Instead of building a new megahotel MGM is spending $3 billion to transform 66 acres on the Las Vegas Strip into a mini-Manhattan.
In a hint of what may be the next transformation of Las Vegas, James J. Murren, President and CEO of MGM Mirage (and who was also an Art History and Urban Planning major at Trinity College) has anounced a new mixed-use development called CityCenter which will be the largest privately financed development project in the nation. "The site, between the Bellagio and the Monte Carlo, is about the same size as Rockefeller Center, SoHo and Times Square combined." The move away from themed casino hotels is due to slowing growth in the numbers of new gamblers, higher margins in entertainment & restaurants, and high real estate prices. But "for Mr. Murren, CityCenter is his chance to remake Las Vegas into a cosmopolitan city - and just as important, keep the city and his current properties filled from Sunday to Thursday."
Thanks to Eric Arzola
FULL STORY: Is There Life After Blackjack? Ask MGM

Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.

National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.

Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.

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Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.

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