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Photo taken of the CityCenter project model shown to the public at MGM MIRAGE's unveiling conference on
Septermber 15,
2005.
Project City Center (spelled Project CityCenter) is a 66 acre mixed use development project proposed by MGM MIRAGE on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. The development will be on the site of the now closed Boardwalk Hotel and Casino and adjoining land between the Bellagio and the Monte Carlo, and will be connected to these resorts via a state-of-the-art people mover system. Project CityCenter is proposed as the largest privately financed development in the United States, and is one of several proposed mixed use projects on the Las Vegas Strip. The total cost of the project is expected to exceed $7 billion. MGM MIRAGE expects to break ground in mid-2006, and estimates that Project CityCenter will open in the fourth quarter of 2009. Unlike other themed resorts along the Las Vegas Strip, plans include multiple high-rise buildings with contemporary urban design. Project CityCenter will feature approximately 2,800 units of luxury condominiums, a 4,000-room luxury hotel and casino; two 400-room, non-gaming boutique hotels; and over 470,000 square feet of retail, dining and entertainment venues.
Development Plans
On February 2, 2006 MGM MIRAGE announced that it would be adding roughly $1 billion to what already is the biggest and most expensive construction project ever attempted. [1]
The total cost of the project is expected to be over $7 billion. The original cost estimate was $4 billion, but had been pushed up by rising construction costs and earlier design changes. MGM MIRAGE expects to build over 2,800 condo-hotel and condominium units, a large increase from initial plans which called for 1,650 units. The previously announced Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas hotel at CityCenter will include 400 hotel suites as well as more than 200 condominium units designed to appeal to an international demographics. Two 400-unit condo towers, located in the middle of the CityCenter site and above several floors of retail space, are designed for younger demographic who desire living in an urban environment. CityCenter will also include a 4,000-room resort hotel and more than 500,000 square feet of retail space. The other condo buildings include a condo-hotel with about 300 apartments and a bigger tower with about 1,500 condo-hotel units.
The multi-use project is being designed with green technologies to make it one of the world's largest environmentally sustainable urban communities. Plans include garden roofs, the use of reclaimed water, and an on-site power plant. MGM Mirage will pursue LEED certification for the project as outlined by the U.S. Green Building Council. MGM MIRAGE has reached a $100 million agreement with Siemens to design and build a central energy plant to help power and cool Project City Center.
Project City Center's retail district is being planned by Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-based Taubman Centers, Inc, a high-end retail developer. MGM MIRAGE in keeping the company's long-standing commitment to diversity, have announced that they are going to include minority, and women owned businesses in the retail district of Project City Center.
In July of 2005, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group announced that it will manage a new 400-room luxury hotel in the multi-billion dollar urban development. Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas will be built on a 1.5-acre site in a multi-towered building rising 37 stories high with an entrance on Las Vegas Boulevard. Multiple glass-enclosed sky bridges will connect the hotel with the rest of the development. The Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) architectural firm has been retained to create the hotel’s contemporary design, and Tihany Design will be the principal designer of the interior.
Architects
Some of the world's top design, architectural and construction partners will be involved in Project City Center. The Design team is led by renowned architects Cesar Pelli, Rafael Vinoly, Lord Foster, James KM Cheng and Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates. Cesar Pelli and Associates, the architect responsible for the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, will be the lead architect on Project City Center's 4,000-room hotel and casino. James KM Cheng, known for his work in Vancouver, British Columbia, is designing a twisting 100-unit residential tower, similar to the Turning Torso in Malmö, Sweden. The Perini Building Company is lead contractor on the project, with Tishman Construction Corporation serving as the executive construction manager.
Phases
The combined project totals approximately 16,797,000 square feet of space and 7,190 hotel rooms and resort and hotel condominium units. It will be built in three phases as listed.
Phase One
The CityCenter Hotel and Casino
The focal point of the entire project. It consists of two, 600 foot high towers with a total of 4,100 hotel rooms and a 155,000 square foot casino. The north tower consists of 43 levels and the south tower is 48 levels.
The resort also includes a 3-story, 565,000 square foot convention center, a 2,000 seat theater, back-of-house areas, offices, two parking garages, one of which is a 13 level parking structure and a one subterranean garage located underneath the casino level. It will be designed by Cesar Pelli.
With a modern design, it will not feature a particular theme as with Las_Vegas hotels in the past. The hotel's level of services and amenities are believed to be on par with or exceeding that of MGM Mirage's current flagship resort, the Bellagio.
Phase Two
Spiral Resort Condominium Tower (Not yet named)
A 585 foot spiral shaped tower with 120 units designed by architect James KM Cheng.
Hotel Condominium Tower (Not yet named)
A 585 foot high building with 1,050 units.
Phase Three
Mandarin Oriental Hotel
A 548 foot high hotel tower in a stair step design with 400 rooms. It will be run by the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.
The Lifestyle Hotel
A 548 foot high hotel tower in a slim oval design with 400 rooms.
Sobella Shopping Area
Located between the above two hotels, this low rise complex with consist of multilevel retail space.
Construction
Construction on the main resort is expected to start in April of 2006, after the 20-month design process is completed. Project designs were in their final stages as of February 2006. The first phases of Project CityCenter are expected to open in 2009, with the entire project scheduled to open in 2010.
The Project City Center site is currently used as a parking lot for employees of the neighboring Bellagio resort. A 10-story parking garage is being constructed for the Bellagio employees. The parking structure is expected to be completed in Early 2006.
External links
The content of this page is retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_City_Center under GFDL
