SEARCH NEWS:

 

Las Vegas resorts bet on going green

"Although it may be the last place you'd expect to find people trying to save the planet, Las Vegas has been hit by green zeal, says U.S. Green Building Council's spokesperson Ashely Katz.

"A total of 15 major new building projects in Sin City – including MGM Mirage's new 4,000-room CityCenter set to open in 2009 – are seeking the building council's stringent Leadership in Environment and Energy Design (LEED) Certification.

"...Add the tax breaks from the state of Nevada that could put as much as three times the extra cost of constructing environmentally friendly buildings back into developers' pockets and the odds are stacked in favour of going green.

"The luxurious 3,000-room Palazzo, which opened in January, is seeking LEED certification, but until guests step into the shower in the palatial marble-appointed bathrooms, they're unlikely to realize they're staying in a 'green' hotel.

"...The $7-billion (all figures U.S.) MGM Mirage CityCenter, a mega hotel and residential complex on a 30-hectare site on the strip, will incorporate elements designed to make it one of the world's largest environmentally sustainable urban communities, Robert Baldwin, president and CEO of Mirage Resorts, Inc. said in a news release.

"From garden roofs to the use of reclaimed water, to the creation of a central, on-site power plant, Project CityCenter is being designed to promote responsible use of water, electricity and natural gas.

"Recycled materials from the Boardwalk Casino, which was imploded to make way for the CityCenter, and even boards from rural barns across the United States are being used in the 18-million-square-foot facility.

"...The $4-billion Echelon Palace and the Cosmopolitan Resort are other hotels under construction seeking LEED certification..."

< Back