There are many things unique to Las Vegas: its casinos, its shows – and the retail offer.
The 15-year-old Forum Shops at Caesars is considered one of the world’s leading retail malls.
Its marketing puff says: “The list of upscale-speciality retail tenants reads like a Who’s Who of the fashion industry.”
With names such as Armani, Polo Ralph Lauren and Versace, for once the PR puff is not over-exaggerating.
But now there’s a new development on the horizon, and one that is set to tow the green line.
MGM Mirage’s $7.4bn, 76-acre mixed-use project, CityCenter, is being touted as one of the largest privately financed, environmentally friendly building projects in the US.
Helping to add green flavour is a bill announced last month which proposes to offer tax breaks for companies developing energy efficient buildings.
It was referred to Nevada’s state governor after the state’s assembly agreed with a senate amendment to the breaks.
Not all companies will be exempt, but one of six that will be is CityCenter.
The developer, MGM Mirage, admits it is “charting a new course for responsible growth in Las Vegas,” by pursuing the US Green Building Council’s Leadership In Energy and Environmental Design certification at CityCenter.
The 18m sq ft, multi-use project will incorporate a variety of elements – from the use of reclaimed water to on-site power generation.
“This will make it one of the world’s largest environmentally sustainable urban communities,” says a spokesperson.
The design of CityCenter is a collaboration between MGM Mirage and eight international architects, including Foster & Partners and Gensler, and will feature 500,000 sq ft of retail space.
There will be a 61-storey, 4,000-room hotel with casino two 400-room, non-gaming hotels an entertainment district and approximately 2,700 luxury residences.
The development will open in late 2009.
The image Las Vegas conjures up is invariably that of The Strip.
That famous four-and-a-half mile slice of land wand its landmark hotels: the mighty Caesars Palace, which sits majestically alongside the famous Mirage, Treasure Island and the Venetian.
Downtown revival
But now Las Vegas residents are making a drive to show the world that there is more to their famous city.
Las Vegas is just one of many US cities that are starting to return to their inner-city roots after decades of favouring the mammoth out- or edge-of-town developments.
Like many developments in Europe, the retail sector is helping to lead the way.
A spokeswoman for the Las Vegas city council says: “We are redeveloping the downtown area because it’s languished while its glamorous sister has become world-renowned.”
She adds that the city council is “trying to build up the run-down area by targeting locals and visitors to come and live, work and shop here”.
One significant development is Union Park – 61 acres in the downtown area, which Las Vegas mayor Oscar B Goodman calls his “jewel in the desert”.
The scheme, which will be designed in part by acclaimed US architect Frank Gehry, will feature 1.9m sq ft of grade-A office space 363,000 sq ft of ground-floor retail space 3,100 high-rise residential units 15,800 parking spaces and a hotel and casino with 1,750 rooms.
It is not the first time that the area has made a go at regenerating itself.
In 1993, a multi-million-dollar project called the Fremont Street Experience was launched.
The Nevada Legislature passed enabling laws to make the project financially feasible and construction began in 1994.
But the main emphasis of the new plan is to complement, not compete with, The Strip.
