CityCenter, one of the largest sustainable developments in existence, is celebrating its completion in Las Vegas with a month of openings of projects created by high-profile architecture and design firms including Gensler as executive architect; Pelli Clarke Pelli as the designers of Aria; RV Architecture as the designers of Vdara Condo Hotel; Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates as designers of the Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas; Helmut Jahn as lead architect for Veer Towers; Foster + Partners as the lead architect for The Harmon Hotel; Studio Daniel Libeskind as lead architect with Rockwell Group as interior architect for Crystals Retail and Entertainment District; and Adam D. Tihany/Tihany Design, acting as a design consultant in conjunction with Las Vegas-based architect of record Adamson Associates Architects for Mandarin Oriental, as well acting as a design consultant in conjunction with Las Vegas-based architect of record HKS Architects for Sirio Ristorante, Union restaurant, and a sculptural courtyard, all at ARIA.
Conceived to bring a true center to the Las Vegas Strip, CityCenter was planned and designed as a community with a rich variety of retail, hospitality, and residential environments, as well as public corridors and dynamic public spaces where people can gather, relax, and enjoy the excitement and energy of Las Vegas. "CityCenter bridges the vitality of Las Vegas with the experiences travelers seek when they visit great cities around the world, whether London, Hong Kong, or San Francisco—spectacular architecture, culturally significant art, great public spaces, sophisticated hotels, unique restaurants, and incredible amenities," says Bobby Baldwin, president and CEO, CityCenter. "It is an evolutionary destination that aims to transform Las Vegas as a new symbol at its core, like the Guggenheim in Bilbao, the Pompidou in Paris, or the SONY Center in Berlin."
The 18 million-square-foot development also brings an important new level of sustainability to the Strip. The USGBC has already awarded LEED Gold certification to Aria Resort & Casino’s hotel tower, convention center and theater, Mandarin Oriental, and the Vdara Hotel & Spa. Crystals also has received LEED Gold certification, making it the world’s largest retail district to receive this level of recognition. CityCenter’s remaining venues are poised to receive a combination of Gold and Silver LEED ratings.
CityCenter’s Grand Opening Schedule:
• Vdara Hotel & Spa – December 1, 2009
• Crystals retail and entertainment district – December 3, 2009
• Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas – December 4, 2009
• ARIA Resort & Casino – December 16, 2009
• The Harmon – Late 2010
• Residential occupancies slated to begin mid-January 2010
