The elevated track of City Center's tram--which carries visitors from the Monte Carlo and Aria to the Bellagio and Vdara.

The City Center tram pulls in for a stop at the Aria and Monte Carlo station. 

The 61-story Aria Resort and Casino--with 4,004 rooms.   The Aria could be considered the "pride and joy" of City Center. 

The lobby and check-in desk of the Aria. 

Looking through the lobby doors of the Aria at the Monte Carlo. 

The waterfall walls of the Aria. 

One of two stylized lions that greet and guard guests at the lobby entrance to the Aria. 

The casino of the Aria. 

One of three pieces of art in the voyer that leads to the tram station. 

The Deuce lounge at the Aria. 

The Union Restaurant and Lounge at the Aria. 

The bar area of the Union Restaurant and Lounge. 

The City Center tram. 

The Aria as seen through the blue-tinted windows of the tram. 

The futuristic buildings of City Center. 

Looking east on City Center Place:  Marriott Grand Chateau time-shares located behind Gucci; to the right are the Polo Towers. 

Seen from left to right:  Vdara, Aria, Monte Carlo and the Mandarin Oriental. 

Vdara

The Vdara is 57-stories tall and was the first of six high-rises in City Center to be topped out on May 14, 2008.  Concerning the name, "V" stands for Vegas and "ara" is the common ending found on the name of other high-end boutique hotels.

In late September, 2010, Vdara made the news concerning the "death ray".  Vdara's curved edifice reportedly acts as a parabola, collecting and intensifying the sun's rays like a magnifying glass, sending the glare onto the pool area, where it can cause severe sunburns and melt plastic items.

Defunct: The Silk Road Coffee Bar at Vdara.  The Silk Road closed on March 8, 2011 citing not enough business demand to keep it open. 

Defunct:  The lounge area of the Silk Road Coffee Bar. 

The lobby of Vdara and the bar Vdara (to the left). 

Mandarin Oriental

The Mandarin Oriental is the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group's newest property in the USA.  The non-gaming, 56-story hotel opened in December, 2009. 

There are two lobbies at the hotel.  This photo depicts the downstairs lobby.   The main lobby for check-in is found on the 23rd Floor and is called the Sky Lobby. 

The lounge and waitng area at the downstairs lobby. 

This is the Sky Lobby, with a magnificient view of the Vegas Strip behind the check-in desk. 

Looking towards the lounge and waiting area of the 23rd Floor Sky Lobby. 

The north face of the Mandarin Oriental from the Strip.  The section traced by bright white light to the left is the Sky Lobby. 

Crystals

Frozen works of art and a still pool of water greet the visitor at the entrance to Crystals--a high-end mall at City Center. 

A beauitufl staircase at Crystals. 

City Center Under Construction

At the time these pictures were taken (October 23, 2009), none of the properties of City Center were open for business and construction was still going on.  In this photo, the Aria is nearing completion.

The Veer Towers--which lean 5-degree from center.  The Veer Towers are 37-stories tall and house 674 condominiums.

The Crystal's retail and entertainment space at City Center. 

The Harmon Hotel (to the right), one of the Veer Towers, and the Mandarin Oriental (which has 225 condominiums and 392 hotel rooms).  Word is:  Dress code at the Mandarin is strictly NO JEANS. 

The Harmon Hotel encountered construction problems and will never open.  News reports indicate the building will be imploded sometime in 2012.  The entire City Center project had difficulties with the Recession (as has all of Vegas!).  Picture taken on October 23, 2009.

The Aria, Veer Towers (to the right) and the Mandarin Oriental (left) during July, 2008. 

The Harmon Hotel in July, 2008. 

The Mandarin Oriental as it looked in July, 2008. 

The Crystals and Harmon Hotel in July, 2008.  City Center is built on the property where the old Boardwalk was located (with the giant clown face and roller coaster facade).