ARIA Resort & Casino opened its doors this week and welcomed its first guests. Located at the heart of CityCenter, ARIA is the centerpiece of this extraordinary urban resort destination. Its debut signifies the official grand opening of this city-within-a-city, following two weeks of celebrations for the reveals of Vdara Hotel & Spa, Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas and Crystals retail and entertainment district. Featuring an unprecedented combination of striking architecture, sustainable design, high-end service and spectacular amenities, the stunning ARIA has dramatically altered the skyline of the world’s most famous boulevard and will forever change the perceptions of the Las Vegas Strip.

“ARIA and CityCenter reflect a combination of innovation, energy and visionary design that we believe will reshape how the world views the destination resort experience and attract visitors from around the globe as a landmark of taste and style,” said Jim Murren, Chairman and CEO of MGM Mirage, which developed CityCenter in partnership with Infinity World Development Corp.

Designed by the world-renowned firm Pelli Clarke Pelli, ARIA’s architectural expression reveals itself at every turn, from its two breathtaking curvilinear steel and glass towers to the clean use of natural elements including lush foliage, wood and stone.

At 18 million square feet, CityCenter is the largest private sustainable development in the world, having received six LEED Gold certifications for its buildings.

At an early morning press conference yesterday, company executives and national dignitaries including the president, CEO and founding chairman of the U.S Green Building Council were on hand to pay tribute to CityCenter’s significant milestone in the arena of sustainable design, construction and operations. Among its sustainable distinctions, ARIA commissioned the first fleet of clean-fueled CNG stretch limousines. It also is the first resort on the Las Vegas Strip to generate its own electricity.

Also part of yesterday’s opening events, senior executives from both MGM Mirage and Infinity World had the rare honor of remotely ringing the Closing Bell of the New York Stock Exchange, marking the project’s major contribution to the financial fortitude of Las Vegas. CityCenter is the single largest hiring effort in the country today, creating new jobs for approximately 12,000 people.

Bobby Baldwin, president and CEO of CityCenter said, “This is an incredibly proud time in our company’s history. We believe this moment marks a turning point in the financial future of our community.”

A grand opening invite-only gala capped the opening day’s activities, giving VIP guests an opportunity to sample ARIA’s impeccable hospitality, creative personalized attention and incredible array of amenities. Finally, at 11 p.m. fireworks filled the sky with brilliant bursts of color, reflected in ARIA’s curved glass curtain wall, as Las Vegas visitors and locals gathered below eager to enter the resort when the doors opened shortly following the dramatic aerial salute.

Murren said, “CityCenter will become the benchmark by which all new developments will be measured, and it won’t be surpassed in scope and grandeur for decades.”

To learn more, visit www.citycenter.com.

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In just three short months, the world will be introduced to CityCenter. An extraordinary urban resort destination brought to life by eight world-renowned architects, CityCenter will debut a new era of resort experiences with an ambition to refine and redefine Las Vegas.

Conceived to bring a true center to The Strip, CityCenter will be much more than a collection of resorts and residences; it’s a community – a welcoming environment for people to gather, relax and enjoy. Great pedestrian corridors, dynamic public spaces, authentic richness and diversity of experiences will evoke the energy of the world’s most exciting places. CityCenter’s public Fine Art Collection will enliven the street and engage passersby. As if in a strolling gallery, guests will happen upon works by world-renowned artists such as Maya Lin or Nancy Rubins as they wander through CityCenter’s walkways, hotels and residences.

A true community also has regard for its surroundings. Upon opening, CityCenter will be one of the largest sustainable developments in existence, bringing a new level of environmental consciousness to the world-famous Strip. The U.S. Green Building Council already has awarded Gold LEED certification to ARIA’s hotel tower, convention center and theater; as well as Vdara Hotel. CityCenter’s remaining venues are poised to receive a combination of Silver and Gold LEED ratings.

“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,” said 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.”

CITYCENTER’S GRAND OPENING SCHEDULE:

Vdara Hotel – 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

ARIA Resort & Casino – December 16, 2009

ARIA Resort & Casino will be a fusion of energy, inspiration and vision, featuring an unprecedented combination of striking architecture, sustainable design, high-end service and spectacular amenities. Even in a city such as Las Vegas, with its extraordinary history of dynamic cutting-edge developments, ARIA will be demonstrably different than anything that has preceded it.

Vdara Hotel – December 1, 2009

Vdara Hotel is an internationally inspired all-suite hotel and spa designed for those who love the excitement of Las Vegas but prefer to enjoy it in an exclusive, non-gaming and smoke-free environment. Physically connected to Bellagio and directly adjacent to ARIA Resort & Casino, Vdara offers access to all of the entertainment, gaming, shopping, dining and nightlife at CityCenter and in Las Vegas, while also providing a retreat from it all.

Crystals retail and entertainment district – December 3, 2009

Crystals will house more than 500,000 square feet of sophisticated retail and dining. Designed by Studio Daniel Libeskind* with interior architecture by David Rockwell and Rockwell Group, Crystals will combine dramatic architecture with exclusive offerings from the world’s most elite brands to become a preeminent shopping destination.

Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas – December 4, 2009

Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas will be a sophisticated sanctuary of modern elegance. The 47-story, non-gaming hotel and residences will deliver spectacular accommodations, superlative dining, an unparalleled spa, and the legendary service of the renowned hotel group to Las Vegas for the first time.

Veer Towers

Veer Towers, CityCenter’s most unique residential development, will be a masterful translation of energy and excitement into physical form; its two 37-story glass towers will shimmer day and night. Inclined at five-degree angles – a feature celebrated by the development’s name – the towers will seem to dance with each other.

To learn more, visit www.citycenter.com.

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