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82-478: Vdara's 57-story tower houses 1,495 suites. The non-gaming property also includes a two-floor spa, meeting space, a pool deck, a market cafe, and a bar. A design problem was discovered in 2008, when it was learned that the hotel's reflective surface and concave design can act as a parabolic reflector that creates conditions of extremely high temperature at the pool deck. Vdara was announced in October 2006, as part of

164-402: A concave mirror and focuses light onto the streets to the south. Spot temperature readings at street-level including up to 91 °C (196 °F) and 117 °C (243 °F) were observed during summer 2013, when the reflection of a beam of light up to six times brighter than direct sunlight shining onto the streets beneath damaged parked vehicles, including one on Eastcheap whose owner

246-561: A walkie-talkie handset. Construction was completed in spring 2014, and the three-floor "sky garden" was opened in January 2015. The 38-storey building is 160 m (525 ft) tall. Since July 2017, the building has been owned by Lee Kum Kee Groups . Designed by architect Rafael Viñoly and costing over £200 million, 20 Fenchurch Street features a highly distinctive top-heavy form which appears to burst upward and outward. The entrance floor and 34 floors of office space are topped by

328-504: A 200,000 sq ft (19,000 m ) expansion of the resort's convention center. Vdara and Waldorf Astoria also include meeting space. The complex was technologically advanced upon its opening, featuring 100,000 automated devices throughout the property, some of which would be used to control various room features such as lighting. Various public art installations, valued at approximately $ 40 million, are featured throughout CityCenter, in an effort to attract art tourists. Known as

410-509: A 3,000 lb (1,400 kg) steel wall used as a concrete mold fell from a crane, hitting another wall which struck four workers, killing two. In August 2007, a worker died when the counterweight for a construction elevator came down on him as he oiled the machine. Two months later, a worker fell approximately 50 ft (15 m) while working on the Aria tower. In April 2008, a worker fell approximately 20 ft (6 m). The next month,

492-474: A beautiful casino resort and have signs around the rest of the campus saying, 'Coming Soon'? You just can't do that". In 2016, MGM and Dubai World sold Crystals for $ 1.1 billion to Invesco and Simon Property Group . Two years later, the Mandarin Oriental hotel was sold for $ 214 million to hotel investor Tiffany Lam and Panda Express founders Andrew and Peggy Cherng . It was rebranded under

574-551: A casino resort, three boutique hotels , condominiums, retail space, and restaurants. MGM would work with developers and consultants specialized in each of these industries. The company also held discussions with a dozen hotel operators, seeking managers for CityCenter's hotels. CityCenter was built on 67 acres (27 ha) on the Las Vegas Strip , in between MGM's Monte Carlo and Bellagio resorts. The Boardwalk hotel-casino, also owned by MGM, occupied eight acres of

656-428: A city is its diversity. It is vibrant and dynamic and has people of different backgrounds. Real cities have many different environments, like Manhattan. That's what I loved about the idea. We're not creating a fake city but a real one". Baldwin said, "We don't want to build things consumers want now. We want to build what they will want 10, 15, 50 years from now". Gensler served as the executive architect, assembling

738-402: A collecting mirror . The reflected rays of the sun create dangerous conditions of extremely high temperature at the pool deck. Hotel employees and news outlets referred to the phenomenon as the "death ray", while management preferred the term "solar convergence". MGM and contractors became aware of the problem in 2008. Vdara management considered various solutions but the challenge in overcoming

820-462: A counterpoint to recent themed resorts, writing that "the underlying risk of the CityCenter project is that good buildings next to outlandish ones will look quiet and bland. Caesars Palace and its progeny are crass but iconic. The CityCenter buildings are sophisticated, but you wonder, finally, if they are all that memorable". Brock Radke of Las Vegas Weekly called the design "too subtle" for

902-513: A daily cost of $ 3.5 million. More than 50 million hours were spent building CityCenter, which had more workers than the construction of Hoover Dam . CityCenter was initially expected to cost between $ 3 billion and $ 4 billion. Part of the project would be financed through condominium presales. By 2006, the project's budget had increased to $ 7 billion, due to several additions, including a monorail connecting throughout CityCenter. The rising cost of construction materials and labor also contributed to

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984-471: A group of prominent designers who would work on individual components of CityCenter. Around 100 prospective architects were considered for the project, and this list was gradually narrowed down. The initial team of designers was announced in 2005, and others followed in 2006. Each of the architects were given a wide range of creative freedom, although their projects had to complement each other rather than outdo one another. A 100-unit residential tower with

1066-563: A high level of interest among buyers. In 2008, amid the Great Recession, MGM opened a sales office in Dubai to attract international buyers. MGM initially declined buyer requests to lower condo prices in 2009, noting unpredictable economic conditions. Later that year, MGM partnered with PennyMac Financial Services to create a financing program for buyers, helping them close escrow on their units. More than 500 buyers signed up for

1148-420: A large viewing deck. A bar and restaurants are included on the 35th, 36th and 37th floors; these are, with restrictions, open to the public. The tower was originally proposed at nearly 200 m (656 ft) tall but its design was scaled down after concerns about its visual impact on the nearby St Paul's Cathedral and Tower of London . It was subsequently approved in 2006 with the revised height. Even after

1230-402: A number of projects differs somewhat to the conditions we were expecting from the one outlined in the planning application wind assessments." In June 2012 the insurer Markel Corporation signed a tenancy agreement with the developers to move into 20 Fenchurch Street upon its completion. Markel, previously based on Leadenhall Street , was the first confirmed tenant of the new tower and occupies

1312-487: A planning disaster ever happen again." Earlier in 2013, during a public inquiry, Paul Finch of the Design Council CABE said he regretted supporting the project, saying that the developers "made a mess of it" and were architects of their own misfortune. During the building's construction, it was discovered that for a period of up to two hours each day if the sun shines directly onto the building, it acts as

1394-609: A quarry in nearby Jean, Nevada . CityCenter received mixed reviews when it opened. Architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne opined that CityCenter's designers coated it with "a high-gloss, homogenous and faintly corporate sheen", stating that it is "wrapped in a series of shimmering mirrored-glass packages, making the place from certain angles look like a slightly less buttoned-up version" of Time Warner Center in Manhattan. Paul Goldberger , architecture critic for The New Yorker , questioned MGM's goal in building CityCenter as

1476-411: A residential sales pavilion in January 2007, featuring model units. The temporary structure cost $ 24 million. Preview galleries were also opened at MGM's Bellagio and Mirage resorts. CityCenter would include condo hotel units, giving owners the option to rent them out. Murren believed that the project's residential element would appeal to baby boomers . Gaming analysts expressed skepticism about

1558-471: A result. Architect Alan Hess said, "The entrance has all the pleasantness of an airport terminal. There's a lot of concrete and ramps and other things that turn pedestrians off, and a sense of being channeled into an entryway". Las Vegas architect Joel Bergman called the entrance "cold" and "uninviting". Goldberger wrote that CityCenter "is laid out not for pedestrians but as a machine for moving vast numbers of cars efficiently. There are wide ramps coming off

1640-421: A space designed with all the finesse of a departure lounge". The City of London Corporation 's former chief planner, Peter Rees, who approved the structure, said: "I think calling it a sky garden is perhaps misleading. If people [are] expecting to visit it as an alternative to Kew , then they will be disappointed." In July 2015 it was reported that planners are to consider a landscape architect's alterations to

1722-476: A structure that was demolished. CityCenter includes 2,440 condominiums, which were included to take advantage of a condominium boom in Las Vegas . Initial plans called for CityCenter to include 1,650 condo units. By 2006, this had been increased to nearly 2,800 units, following MGM's market research indicating strong demand. MGM formed CityCenter Realty Corporation to oversee condominium sales, and opened

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1804-425: A theme, CityCenter was designed as a modern urban district, similar to Greenwich Village or Haight-Ashbury . Speaking about CityCenter in 2004, Murren said, "I think the era of themes have come and gone in Las Vegas. I think the word is 'feel.' It will have an urban feel that is contemporary, modern and forward-looking". The project was described as "a city within a city". According to Murren, "The great thing about

1886-407: A time when Las Vegas tourism had declined. Initial profits were lower than MGM had hoped, and fine-tuning took place over the next year in response to customer feedback. In 2010, Aria and Vdara launched national advertising campaigns. CityCenter saw improvement by the end of 2012, in part because of reduced hotel rates. One hotel and condominium project, The Harmon , was scheduled to open at

1968-557: A twisting shape, designed by James K. M. Cheng , was removed during the design phase for more open space. An office building was also scrapped. A defining feature of CityCenter is the use of glass paneling on each of its towers. The Cosmopolitan resort, located directly north, is sometimes mistaken as part of CityCenter due to its similar design. Visitors have also had difficulty distinguishing CityCenter's towers due to their shared design of glass paneling. The exterior also includes 80,000 sq ft (7,400 m ) of stone from

2050-417: A worker was crushed and killed when caught between the counter-weight system and the track of a crane. The project was nicknamed CityCemetery in response to the deaths. Other practices by workers caused concern, with some drinking before work in violation of Perini's company rules. The deaths at CityCenter – in addition to those at other upcoming Strip resorts – prompted its construction workers to walk off

2132-402: Is a non-gaming and non-smoking hotel. The crescent-shaped 57-story tower includes 1,495 suites, ranging in size from 582 to 1,447 sq ft (54.1 to 134.4 m). The property originated as a condo hotel , giving owners the option to participate in a rental program to lease their condos as hotel rooms when they are not residing there. However, due to poor economic conditions brought on by

2214-413: Is meant to resemble a blooming flower. A large painting by Frank Stella hangs above the registration desk in the lobby. Vdara includes an 18,000 sq ft (1,700 m) two-story spa and salon, and a 40,000 sq ft (3,700 m) pool area. Abbey Beach, a dayclub pool event targeted at a gay clientele, operated during 2010. The Bellagio resort, located directly north of Vdara, connects to

2296-432: Is provided in 60-minute slots, until 18:00 on weekdays or 21:00 on weekends & Bank Holidays, after which the garden is available only to paying customers of the catering facilities. The Garden has been criticised for these restrictions, and for its extent and quality failing to meet pre-construction expectations. Oliver Wainwright , architecture critic of The Guardian , described it as "a meagre pair of rockeries, in

2378-501: Is the only gaming property on-site. It opened on December 16, 2009. Veer Towers , a condominium property, opened on July 15, 2010. CityCenter opened amid the Great Recession , although Baldwin said the project would succeed despite the economic downturn. Murren expected CityCenter to be profitable within five to ten years, and said the complex would appeal to locals in addition to tourists. Mayor Oscar Goodman believed

2460-655: The Aria Express , also travels around CityCenter with stops at Bellagio and Park MGM (formerly Monte Carlo). 20 Fenchurch Street 51°30′41.000″N 0°5′1.000″W  /  51.51138889°N 0.08361111°W  / 51.51138889; -0.08361111 20 Fenchurch Street is a commercial skyscraper in London that takes its name from its address on Fenchurch Street , in the historic City of London financial district. It has been nicknamed " The Walkie-Talkie " because of its distinctive shape, said to resemble

2542-532: The Carbuncle Cup in 2015, awarded by Building Design magazine to the worst new building in the UK during the previous year. The chairman of the jury that decided the prize, Thomas Lane, said "it is a challenge finding anyone who has something positive to say about this building", whilst a town planner at the nearby Royal Town Planning Institute described the building as "a daily reminder never to let such

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2624-563: The CityCenter project by MGM. It was designed by Rafael Viñoly . The name "Vdara" is made up. It was coined by Rafael Viñoly Architects, taking its "V" from "Vegas" and "ara" from boutique hotels in California such as Park Hyatt Resort Aviara and Ritz-Carlton Bacara. On May 14, 2008, Vdara became the first of the CityCenter towers to be topped off. Vdara opened to invited guests and media on December 1, 2009. The public opening occurred

2706-553: The Clark County Fire Department . Station 32, a $ 28 million facility, opened next to Vdara on December 10, 2009. As of 2013, it was the busiest fire station in Las Vegas, handling many emergencies along the Strip. Several measures were taken by MGM and the county to reduce traffic, including the construction of roundabouts in front of Aria and Vdara that connect to other CityCenter properties. A monorail,

2788-583: The Great Recession , MGM converted 1,350 units into regular hotel rooms, leaving approximately 150 as residential units. Condo closings began in March 2010. Artwork is incorporated into Vdara's interior and exterior design. Nancy Rubin 's 57 by 75 ft (17 by 23 m) sculpture Big Edge , made of various boats, is displayed outside the entrance of the hotel. It features approximately 200 canoes, catamarans , kayaks, paddle boats, rowboats, and surfboards held together with stainless steel wire cable. The sculpture

2870-873: The Vdara condo-hotel, the Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas hotel and condominiums, the Veer Towers condominiums, and a mall known as The Shops at Crystals . Another hotel and condo project, The Harmon , never opened due to construction defects; the site was redeveloped as another shopping mall, known as 63 . CityCenter was developed by MGM Mirage and Dubai World . The project was conceived by MGM president and chief financial officer Jim Murren , who envisioned an urban district for Las Vegas, similar to Greenwich Village or Haight-Ashbury . MGM announced CityCenter on November 9, 2004. Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn Architects spent 20 months working with MGM on

2952-461: The Vdara hotel in Las Vegas which has a similar sunlight reflection problem that some employees called the "Vdara death ray". The glass has since been covered with a non-reflective film. In an interview with The Guardian , Viñoly said that horizontal louvre windows on the south side that had been intended to prevent this problem were removed at some point during the planning process. While he conceded that there had been "a lot of mistakes" with

3034-498: The Waldorf Astoria name. By 2019, CityCenter had been renamed Aria Campus, after the Aria resort. The "Aria" name has also been applied to the Aria Express monorail, formerly "CityCenter Tram". In 2021, MGM bought out Dubai World's interest for $ 2.1 billion, gaining full ownership of Aria and Vdara, its last remaining properties at CityCenter. MGM then sold the two resorts to The Blackstone Group . The latter leased

3116-471: The "Walkie-Scorchie" and "Fryscraper" due to a similar, sun-reflecting and scorching problem. CityCenter Aria Campus , commonly known by its former name CityCenter , is a mixed-use, urban complex on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada . It is located on 67 acres (27 ha) and contains a total of 18-million sq ft (1,700,000 m ). The complex includes Aria Resort and Casino ,

3198-436: The 20th floor, seven high-rise above the 20th floor) serve the main office floors of the building. The south side of the structure is ventilated externally to improve efficiency and decrease solar gain, whilst the east and west faces incorporate extensive solar shading. There is a southern entrance in addition to the main northern entrance set back from Fenchurch Street. In January 2009, Canary Wharf Contractors began piling on

3280-529: The 25th to 27th floors. Another insurance company, Kiln Group, announced in September 2012 that it had agreed to become the building's second tenant and Ascot Underwriting followed in November 2012. Other insurance companies that have taken space in the building include RSA Group , Tokio Marine , CNA Financial , Allied World, Liberty Mutual 's European operations, and Harry Townsend Corp. As of 2017,

3362-529: The Aria Fine Art Collection, it includes work from more than a dozen artists, including Tony Cragg , Claes Oldenburg , and Richard Long . As part of CityCenter, MGM agreed with the county to finance various infrastructure improvements outside of the project's property line. This would include road improvements to handle an increase in traffic coming to CityCenter once it opens. MGM would also build and finance an on-site fire station for

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3444-614: The Harmon. Perini also filed a mechanic's lien against the project. A coalition – including Perini, subcontractors , and several trade unions – was also formed against MGM. MGM, in part, disputed the case because of defective work on the Harmon. The company also questioned the billing amount and sought a detailed accounting from Perini, seeking to eliminate charges that may have already been paid off. In May 2010, Perini requested Nevada governor Jim Gibbons to open an investigation into MGM's lack of payment and its financial situation, as

3526-499: The Las Vegas Strip, auto turnarounds, and porte cochères—all good for traffic flow but hardly what you would call urban open space. [...] there is no pleasant place to walk, except inside the buildings". A year after CityCenter's opening, MGM added landscaping to the entry area and signs to help guide pedestrians onto the property. CityCenter was expected to be the state's top energy user. From its earliest planning stages,

3608-524: The Strip: "Its design demands that you seek it out, where other resorts leap unabashedly into the Vegas spotlight whenever possible". CityCenter's main entrance along the Strip consists of a multi-lane roadway, while pedestrians enter along narrow walkways and overhead bridges. Architects were critical of the entry design, viewing it as bland and unattractive, while many pedestrians chose to pass by CityCenter as

3690-567: The UK in the previous 12 months. Previously owned by the Land Securities Group, the company posted a £95m loss in 2016. In July 2017, the Hong Kong food company Lee Kum Kee Groups agreed to purchase the building from Land Securities and Canary Wharf Group for £1.3 billion. Savills Management Resources hold the contract to carry out all management of 20 Fenchurch Street. The previous building at 20 Fenchurch Street

3772-415: The building, he agreed with the building's developers that the sun was too high in the sky on that particular day. "[I] didn't realise it was going to be so hot", he said, suggesting that global warming was at fault. "When I first came to London years ago, it wasn't like this ... Now you have all these sunny days." In 2014, a brise soleil was installed to diffuse the reflections. The Sky Garden, which

3854-429: The company was struggling amid the recession. By that time, various subcontractors had filed more than 430 liens . MGM began settling with subcontractors later that year. Some analysts believed that construction costs and issues would have been managed better if CityCenter had been built in phases. However, Murren said he was against such an idea: "How do you create an environment in phases? What do you do? Create

3936-420: The complex. Both were sold in 2021, although MGM continues to operate them. CityCenter was conceived by Jim Murren , president and chief financial officer of MGM Mirage , while development was overseen by MGM executive Bobby Baldwin . MGM had considered several different themed hotels for the site in the early 2000s, but none attracted high enthusiasm. The company later sought out a unique project idea for

4018-462: The developers stated that the City of London Corporation had approved plans to erect temporary screening on the streets to prevent similar incidents, and that they were also "evaluating longer-term solutions to ensure the issue cannot recur in future". In 2014, a permanent awning was installed on the south side of the higher floors of the tower. The building's architect, Rafael Viñoly , also designed

4100-483: The end of 2009 with the rest of CityCenter. However, structural defects were discovered the year before, leading to litigation with Perini, as well as the project's cancellation and eventual demolition in 2015. Numerous other construction discrepancies were found throughout CityCenter, and MGM said they would be corrected by the time of opening. In March 2010, Perini sued MGM and Dubai World for $ 492 million in unpaid construction costs, relating primarily to its work on

4182-443: The first of its kind for the area. According to Murren, "No one has embarked on a development [of this scale] in this town. It's hard to equate it to anything. We are going to be leaders in the reshaping of the valley into a global market". MGM announced the project, known then as Project CityCenter, on November 9, 2004. The company had spent eight months working on development plans for the site. The mixed-use project would include

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4264-584: The following day, making it the first component of CityCenter to open. For its environmentally friendly design, Vdara was designated as a LEED Gold building prior to its opening, and received a five-key rating from Green Key Global in 2010. In 2021, MGM bought out its CityCenter partner, Dubai World , gaining full ownership of the Vdara hotel and Aria. That same year, MGM sold both properties for $ 3.89 billion in cash to The Blackstone Group , which leased them back to MGM for an annual rent of $ 215 million. Vdara

4346-417: The height reduction there were continued concerns from heritage groups about its impact on the surrounding area. The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Ruth Kelly , called in the project for another public inquiry which, in 2007, ruled in the developers' favour and the building was granted full planning permission. In 2015 it was awarded the Carbuncle Cup for the worst new building in

4428-414: The hotel via a covered walkway. Vdara opened with 10,000 sq ft (930 m) of meeting space, and one full-service restaurant, Silk Road, which served Mediterranean food. It was designed by Karim Rashid . Market Cafe Vdara, a small grocery store also serving sandwiches and pastries, opened in March 2011. Silk Road closed simultaneously, due to lack of demand. In 2013, part of the former restaurant

4510-498: The increased budget. In 2007, Dubai World became a joint partner in the project. Numerous last-minute design changes took place during construction, continually raising the budget. By 2008, the project's cost had increased to more than $ 8 billion. The budget continued to fluctuate, reaching $ 9.2 billion later that year, before settling at $ 8.5 billion. It is the most expensive privately funded construction project in U.S. history. In March 2009, Dubai World sued MGM, accusing

4592-406: The job at midnight on June 3, 2008, protesting safety conditions and shutting down construction. The Southern Nevada Building and Construction Trades Council demanded that Perini take three steps before work could resume: agree to pay for additional safety training for workers, allow national union researchers to examine root causes of safety problems on the site, and allow union leaders full access to

4674-555: The job in June 2008. Construction resumed the next day, after Perini agreed to improved safety demands. Dubai World later threatened to withhold further financing due to cost overruns, before reaching an agreement with MGM. CityCenter was completed at a cost of $ 8.5 billion, making it the most expensive privately funded construction project in U.S. history. Vdara was the first property to open at CityCenter, debuting on December 2, 2009. Other properties opened later that month, while Veer Towers

4756-533: The land, different to anything that had been done before in Las Vegas. Murren began considering the concept of a mixed-use project in 2003 and presented his idea to MGM's board in March 2004. Kirk Kerkorian , majority shareholder in MGM, was convinced of the project's viability early on. Other board members were intrigued by Murren's proposal, but also skeptical. With CityCenter, Murren sought to create an urban gathering place for Las Vegas. The large project would be

4838-469: The latter of mismanaging development at CityCenter, resulting in the cost overruns. The lawsuit placed the project in financial jeopardy, as a $ 220 million construction payment was due later that month and Dubai World declined to fund it. MGM covered Dubai World's portion of the payment, and the two came to an agreement the following month which would ensure the completion of CityCenter. MGM had contacted Nevada U.S. senator Harry Reid for help in saving

4920-691: The layout, following claims it is not consistent with illustrations submitted with the original planning application. The 'sky garden' was a key feature in sealing approval for the building, which is situated outside the main cluster of skyscrapers in the City. In July 2015, the building was criticised for having an unexpected impact on wind strength at street-level. The City of London Corporation received an increased number of complaints about draughts around 20 Fenchurch Street following its completion. The Corporation's head of design, Gwyn Richards, said: "The wind outcome at street level experienced post-construction on

5002-461: The master plan. Numerous architects, assembled by Gensler , were hired to work on individual components of CityCenter. The project received LEED Gold certifications for its environmentally friendly designs. Construction of CityCenter began on June 25, 2006, with Perini Building Company as general contractor. A year later, Dubai World joined MGM as a partner on the project. Six workers died during construction, eventually prompting others to walk off

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5084-536: The parking garage and CityCenter. The Boardwalk was closed in January 2006, and imploded four months later to make way for CityCenter. Construction of CityCenter began on June 25, 2006, with a concrete pour forming the foundation for the future Aria Resort and Casino . The construction site was divided into three blocks, each with their own team of workers. With no on-site storage, the construction schedule and delivery of materials had to be carefully planned. Six deaths occurred during construction. In February 2007,

5166-427: The poor economic conditions. CityCenter features numerous restaurants, many overseen by celebrity chefs. The complex also features five water attractions, designed by WET and located at Aria and Crystals. CityCenter opened with more than 300,000 sq ft (28,000 m ) of convention and meeting space, much of it located at Aria. CityCenter's only performance theater, located at Aria, closed in 2016 for

5248-434: The program. MGM also agreed to lower condo prices by 30 percent. In addition, buyers at Vdara were offered cheaper units at Veer Towers instead. Condo prices at CityCenter ranged from $ 500,000 to $ 9 million. Sales began closing escrow in January 2010, although initial closings were low. Within three months, only 25 unit sales had been finalized out of 2,400. Sales picked up later in the year, beating expectations despite

5330-423: The project was intended to be environmentally friendly. Much of the debris from the imploded Boardwalk hotel was recycled as building material for CityCenter, including its foundation. All of CityCenter's original buildings, with the exception of the Harmon, received LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council in 2009. Forest Stewardship Council also named it the best commercial project of

5412-426: The project would help bring tourism to downtown Las Vegas . Analysts were mixed as to whether CityCenter would help boost the local economy. CityCenter sought to fill 12,000 job positions ahead of its opening, and more than 100,000 people applied as a result of the recession. Approximately half of the work force would consist of transfers from other MGM properties. The project added around 5,900 hotel rooms at

5494-566: The project. Reid, in turn, contacted bank CEOs and urged them to loan MGM money to continue construction. The first of CityCenter's features, the Vdara condo-hotel, opened to the public on December 2, 2009, following a VIP event the night before. A retail mall, Crystals , opened on December 3, and the Mandarin Oriental hotel opened a day later. The openings were part of a three-day celebration marking CityCenter's debut. The project's primary attraction, Aria Resort and Casino ,

5576-405: The resorts back to MGM, which continues managing the resorts. MGM also sold the Harmon site in 2021, to developers Brett Torino and Flag Luxury Group. A four-story shopping mall, 63 , opened on the site in 2023. CityCenter's master plan was designed by Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn Architects , which spent 20 months working on the project. Unlike recent Las Vegas resorts which featured

5658-577: The site of 20 Fenchurch Street. Piling and ground works were completed in June 2009. In January 2011, work at the basement level of the tower began. By the end of October 2011, the building was rising above street-level. December 2011 saw the tower's core begin to rise. The concrete core was topped out in March 2012 and by July the structural steelwork was under way around the core. Structural steelwork topped out in December 2012. Fire protection contractor Sharpfibre Ltd began applying fire protection to

5740-609: The site. Much of the land for CityCenter had previously been occupied by the golf course for the Dunes hotel-casino, which closed in 1993. At the time of CityCenter's announcement, most of the site was now being used as employee parking for the Bellagio. Before construction could begin on CityCenter, a new parking garage had to be constructed for Bellagio employees along Frank Sinatra Drive. Early site work had begun by August 2005, with Perini Building Company as general contractor for

5822-406: The structural design problem is that the sun and its reflection are targets that constantly move during the day and as every season progresses. Management installed large blue umbrellas over the pool deck to protect bathers, while the hotel's glass exterior has been covered with non-reflective film. Viñoly also designed the " Walkie-Talkie " skyscraper in London, opened in 2014, which has been dubbed

5904-547: The structural steelwork in December 2012, completing in March 2013. Cementitious spray was applied to the steelwork, which was supplied directly to the entire building using a purpose-built mixing and pumping station located on the ground floor. The building completed to shell and floor in April 2014 and the first tenants began moving into the building from May 2014 prior to final completion in August of that year. The building won

5986-400: The success of CityCenter's condominiums, citing the large number of residential units already planned for the Strip. By 2007, many condo projects in Las Vegas had been canceled as the boom came to an end. As a result, MGM installed a live webcam overlooking the CityCenter construction site, hoping to convince perspective buyers of the project's viability. Initial condo sales at CityCenter showed

6068-444: The top of the building was claimed by the developer to be London's highest public park, but since opening there have been debates about whether it can be described as a 'park', and whether it is truly 'public' given the access restrictions. The garden spans the top three floors, which are accessible by two express lifts and include a large viewing area, terrace, bar and two restaurants. Fourteen double-deck lifts (seven low-rise up to

6150-447: The upper floors was used in the drama series Party Animals . Demolition of the building was completed in 2008. Despite the top-down method of construction, it was not demolished from the bottom-up, as a temporary structure was built, allowing Keltbray, the demolition contractor, to demolish the building from the top down. The new tower at 20 Fenchurch Street was designed by Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly . The 'sky garden' at

6232-646: The work site. An agreement was reached within a day, putting an end to the walkout. However, the work stoppage prompted the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to launch an investigation into the project's construction safety on June 9, 2008. As of August 2008, the project had 7,700 construction workers, operating in shifts on a 24-hour basis. As a result of delays, MGM assigned its executive construction manager, Tishman Construction Corporation, to aid Perini starting in late 2008. At that time, CityCenter had up to 9,500 construction workers at

6314-528: The year in its designing and building awards. Among CityCenter's environmental features is an 8.5-megawatt natural gas cogeneration plant. It is located on-site and provides partial electricity to CityCenter. The complex also opened with a 26-limo fleet, serving Aria and Vdara, that ran on compressed natural gas. CityCenter contains approximately 18-million sq ft (1,700,000 m ) of space across 67 acres (27 ha). It includes approximately 6,800 rooms and condominiums.   indicates

6396-491: Was 91 m (299 ft) tall with 25 storeys and was built in 1968 by Land Securities . The architect was William H. Rogers . The building was formerly occupied by Dresdner Kleinwort and was notable for being one of the first tall buildings in the City of London, and for its distinctive roof. It was one of the towers nearest to the River Thames when viewed from the southern end of London Bridge . In 2007, one of

6478-490: Was completed in 2010. Aria is considered the central feature of CityCenter, and it includes the only casino at the complex. By 2019, CityCenter had been renamed Aria Campus. MGM has sold off several of its CityCenter properties, including Crystals in 2016, the Mandarin Oriental hotel (now Waldorf Astoria) in 2018, and the former Harmon site in 2021. Later that year, MGM bought out Dubai World's ownership stake, gaining full control of Aria and Vdara, its last remaining properties at

6560-445: Was converted into meeting and event space, with a Starbucks taking up the remainder. Two years later, Vdara opened a bar, Vice Versa, in its lobby. It serves food, and includes indoor and outdoor seating which overlooks CityCenter. In 2017, Vdara debuted autonomous robots capable of delivering certain room-service items. In 2010, it was established that the tower's south side, with its reflective surface and concave design, can act as

6642-404: Was described as a large, free, public viewing space at the top of the building, was part of the justification for the planners allowing such a vast office block to be built on the edge of a conservation area . Computer visualisations shown to the planners included a glade of full-height trees, but the garden as constructed has a slope with ferns and succulents instead. Free access to the public

6724-447: Was paid £946 by the developers for repairs to melted bodywork. Temperatures in direct line with the reflection became so intense that City A.M. reporter Jim Waterson used the intense heat to fry an egg in a frying pan set down on the pavement. The reflection also burned or scorched the doormat of a shop in the affected area. The media responded by dubbing the building the "Walkie-Scorchie" and "Fryscraper". In September 2013,

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