strip: UNLV wants to be the leader - 11/02/07 05:58 AM
University of Nevada, Las Vegas is on a long-range quest to become a national research school, a novel goal for someone stuck in the middle of casinos, gourmet restaurants, magnificent shows and car-paint melting summer heat. How do you fit the word research into that? Well, you can if you manage to change some perceptions.
Another step toward the goal was taken recently when UNLV introduced the Urban Sustainability Initiative. It wants to act the leader in an ambitious effort to find solutions to Southern Nevada's water, energy and air issues, directly affected by the rapid growth here. Since the university already … (2 comments)

strip: MGM Mirage has plans for Atlantic City - 10/16/07 08:58 AM
The progressive Las Vegas casino and hotel developer is at it again. They have the CityCenter project well underway here right on the Strip and now they've turned their sights east. Atlantic City is the second-largest gaming market in the country, so heading that way with their great brand makes a lot of sense.
The Borgata that MGM Mirage owns over there in a fifty-fifty partnership with Boyd Gaming has been hugely successful since its opening a couple of years ago. It was the first new, upscale property in town in a long while. It can be said it was kind … (6 comments)

strip: Turnberry spawned Las Vegas luxury condo market - 09/29/07 08:19 AM
 
Roughly ten years ago Turnberry Associates jetted into town and bought some land in the north end of the Strip, on Paradise by the Las Vegas Convention Center. It had already carved itself a stellar reputation as a luxury condominium developer over in the Miami area, so valley observers knew what they were up to. The locals were quick to point out, though, that they had chosen a poor location for the project.
Despite the friendly advice the firm built the Turnberry Place on the parcel, an enclave of four 38-story towers with a total of 720 units. As word spread, it … (0 comments)

strip: Vegas luxury condo market feels the pinch - 09/03/07 09:16 AM
 
The luxury condominium market was also expected to feel the adverse effects of this uncertain mortgage and real estate environment. And it undeniably is. Some projects have been canceled outright and some are on hold for now, obviously waiting for the financial conditions to improve and the rising construction cost trend to stabilize. This closely mirrors the single-family sector that has been soft for a while.
Through the second quarter of this year there were about 14,000 condos under construction, reports Applied Analysis, a Las Vegas financial consulting company. The most notable, perhaps, is the MGM Mirage's CityCenter that will have around … (4 comments)

strip: Condominiums change Las Vegas downtown - 06/18/07 09:40 AM
 
It's a well-known fact that the high-rise, luxury condos on or near the Strip get most of the attention in the valley. They are typically developed by marquee names that by themselves garner media coverage even if they don't really try. Turnberry Place, Trump International Hotel and Tower, MGM Mirage's CityCenter, these are some of the names many of us are familiar with.
Las Vegas downtown is still suffering from a less than glowing reputation. But that is about to change. The city is working rather hard through many types of incentives to bring in fresh blood. One segment it has targeted … (4 comments)

strip: The ultimate golf payday in Las Vegas - 06/09/07 06:29 AM
 
Your only chance for a shot at an ultimate payday by playing golf was if you participated in the Ultimate Game tournament that concluded yesterday here in Las Vegas. It took place over two days at the Wynn Golf & Country Club, right there on the Strip. Okay, let's get to the size of the purse. It was a cool $2 million and a winner-take-all type of a deal. I guess that's why it's called the Ultimate Game. The Players Championship, the next highest purse in golf, pales in comparison with $1.44 million.
Many of you may have been unaware of this tournament and the reason is … (0 comments)

strip: Las Vegas dayclubs - 06/04/07 12:27 PM
 
We all know what a nightclub is, but what in the world is a dayclub. A nightclub during the day? Well, kind of close. Since Webster's probably hasn't officially sanctioned the word dayclub yet, Vegas resorts are doing their best to define it for the big fat book with thin pages.
To begin with, it's a resort swimming pool that allows European-style bathing. European-style has another name and that's topless. But it's more than that. Much more. It can feature a disc jockey, cabanas where patrons can play video games on flat-screen televisions, massage services and daybeds with bottle service. In other words, … (3 comments)

strip: Vegas high-rise condos seek LEED certification. - 04/07/07 10:08 AM
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It's a Green Building Rating System designed by the U.S. Green Building Council, a nationally recognized benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. Okay, that very official-sounding part is out of the way now. For more specifics from the Council, click here.
MGM Mirage's CityCenter project is seeking LEED certification for the mammoth mixed-use, including condominiums, construction undertaking on the Strip. Let's look at a few of the highlights they hope will earn them that designation. Some of the polished wood accents actually come from old barns across the rural U.S. Carpeting is mostly made from recycled … (1 comments)