But you didn’t need me to tell you that, you’ve probably seen pictures and more at ariaopening.com. And here’s a few words from the Sun about the opening:
The wait is over.
After a two-minute fireworks display, the Aria Resort & Casino opened its doors to the public late Wednesday night, giving tourists and Las Vegas residents a glimpse inside the centerpiece of CityCenter. It is an $8.5 billion project many have watched evolve since its inception five years ago.
That evolution has not been without adversity. Construction defects and a sharp downturn in the economy persuaded MGM Mirage, the world’s largest gaming company and the developer of the site, to top off the Harmon hotel to half its proposed size.
Six construction workers died during the building of CityCenter.
And, it opens during the worst recession since the Depression, appealing to a shrunken class of high-end consumers.
But Wednesday was about celebration.
I’m working on a few longer pieces to try to make sense of the new resort from a few different angles. Time will tell if City Center is truly transformational, but it’s certainly inspiring a lot of talk right now.