consumers to pay up for the new resort." — Reuters' writer Deena Beasley.
• "The market is breathing a sigh of relief about CityCenter opening. I think (MGM) management is very competent. If they can manage nine Strip properties, why can't they manage yet another one?" — Gabelli & Co. analyst Amit Kapoor in Beasley's Reuters story.
• "The good thing for the stock is that expectations are reasonably low." — Sterne Agee analyst David Bain in Beasley's Reuters story.
• "I'm at market (value) and I'm very happy about it. For the price and the quality and what I'm getting, I'm very content." — David Tuttleman, a local restaurant owner, in a CNBC video report about his purchase of a Veer penthouse, the price of which dropped 30 percent to $1.8 million.
• "This is really 21st-century Las Vegas. This is really setting up very high standards that will be very hard to match — but I hope they will try." — Architect Cesar Pelli, whose team designed Aria, in a national Associated Press story.
• "For the first time in the lodging business at this kind of a scale, a company set out to incorporate wide-ranging green efforts in order to create some of the most environmentally friendly structures that have ever been constructed." — Glenn Haussman in a Hotel Interactive story on the project's sustainability effort.
• "Analysts have already warned that high-scaled CityCenter will be very attractive in the near term, thus providing major competition for Wynn Resorts Ltd. and the two properties – The Venetian and the Palazzo – owned by Las Vegas Sands Corp. The competition could also affect MGM’s Bellagio and Mirage." — Gaming Today in a story about the future of gaming.
• "On the west coast, the MGM Mirage CityCenter project has recycled more than 130,000 tons of recyclable materials generated since its inception, with 95 percent of the material diverted from landfills" — Environmental Leader writes, citing a report in Recycling Today.
• "It's a huge leap forward. It's clearly a departure from everything that has been built in Las Vegas. It's not themed. It's very contemporary, sexy, and fluid. It's totally different. I believe it will create a new standard in how people enjoy and view the casino life here." — interior designer Adam D. Tihany in Las Vegas Business Press, discussing CityCenter's long-reaching effects on Las Vegas. Tihany was the interior designer for Mandarin Oriental.
• "I just entered the new Emerald City. The proprietor here, however, isn't The Wizard of Oz, and this sure ain't Kansas. This is the MGM Grand's City Center, located on the Las Vegas Strip." — Jennifer Schwab for Huffington Post
• "Las Vegas's newest shopping mall is more Guggenheim than Six Flags, with its Daniel Libeskind-designed exterior and glass-and-steel canopy" — Michael Martin discussing Crystals for The Street
• "CityCenter is different in style from other Las Vegas resorts. It is a contemporary style with a lot of glass. Love it or hate it, there is no denying that Las Vegas has a lot riding on the project." — Richard Warren for Bigger Pockets real-estate blog.
• "But it’s only a part—albeit a big part—of how Las Vegas is going to add 10,000 guestrooms to a supply of 140,000 that’s already steeply discounted. When I was there a couple of weeks ago, the talk among the common folk—the cabbies, blackjack dealers and restaurant waiters and waitresses—was about CityCenter siphoning existing demand from hotels." — Jeff Higley for Hotel News Now
• "Has a state's psyche ever rested so completely on a single resort complex? In recession-ravaged Las Vegas, the flashy opening last week of Aria — the hotel-casino centerpiece of CityCenter — was regarded as either a sign of the Strip's economic rebound or another symptom of its ailments. Most Nevadans are praying for the rebound." — Los Angeles Times reporter Ashley Powers
• "Well, time alone will tell whether Crystals proves a lasting contribution to the world of modern urban design, but right now, it’s dazzling the crowds in Las Vegas, which is what it’s supposed to do." — Richard Ouzounian for the Toronto Star.
• "Instead of a lobby the size of two football fields bathed by the glow of slot machines, I found one that could easily be crossed in seconds and was filled with natural light and comfy-looking furniture. No flashing marquees and not even a hint of cigarette smoke. Outside, small parks replaced parking lots. Where cheesy faux European monuments should have been were sculptures by world-renowned artists. It felt serene — even secluded. For a second, I panicked. Was I really in Las Vegas?" — Eliza Hussman of the San Francisco Chronicle
Compiled by Sun reporter Dave Toplikar
More Vegas excess
big excess
good luck vegas
Unimpressive.. Don't these people have a life?
The photo at the top of the article shows the type of clientele the city center was hoping not to attract.
think any of these folks can afford to eat or stay here.
I was jusy thinking the same thing about the clientelle. That woman in the red jacket is hot...NOT!
Environprotector, I find it funny you comment about the people in the photograph!! I see your comments on every article on this website. The real question is: Do you have a life? Or do you just sit in front of a computer all day reading and commenting on the LV Sun articles?
LOl jtrueau! My first thought. City Center will get many oglers but few buyers. They should have titled it The Las Vegas Zoo. Look but don't touch and do not feed the animals (slots).
Nico777 :
You must not have much of a life if all you do is sit in front of the computer every day reading my posts on EVERY article in the LV Sun... :)
environprotector = mr negative on LV Sun (and prob other news sites regarding everything Las Vegas)
He doesn't support ANY of the changes or direction this town is headed/ going... Might want to just move on dont you think?... if you despise it soooo much...
Yep, environprotector is stuck in the past and wishes doom & gloom upon anything new in Las Vegas that doesn't bring back memories of $2/nt rooms, $.10 shrimp cocktail, or coin operated machines.
I'm pulling for City Center. I will visit the property in a few weeks, once the Grand Opening kinks are flushed out. I will reserve my comments about the property until I actually give the experience a try and see what they are offering.
S711
Environprotector,I have a life. Thats probably why I dont make fun of or belittle others to make myself feel better. Trust me when I say, your comments generally show lack of common sense and knowledge. Its hard not to see your comments, you share your ignorance so often. Try to learn to be productive.
Hey Sinatra711,
I bet you have NEVER tasted those yummy, made in China 10 cent
shrimp cocktails.
You have missed out in life!!!!! I say close down all the buffets and
charge 10 cents for all you can eat shrimp (like) food.
YUMMY
Nico777 :
You are entitled to your opinions, however I see that you have only placed several posts here ever, so you need to do some catching up on the issues here before you pass judgement on me or my views. As far as being productive I am responsible for a great many things that would surprise you, however I don't wish to discuss here So, chill my young friend and breathe..
Certainly an amusing observation about the folks in the photo; How come they're not lugging their coolers and bags of snack food behind them?
I'm glad to see the people in the picture look like regular middle class folk. Vegas was built on making the common guy feel like a big shot for a night. Hopefully City Center will keep it afordable for the common guy. I don't know about any of you but I make a good buck and still find myself going to downtown so I can afford anything I want. The strip is to damn expensive with its tight slots and ten dollar drinks.
I went through the shopping experience... it is sterile, boring, and full of high-end stores in which no one (regular folks) can afford to shop.
Too many shops with Italian designer names... where is the ABC store?
And a really terrible display of plexiglass tubes of mini-water cyclones. Geez! Cheap gags at best. A disaster overall. Wal-Mart-Art at best.
This is a multibillion dollar wrong-way turn for Vegas designed by smug architects driving their BMWs, living in their mansions near Red Rock. ...Out of touch, balding, idiot megalomaniacs. More of the same, just like they fooled the board of directors who made the MGM theme park (remember that mess?")
Wow. Billions spent. But garbage design in... garbage out. I hope Mr. Baldwin follows Mr. Schaeffer. Show them the door.
This is the biggest disaster in the past 25 years for Vegas.
Disaster. Disaster. Disaster.
I work very near this white elephant and i have heard nothing but negative about that place.All the way down to people being turned away because of how they are dressed!This is the death blow to vegas.Im wondering how long,and when they are gonna have to dump other properties to keep the doors open on this one?
rumrunner,doesn't look like a dress-code was enforced opening night ;-)
FWIW:
The only comment I heard was "it is what it is" by one touring the property to another - a Yogiism?
: {
I agree when people say they need to stop with the high end retail shops i think there is way too many of them on the strip. But assuming people in the pictures cant afford to stay there, i dont agree with. Vdara was offereing $125/Night rooms for december up until the 30th. Aria was offering $150 room rates with a 75 resort credit. Thats not too much for a room rate at a new casino. Perhaps you just cant afford to stay there.
environprotector:
Glad to see some people finally call you out, you are always negative... you much be a "true joy" to hang out with, your friends and family are so lucky to have your company LOL
In a few months, City Center will be City Cemetary.
ya, god...that is kinda sad that all these people had nothing better to do.
this place WILL be popular the first few months and then it will have the same problems as every other resort in vegas.
Hey! that look like the same croud I saw at the Freemont Experience.. Where are the upscale people???
I went to check out city center to day and all I have to ask is did they save the recipts because I hear walmart has a VERY GOOD return Policy. I think they might do well if they are able to convince them its still new.
Lets face it the employees were dressed better then those people' Also i want CityCenter to succeed now that it is open it really is to big to fail.
With the exception of nico777 (and my apologies in advance if I missed someone else who's being fair and reasonable), I don't think I have ever seen a collection of more stupid, pathetic, let's-try-and-bash-and-seem-clever-in-the-process (not) posts in my life.
Just too ignorant and unsophisticated to even begin to fathom what it took to conceive and build this project! Stick to being Glen Beck fans...please!
As for what you guys must like in interior design, I bet Walker's Furniture is YOUR ideal...lol!
Let's start at the top:
Yes. Vegas excess. It IS what Las Vegas is known for, so we all thank you for stating the obvious.
***
Environprotector...unimpressive?
I'm assuming from your username that you're a protector of the environment. So let's at least offer some credit to the architects, engineers and other members of the design team that aimed for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards and succeeded with not only one, but SIX, Gold Certifications for six of their buildings.
But apparently you find the Strippermobile more impressive: "This is greatest thing for Vegas, and the county commissioners just don't get it! This will bring more publicity to us than anything the drippy casino executives or tourism board could ever have dreamed up for promoting Las Vegas! Viva Strippermobile!! Go get 'em and reel 'em in!!" -- pulled from Environprotector's comment on: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/dec...
And before I answer your question of "Don't these people have a life?", I may as well fix your grammar and pose the question correctly by asking, "Don't these people have lives?" ("people" is plural, so they would need to possess a pluralized object in order to maintain proper sentence structure).
But I digress. Yes, these people do have lives. I believe it would be safe to assume that they possess higher collegiate degrees, ones that enabled them to apply the countless hours of research, development and creativity to bring such an enormous project to fruition.
While many educated persons view CityCenter as a piece of art both aesthetically and structurally, you've simply made a conscious decision and negatively stamped it with "unimpressive". But that's fine, to each his own.
Now, I assume that your life consists of over-posting your comments every day on Lasvegasun.com?...
...Jtrudeau, yes, I agree with your comment about the opening photo, however, wouldn't you want to check out the "latest and greatest" thing to open up on The Strip? While a majority of the crowd may not have been their target clientele, they still drew a great crowd, and that in itself during these times is a step in the right direction.
***
Formervegas76, that was a pretty presumptuous statement. It's an oldie, but a goodie: never judge a book by its cover. You don't know whether or not those people can or cannot afford what CityCenter has to offer, so I suggest you refrain from making judgments on random folks' economic situations based on the clothes you see them wearing in a photo.
And also, while CityCenter does bring a higher price point than other properties on The Strip, I did find most of the room rates on Aria's site to be surprisingly reasonable, and at certain times of the year, even affordable.
***
ATVDAD1, you're a trooper. If you are ever offered a complimentary stay at CityCenter, please feel free to contact me. I'll even give you the $50 for your room downtown. Just so we're clear, you would rather give up a free room at, let's say...Aria...and pay for the plaza because...
***
United_727, I have nothing to say because your comment at least made me laugh.
***
Seeing as that I need to get ready for work now, I have to cut this short. But before I wrap up, Brownp19, what the hell did you say?...and Nico777 and Cribster64, I both enjoyed and agreed with your posts.
Lipstick on a pig. Drunken tourists with no money to spend toddling through the casino with their plastic drinks in their hands and wearing sloppy cloths. I don't think that this is the kind of people that's needed to bring cash into the casino. The next 6 months will show if they will get at least a certain amount of business, but these Super CEO's will say it takes 18 months for them to get clear and more accurate results....but that's a lie. It's only their parachute to make sure that they can collect 18 months super high salaries before they get fired and collect an even bigger parachute. Lipstick on a pig!!!
I was staying at Harrah's when the fireworks went off for the Grand Opening. City Center is impressive. Maybe it's because I'm from Utah, but few places, or none, compare to Las Vegas.
Msstrong" thanks for your comments. City Center sounds as exciting as a new toaster oven. Maybe those architects have gotten what they deserved for CC--eg they are now unemployed. Architecture is a boom and bust profession and now it's in a big bust. LOL. I'd also like to thank them for another boondogle which is Walt Disney Concert Hall in L.A. That piece of junk is cramped like you wouldn't believe. Everybody has been talking about how great the acoustics are, but I don't like the mushy surround sound inside. A waste of $300 million.
City Center is a great place. 10.00 tables for this nice of a place is cheap. The People are wonderful and it has something for every income bracket. I believe it will generate lots of traffic this year and help Las Vegas in it's recovery. Thousands of people working, spending their money at your businesses and providing for their families. What does being negative really get you. The community needs to pull together and support Ventures that put people to work. I have met a lot of people that work at City Center and they are extremly professional and genuine.
I admire Aria and its art pieces. I've dined at the Cafe Vettro and the Buffet. Both are reasonable places to dine at the Aria. My next stop would be at the Lemongrass. I'm scared to even look at the menus on the other restaurants but most definitely I will check out Lemongrass next and also the Patisserie which has already been vandalized, someone took the P out of Patisserie near the entrance. Aria need to secure their public art pieces, it will be vandalized and it has been vandalized. One security per art piece installation should have been assigned. I have seen people climbing the sculptures, disgustingly ignorant!!!! Anyway I wish my city the best of luck and City Center even more luck. A beautiful complex of buildings and art pieces, I'm glad it is here in Vegas.
The high end shopping mall needs character, high end shops + a good mix of other affordable shops and restaurants will bring this mall what it needs, shoppers.
I went by the check out Aria yesterday. First of all, it's huge! Next, although ultra-modern, it is dark inside. It was not very busy. I did see one women with a handfull of $100 bills putting them in a few spin poker machines. She did win a $1200.00 jackpot but overall she likely lost her shirt! The Elvis theatre looked nice from the outside. Overall, it's definitely a high-class looking facility. They even had this electronic message wall at the valet pick-up which was quite impressive, however, the messages were strange (e.g., about watching your weight, etc).
Visited City Center several times and while I thought the exteriors of the complex and the design of the space itself was brilliant, the interior design was an unqualified disaster. It reminds me of a bad 70's nightmare. Modern can be wonderful, for example I.M. Pei's spectacular Four Seasons Hotel in New York, but City Center's interiors are an absolute mess!!! Dissonant elements abound, from mismatched floorings to revolting carpets, hideous wall ornaments to gold frizz on the ceilings. In Crystals the ridiculous floor material shows every scuff mark so clearly that the poor staff has to polish them off three times a day, and it still looks like linoleum. It's a real shame as someone with talent and taste could have made it a home run.