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CityCenter Brings Two Kinds of Green to Vegas 

By Jessie States

On the eve of its much-anticipated Las Vegas strip debut, the US$8.5 billion CityCenter development proves itself one of the world’s largest sustainable communities with an six LEED gold ratings from the U.S. Green Building Council, marking the highest LEED achievement by any hotel, retail district or residential development in Las Vegas.

The 18-million-square-foot metropolis is one of the world’s largest sustainable communities. But CityCenter is not just greening Vegas with eco-friendly options—it's bringing in money and jobs as well. The project boasts 12,000 permanent jobs in addition to the 9,000 construction workers who helped make CityCenter a reality. Indeed, this boost to Las Vegas employment couldn’t have come at a better time, as the city rebounds from the recession.

“When we open this December, demand created by CityCenter will result in thousands of additional jobs at outside companies,” said Bobby Baldwin, president and CEO of CityCenter. “This is more than a collection of resorts; we see it as a beacon of hope for a future of renewed economic vitality in Las Vegas.”

Jobs have been filled at the ARIA Resort & Casino, the Vdara Hotel & Spa and the Crystals retail and entertainment district in food and beverage, hotel and casino operations, entertainment, finance, human resources, facilities, security and more. Crystals’ retail and restaurant partners each will hire employees independently. The Harmon, a luxury 400-room boutique hotel, is slated to open at CityCenter in late 2010 and will announce hiring plans at a later date.

• Nearly 4,280 food and beverage employees—including 165 master cooks, 15 sommeliers, 255 bartenders, 60 bakers, 10 shabu shabu cooks and numerous ice cream and crepe makers—will guide guests on delectable culinary journeys at ARIA and Vdara’s restaurants.
• Approximately 130 employees—handling lighting and props to wigs and make-up—will be behind the scenes to bring ARIA’s Viva ELVIS™ by Cirque du Soleil® production to life.
• More than 1,300 table game dealers, floor supervisors, slot operators and guest service representatives will work in ARIA’s casino.
• Guests may indulge in soothing treatments from more than 160 massage therapists, aestheticians and manicurists at the ARIA and Vdara’s spas.
• Approximately 1,200 guestroom staff will work at the ARIA and Vdara.
• Additional unique jobs at CityCenter include running the electric CityCenter Tram, which connects CityCenter to Monte Carlo and Bellagio, and operating the development’s 8.5 megawatt co-generation plant, representing the first energy generation on The Strip.

• First energy-generation on The Strip through a 8.5 megawatt natural-gas co-generation plant, providing efficient electricity on site, reducing emissions and using “waste heat” to provide domestic hot water.
• World’s first fleet of stretch limos powered by clean-burning compressed natural gas.
• Water conservation technology and programs that will save between 30 percent and 43 percent of water within the buildings and 60 percent in outdoor landscaping, for an overall savings of approximately 50 million gallons annually.
• Energy-efficiency initiatives providing a savings equivalent to powering 8,800 households annually.
• Development of slot machine bases that serve as floor air-conditioning units, efficiently cooling guests from the ground up, rather than wasting energy on empty space by cooling from the ceiling.
• Creation of a large-scale recycling operation that enabled the recycling or reuse of more than 260,000 tons of construction waste, more than 80 percent of the imploded Boardwalk Hotel.
• Introduced more than 10,000 construction trade and craftsmen to green building techniques that can be implemented at future developments.

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