Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - (Page 30) DESTINATIONS LAS VEGAS storm is afoot—one that is bringing real change to the way things are done in this desert oasis. Expect all new resorts to seek a level of certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, program. LEED has levels of certification ranging from Standard to Platinum, each designed to highlight a stronger commitment to sustainability. Depending on certification level, LEED can add 2 or more percent to the overall cost of a project. Although that might not seem like a lot, consider this: MGM MIRAGE’s CityCenter (www.citycenter.com), under construction at the center of the Strip, is expected to cost $9 billion or more when complete. Adding just 1 percent tacks on almost $100 million to the total cost of the project. That’s a lot of money, but over the lifetime of the CityCenter buildings, the cost savings will far exceed the upfront expense. And that doesn’t even take into account the water and electricity alone that will be saved during the next 50 or more years. “People raise eyebrows because Las Vegas resorts are the ones that invented over-the-top indulgence and consumption. But we are in the middle of the Mojave Desert and resources are scarce,” says Gordon Absher, vice president of public affairs for MGM MIRAGE. “It’s good for the environment, good for the community and good for business.” CityCenter is made up of eight separate components, each expected to attain at least Silver status. The resort is comprised of ARIA, a 61-story, 4,000-room resort casino; three nongaming hotels, including a Mandarin Oriental; approximately 2,600 luxury residences; and The Crystals, CityCenter’s 500,000-square-foot retail and entertainment district. The casino at ARIA and its convention center are each considered separate entities for LEED consideration, said Absher. Savings will be achieved in many different ways, including the incorporation of a highly efficient state-of-the-art central plant utilizing a combined heat and power co-generation system. Also, windows at ARIA and Vdara, a luxury condo, have a coating that helps to reduce heat transfer into the building by reflecting light. “Air-brows” or “shades” on the ARIA façade help to prevent overheating of hotel rooms by shading them from direct sun. At ARIA and The Crystals, a minimum of CONTINUED ON PAGE 32 A rendering of The Palazzo, Las Vegas, the city’s largest environmentally friendly property The GREENING of Las Vegas Sin City goes environmentally friendly LAS VEGAS HAS ALWAYS BEEN KNOWN FOR ITS LOVE OF GREEN. In fact, the entire city seems built on the singular purpose of extricating as much green as possible from visitors to the “Neon Jungle.” But while cash will always be king, the city’s resort planners, developers and executives are now looking at a different kind of green. And this kind will tax the environment less while potentially saving operators big bucks. It’s a win-win situation that’s making deep inroads 30 | TravelAgent September 29, 2008 BY GLENN HAUSSMAN and changing the city’s mindset. And not a minute too soon: Lake Mead is drying up and may become unusable as a water source by 2021, according to scientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. At the same time, soaring energy costs are making it more expensive to operate facilities that literally contain millions of square footage needing lights and air conditioning. When combined with the attention Al Gore brought to the environmental issue, a perfect http://www.citycenter.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 Online Now Contents From the Executive VP From the Editor Europe Pacific/Asia Hawaii Alaska Las Vegas Mexico Caribbean Cruises Travelmart Latin America Girlfriend Getaways Agent Profile Agenda Tours Luxury Travel Expo Taiwan's New Golden Triangle Despite Weak Economy, Americans Are Still Cruising In the Spotlight Editorial Index Advertising Index Trendwatch Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 (Page Cover1) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 (Page Cover2) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 (Page 1) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Online Now (Page 2) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Online Now (Page 3) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Contents (Page 4) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Contents (Page 5) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Contents (Page 6) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Contents (Page 7) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - From the Executive VP (Page 8) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - From the Executive VP (Page 9) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - From the Editor (Page 10) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - From the Editor (Page 11) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - From the Editor (Page 12) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - From the Editor (Page 13) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - From the Editor (Page 14) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - From the Editor (Page 15) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Europe (Page 16) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Europe (Page 17) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Europe (Page 18) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Europe (Page 19) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Pacific/Asia (Page 20) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Pacific/Asia (Page 21) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Pacific/Asia (Page 22) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Pacific/Asia (Page 23) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Hawaii (Page 24) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Hawaii (Page 25) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Hawaii (Page 26) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Hawaii (Page 27) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Alaska (Page 28) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Alaska (Page 29) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Las Vegas (Page 30) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Las Vegas (Page 31) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Las Vegas (Page 32) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Las Vegas (Page 33) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Mexico (Page 34) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Mexico (Page 35) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Mexico (Page 36) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Mexico (Page 37) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Mexico (Page 38) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Mexico (Page 39) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Mexico (Page 40) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Mexico (Page 41) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Caribbean (Page 42) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Caribbean (Page 43) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Caribbean (Page 44) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Caribbean (Page 45) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Cruises (Page 46) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Cruises (Page 47) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Cruises (Page 48) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Cruises (Page 49) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Travelmart Latin America (Page 50) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Travelmart Latin America (Page 51) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Travelmart Latin America (Page 52) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Travelmart Latin America (Page 53) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Travelmart Latin America (Page 54) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Travelmart Latin America (Page 55) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Travelmart Latin America (Page 56) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Travelmart Latin America (Page 57) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Girlfriend Getaways (Page 58) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Girlfriend Getaways (Page 59) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Girlfriend Getaways (Page 60) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Girlfriend Getaways (Page 61) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Girlfriend Getaways (Page 62) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Girlfriend Getaways (Page 63) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Agent Profile (Page 64) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Agent Profile (Page 65) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Agent Profile (Page 66) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Agent Profile (Page 67) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Agenda (Page 68) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Agenda (Page 69) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Tours (Page 70) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Tours (Page 71) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Tours (Page 72) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Luxury Travel Expo (Page 73) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Taiwan's New Golden Triangle (Page 74) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Despite Weak Economy, Americans Are Still Cruising (Page 75) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Despite Weak Economy, Americans Are Still Cruising (Page 76) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - In the Spotlight (Page 77) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Editorial Index (Page 78) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Advertising Index (Page 79) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Trendwatch (Page 80) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Trendwatch (Page Cover3) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Trendwatch (Page Cover4)
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