Yay!

Looks like I'm making it to the opening of CityCenter. I'll be sharing what I can with you guys through here. I'm going to check out the Mandarin Oriental and Crystals on my visit in mid-December. Then I'll ramp it up with a two day stay at Vdara, followed by the grand opening and first night to the public stay at Aria.

I'll share all the deets as I get 'em. Exciting times!

Aria's website goes live.

Confirming earlier rumors, Aria's website went live this morning giving scant details on the new hotel, but allowing for a whole hootnanny of selection of room types from $299 and up for reservations beginning December 17, all but confirming the hotel's opening date of the 16th or 17th at the latest.

If you wanna jump in on these new digs, check out Aria's website or call MGM resort reservations directly.

Not in Harmon-y.

From designcurves

Due to a miscommunication error/design flaw/serious "holy sh*t we f*cked up" issue, the Light Group managed Harmon Hotel and Residences at CityCenter has been reduced to the smaller than planned Harmon Hotel.  

Seemingly the issues is with rebar installation, with Perini's crews having improperly installed reinforcing in concrete on 15 of the existing floors.  Therefore the whole project will have to be halved (heh) in order to ensure the soundness of the structure during seismic and wind loading.

This is unfortunate as what I thought was one of the more understated and appealing buildings at the monstrous site, designed by Foster and Partners, will now look small and out of place as a boutique non-gaming hotel amongst the uber-resorts surrounding it.  Look for clientele to go in a different direction, and rooms to be either cut rate or outrageously expensive (go Light go!)

In addition all other buildings in the complex will now require full inspections to ensure construction is up to code.  Communication kids, communication....

Fire destroys OMA designed hotel complex in Beijing

A fire sparked by company sponsored fireworks has destroyed a renowned highrise in Beijing.  The fire, started by shells from a pyrotechnical display hitting the roof of the nearly completed north tower of the Rem Koolhaas designed CCTV complex in Beijing, completely gutted what was to soon open as a luxury Mandarin Oriental hotel adjacent to the massive signature CCTV headquarters.

The building is considered, and by imagery most likely, a complete loss.  It is highly unfortunate considering I considered it to be a very imaginative and more intensely pragmatic and experimental design compared to the engineering marvel that is it's big brother next door.  I'm sorry there is no image but due to copyright issues I didn't want to link to a web page directly but will link to a Flickr set of the burned out hulk of the tower.  Google will quickly provide a before image for those of you unfamiliar.

Sad to see a potential icon taken out before it was even properly introduced.  I hope that some reiteration will be rebuilt in its place to accompany the functions that were lost in its destruction.

Flickr link here.