CityCenter Is Ready To House New Shoppers

Las Vegas Strip presents a new example of  intensive development. A second boutique hotel is opening to the public at the big new CityCenter complex on the Las Vegas Strip.

Photo: CityCenter Is Ready To House New Shoppers

The 47-story Mandarin Oriental opens Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the newest element of the $8.5 billion project of resorts, shopping and a casino.

The Mandarin has 392 hotel rooms and 227 condominiums. It features a sky lobby on the 23rd floor that overlooks the Strip.

The opening is the third this week at CityCenter.

CityCenter is a 16,797,000 square feet (1,560,500 m2) mixed-use urban complex on 76 acres (31 ha) located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The project was started by MGM Mirage and Dubai World became a joint partner during the project's construction phase. The project straddles Harmon Avenue and is bordered by: Las Vegas Boulevard, a CVS pharmacy, the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino, Interstate 15, the Bellagio, and The Cosmopolitan Resort & Casino which is currently under construction.

The 1,500-room Vdara (vid-AR'-uh) hotel opened Monday. The Crystals mall of shops and restaurants opened Thursday.

The centerpiece of the project, the 4,004-room Aria Resort & Casino, opens Dec. 16.

The Associated Press  has contributed to the report.