Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - (Page 32) DESTINATIONS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 30 50 percent of all wood products used are FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified, meaning the wood comes from forests certified to follow responsible forest management practices. During design, preference was given to materials with recycled content, reclaimed materials or that could be manufactured locally. Each of the CityCenter buildings is designed for significant water savings each year, with ARIA alone saving an estimated 31 million an average 74 percent of waste from landfills to recycling. Excalibur (www.excalibur.com) implemented a simple cardboard recycling program and reduced its entire waste bill by 50 percent. Now it is looking to cut another 50 percent by recycling more waste. The Palazzo When the $1.9 billion The Palazzo Las Vegas (www.palazzolasvegas.com) opened earlier this year, the resort claimed a Silver certification. For now, that makes it the largest building in the world to have achieved such status. It’s also more than four times larger than the secondbiggest Silver-certified building. “From the beginning, we were determined to create Las Vegas’ first truly eco-friendly property and we are extremely proud to have achieved it and be recognized for it. There is an increasing necessity to employ ‘green’ construction principles and we are proud to be a leader in the evolution of environmentally focused building practices, not only on the Las Vegas Strip, but at Las Vegas Sands’ properties throughout the world,” said Sheldon G. Adelson, chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corp., at a ceremony last April recognizing the achievement. According to The Palazzo, the property saves enough water to provide each Nevada citizen with 266 8-ounce glasses of water for a year and enough energy to light a 100-watt light bulb for 12,100 years. Some examples of how savings were achieved include heating swimming pools with solar panels that also heat guestroom water; interior plumbing fixtures that use 37 percent less water than conventional buildings as a result of water-efficient showerheads, high-efficiency toilets and low-flow lavatory faucet aerators; moisture sensors that monitor real-time, site-specific air temperature, humidity, rainfall and other factors to provide daily watering cycle adjustment; and a waste recycling program implemented from demolition through completion that diverted more than 70 percent of waste from the landfill. During construction, the building’s structural steel averaged 95 percent recycled content, while the concrete averaged a 26 percent recycled content rate. TOP: A rendering of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, which diverts an average 74 percent of waste from landfills to recycling BELOW: Once complete, MGM MIRAGE’s CityCenter project will span 66 acres gallons of water annually, roughly 34 percent within the building and 60 percent in outdoor landscaping. Overall, each building is eliminating more than 30 percent water waste. The realization that so much could be saved has sparked widespread interest at other MGM MIRAGE resorts. For example, in 2007 Mandalay Bay (www.mandalaybay.com) initiated a trade-show recycling program that now diverts 32 | TravelAgent September 29, 2008 Springs Preserve (www.springspreserve.org, 702-822-7700) is a great way to spend a few hours in town. The green-friendly attraction features a reconstructed desert wetland, working green building designs and other examples of environmentally friendly construction. It also has 13 LEED Platinum Certified buildings. “Vegas is associated with excess, and being a party town makes this an ideal location to do these sorts of activities,” says Jay Nichols, director, Springs Preserve. “We are trying to educate people as to how to make smart choices for sustainability.” The facility also offers classes such as watersmart gardening and organic cooking, and will regularly display the latest technology to assist in sustainability. In its inaugural season last year, more than 200,000 people visited the attraction. And for a guilt-free meal while in Vegas, the newly opened LBS: A Burger Joint at the Red Rock Resort (www.redrocklasvegas.com) will incorporate artisanal, handmade ingredients and earth-friendly menu items. You won’t find any prepackaged or frozen items here. Instead, LBS features locally sourced ingredients wherever possible. This eliminates both the need for packaging and the use of extra fuel needed to truck in ingredients from all over the country. Green and organic items served will include homemade pickles, dry-aged meat, homemade desserts, organic beers and wines and even recyclable straws. “Our goal is to create an eco-friendly restaurant from the design of the space to the food and beverage program,” says the restaurant’s chef, Anthony Meidenbauer. He said tables are made from 100-year-old doors reclaimed from New York City and the wall and ceiling are lined with recycled license plates that make an American flag design, which is apropos for its rustic Americana theme. Even takeout packaging all comes from recycled materials and can be recycled again after use. “Being sustainable is not just [being] organic, but supporting local vendors,” Meidenbauer says. “And while our restaurant may cost a little bit more, we are going to offer a better product, so they will feel good about that at the end of the day.” I Off the Strip It’s not just hotels on the Las Vegas Strip that know going green is no gamble. The Las Vegas CONNECTING YOU For clients looking for more than gambling in Vegas, visit www.travelagentcentral.com/usa-las-vegas http://www.springspreserve.org http://www.excalibur.com http://www.palazzolasvegas.com http://www.redrocklasvegas.com http://www.mandalaybay.com http://www.travelagentcentral.com/usa-las-vegas
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)
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.