Whether the still unopened Harmon Hotel inside the CityCenter resort in Las Vegas is demolished or remains an expensive billboard is now part of yet one more legal battle stemming from the struggling megaresort�s many financial woes. Photo: Bill Hughes Rumors say unopened hotel could be imploded. On Nov. 13, according to news reports, owner MGM Resorts International announced plans to raze the 27-story high-rise designed by U.K. �starchitect� Sir Norman Foster. MGM later backpedaled from that statement and claims no final decision has been made, says a spokesman. The company took a $279-million write-down in the third quarter on
Susan Martinovich, director of the Nevada Dept. of Transportation since 2007, is the new American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials president. She is the first woman to head the standards-setting group in its 96 years. NDOT has 1,700 employees, a $700-million budget and 5,400 highway miles to oversee. Nevada currently is undertaking its largest-ever project, a $246.5-million design-build widening of Interstate 15 in Las Vegas. MARTINOVINCH ENR: What do you hope to accomplish as president? Martinovich: AASHTO presidents had focused on everything from safety to climate, but without secure funding individual focus areas are stalled. My focus is
Whether the still unopened Harmon Hotel inside the CityCenter resort in Las Vegas is demolished or remains an expensive billboard is now part of yet one more legal battle stemming from the struggling megaresort’s many financial woes. Photo: Bill Hughes Rumors say unopened hotel could be imploded. + Image On Nov. 13, according to news reports, owner MGM Resorts International announced plans to raze the 27-story high-rise designed by U.K. “starchitect” Sir Norman Foster. MGM later backpedaled from that statement and claims no final decision has been made, says a spokesman. The company took a $279-million write-down in the third
The still unopened Harmon Hotel, a 27-story centerpiece of the now financially hemorrhaging CityCenter development in Las Vegas, is being targeted for demolition. MGM Resorts International, owner of the troubled 67-acre complex that includes the hotel designed by U.K. �starchitect� Sir Norman Foster, recently unveiled plans to raze it. MGM took a $279-million write-down in the third quarter on the building, which sits dormant with a sign wrapped around its gleaming glass fa�ade for the resort�s �Viva Elvis� show. Harmon may be the world�s most expensive billboard. Photo: Tony Illia The Las Vegas hotel-condo was designed by famed U.K. architect
The still unopened Harmon Hotel, a 27-story centerpiece of the now financially hemorrhaging CityCenter development in Las Vegas, is being targeted for demolition. MGM Resorts International, owner of the troubled 67-acre complex that includes the hotel designed by U.K. “starchitect” Sir Norman Foster, recently unveiled plans to raze it. MGM took a $279-million write-down in the third quarter on the building, which sits dormant with a sign wrapped around its gleaming glass façade for the resort’s “Viva Elvis” show. Harmon may be the world’s most expensive billboard. Photo: Tony Illia Las Vegas hotel-condo was designed by famed U.K. architect Sir
The American Society of Civil Engineers unveiled details of a long-awaited sustainable infrastructure certification program during the group’s national conference on Oct. 21-23 in Las Vegas. Tailored to be broadly adaptable to particular circumstances, the program brings some 900 existing sector-specific rating systems under one umbrella. After successful case studies, the system called PRISM, or Project Rating for Infrastructure Sustainability and Management, will launch in May 2011. The voluntary rating system, developed by ASCE, the American Council of Engineering Companies and the American Public Works Association, aims to do for bridges, roads and waterways what the U.S. Green Building Council’s
The $240-million Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge opened to vehicle and foot traffic on Oct. 20th between Arizona and Nevada, 890 ft above the Colorado River. Last week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood officially christened the “Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge,” which is named after former Nevada Gov. Mike O’Callaghan (1971-79) and professional football star turned soldier Pat Tillman. The sleek, elegant structure stretches across the Black Canyon a quarter-mile downstream from the dam. The 1,960-ft bridge will be North America’s longest single-span concrete arch when it opens to traffic later this month. “This magnificent bridge is proof positive that America
Las Vegas Strip resorts vie to be the hottest place in town, but Vdara, a recently opened hotel, literally can scorch those visiting the pool deck during certain times of the day. The 57-story, 1,495-room hotel is one of six towers at the $8.5-billion, 67-acre CityCenter complex, which opened last December. Photos Courtesy of CityCenter Land LIC Scorcher Hotel owner says it is trying again to fix the alleged �death ray� problem after a 2008 attempt. On Sept. 16, Vdara condominium owner and personal injury lawyer William G. Pintas complained to local media that the hotel�s south facade concentrated noon
Las Vegas Strip resorts vie to be the hottest place in town, but Vdara, a recently opened hotel, literally can scorch those visiting the pool deck during certain times of the day. The 57-story, 1,495-room hotel is one of six towers at the $8.5-billion, 67-acre CityCenter complex, which opened last December. Photo: Courtesy of Citycenter Land LIC Scorcher Hotel owner says it is trying again to fix the alleged ‘death ray’ problem after a 2008 attempt. On Sept. 16, Vdara condominium owner and personal injury lawyer William G. Pintas complained to local media that the hotel’s south facade concentrated noon
The third time was a charm for CH2M HILL. It took the Englewood, Colo. firm three times to win the contract to build the new City of North Las Vegas Water Reclamation Facility. The $240-million project had gone to bid two prior times in 2006 and 2008 as a design-build job, and CH2M HILL was the only firm to bid for the project each time. City statutes prohibit awarding public projects with only one bid. CH2M HILL eventually won the contract as a construction manager-at-risk joint-venture with North Las Vegas-based New-Com Cos. The pair has worked together on $1.6 billion