CityCenter Las Vegas Taking Reservations

Las Vegas is one of the most complete tourist destinations in the world. There is truly something here for everyone who'd ever want to visit Sin City. Now they even have something for those who don't: another city.

No, Las Vegas didn't buy Reno and have it moved closer... although I wouldn't put it past them. The folks at MGM are in the process of building a self-contained miniature city called, "CityCenter."

The massive development will feature several hotels, condominium-style residences, restaurants, shops, a casino... everything you would normally find in a luxurious resort city... in a desert... in Nevada. Although some of the buildings won't be completed until mid-December (and several after that), two properties have already started taking reservations.

The Vdara Hotel and the Aria Resort & Casino, two properties in the CityCenter development on the Las Vegas Strip, are accepting reservations.

The Vdara will be the first of CityCenter's properties to open, followed by the Mandarin Oriental hotel and the Crystals retail and entertainment district in early December. The Aria is due to open Dec. 16.

The Vdara's rates range from $159 to $2,000 per night. The 1,495-suite, non-gaming hotel will be connected to the Bellagio and adjacent to the Aria.

One notable aspect of the CityCenter development is its focus on sustainability. According to MGM, each building constructed is aspiring to receive LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. The construction efforts have paid special attention to water use, eco-conscious building materials, and indoor air quality. It's still unclear exactly what part of building a city, within a city, in the middle of the desert demonstrates environmental leadership, but the buildings sure do look cool.