Demolishing a Vegas Hotel Before its Grand Opening

Las Vegas CityCenter's Harmon Hotel tower (center), may be razed before it ever opens. Photo: flickr | Vrysxy

Th e days of the Harmon Hotel tower in Las Vegas may be numbered -- even before the hotel welcomes a single guest. Begun during the Las Vegas high-rise condo boom, the hotel tower -- first proposed as a 49-story mixed-use condo and hotel project -- is an empty, if flashy, shell that its owner, MGM Resorts International, seeks to demolish.

The building's downfall has been blamed on massive construction defects and the market downturn. MGM and the building's general contractor, Perini Building Co., are embroiled in litigation over the building's problems -- and the outcome may ultimately decide its fate.

Originally conceived as a 400-room nongaming tower with just over 200 residential condo units, the Harmon was part of the larger CityCenter development on the Las Vegas Strip.

When MGM put the planned condo units on the market in early 2008, buyers -- mostly owner-occupants -- put down 20 percent deposits on nearly half of the units within a two-month period, said Robert Hamrick, who served from January 2006 to March 2011 as senior vice president and broker at CityCenter Realty Corp. He is currently chairman and CEO of Coldwell Banker Premier Realty in Las Vegas.

Harmon tower (center) and CityCenter during construction. Photo: flickr | Lars Plougmann

"It was a very emotional building. The physicality of it, (the) appearance, the architecture. It was going to be a very high-end luxury building, kind of appealing to the nouveau riche, perhaps. Upscale, classy and a somewhat young environment," Hamrick said.

But structural defects were discovered in the building, and in January 2009 MGM announced that the Harmon's finished size would be cut down to 28 stories, from the 49 stories originally slated. This eliminated the planned condo units entirely. Perini finished the Harmon's core and shell in December 2009.

The Aladdin Hotel on the Vegas strip imploded in April, 1998. Photo: AP

The building currently sits unfinished as MGM and Perini debate the extent of construction defects in the courts. Neither MGM or Perini responded to requests for comment by publication time.

According to a July engineering report, repair of the building may not be possible, and if it is, it could take up to three years to fix from start to finish.

The Perini company fired back in a statement that "MGM is seeking to implode the building to hide the fact that the Harmon is not a threat to public safety and to avoid having the repairs made that Perini and its third-party structural engineers have offered to do."

The New Frontier had seen better days when it imploded in July, 2007. Photo: AP

Perini also accused MGM of "buyer's remorse" due to the downturn of the real estate market. "MGM is now attempting to blow up the Harmon to avoid adding the Harmon as additional glut to its other vacant properties in CityCenter under the guise of 'public safety,'" the company charged.

The proposed plan is subject to approval from the county's building department. If approved, MGM would also seek to lift a court order that prevent alteration or destruction of the building while the litigation with Perini is unresolved. There have been at least a dozen buildings imploded in Las Vegas since 1993, five of them since 2006, according to an implosions page on travel website Vegas.com. The most recent was the New Frontier hotel, the second-oldest hotel on the strip at the time, on November 13, 2007. On May 9, 2006, the precursor to CityCenter, the Boardwalk hotel, was imploded to make way for the new development.

World's Best New Hotels 2011

From a hillside African lodge to a Brazilian eco-retreat, these are the year’s best new hotels.

By Travel+Leisure Staff

Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas

Photo: Courtesy of Cosmopolitian of Las Vegas

More from TravelandLeisure.com

For our annual It List, a compendium of the world’s most noteworthy new hotels, Travel+Leisure editors and writers logged thousands of miles in search of the next best new hotels for you to lay your head.

Cosmopolitan

Las Vegas

Finally, a Vegas hotel for design geeks and food nerds. Guest rooms have Fornasetti wallpaper in the closets, furniture with solid modern lines, a generous soaking tub, C.O. Bigelow toiletries, art you will actually think about, and stacks of Phaidon books on the bedside. Venture into the David Rockwell–designed Chandelier bar and to restaurants by heavyweights including Scott Conant (Scarpetta), Bromberg Brothers (Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill), and José Andrés (Jaleo; China Poblano). Doubles from $195.

Olarro, Loita Hills, Kenya

Photo: Courtesy of Olarro

Olarro

Loita Hills, Kenya

With a silent partner like Paul Allen (yes, that Paul Allen) backing Olarro, it’s no wonder this hillside lodge overlooking the Masai Mara is becoming Kenya’s next high-profile hideaway. Designer Anthony Russell has worked his magic on the seven thatched cottages and a two-bedroom villa: the tiled floors resemble giraffe markings, and the billowing fabric ceilings give the feel of a tented camp (without the hassle of having to unzip your door). At this new conservancy the wildlife may not be as prolific as in other parts of Africa, but after-dark safaris with night-vision goggles, as well as a perfect perch to watch the annual wildebeest migration, more than compensate. Doubles from $1,370.

GoldenEye Hotel & Resort, Jamaica

Photo: Jessica Sample

GoldenEye Hotel & Resort

Jamaica

This property on the northern coast of Jamaica has quite a pedigree: in the 1940’s, Ian Fleming built a villa on a hidden cove to write his James Bond novels and entertain visitors including Noël Coward and Errol Flynn. Now owner Chris Blackwell has transformed GoldenEye into a small but stylish resort. With only 11 cottages and six suites along a white-sand beach and secluded lagoon, the vibe is as exclusive as it was in Fleming’s day and the guest list just as impressive (was that Beyoncé and Jay-Z hanging out at the waterfront Bizot bar?). Doubles from $448.

Banyan Tree Al Wadi, Ras Al Khaimah,U.A.E.

Photo: Courtesy of Banyan Tree Al Wadi

Banyan Tree Al Wadi

Ras Al Khaimah, U.A.E.

Camel rides? Check. Sand dunes? Check. Private pools? Check. The new Banyan Tree Al Wadi—tucked into the desert and a 45-minute drive from Dubai—is a daydreamer’s oasis. Set on 250 acres, 150 of which are a nature preserve, 101 villas blend regional design elements (bedouin-style tented ceilings) with Far Eastern service touches (the spa specializes in Thai massages). We rose early for a tour of the honey-colored landscape and returned to dine at the resort’s Al Waha restaurant while spotting wild gazelles through the restaurant’s floor-to-ceiling windows. Doubles from $465.

Kenoa, Barra de São Miguel, Brazil

Photo: Courtesy of Kenoa Resort

Kenoa

Barra de São Miguel, Brazil

It was a risky proposition for engineer Pedro Marques to quit his career to open a 23-room eco-retreat on a sleepy beach along Brazil’s Alagoan coast, north of Bahia. But the gamble has paid off in spades. The hotel wows with eucalyptus columns and natural wood and brick interiors, all of which reinforce the indoor-outdoor aesthetic that sets the retreat apart. Environmental responsibility is emphasized: staffers are instructed in conservation techniques to avoid disturbing the nearby preserve. Doubles from $630.

Borgo Egnazia, Puglia, Italy

Photo: Courtesy of Borgo Egnazia

Borgo Egnazia

Puglia, Italy

Though this blinding-white stone monolith looks as ancient as the fortified farmhouses that surround it, sprawling Borgo Egnazia is actually brand- new. Rooms are monochromatic, splicing luxe (limestone double sinks; wide shaded terraces) with unexpected design moments (single olive branches in lieu of flowers). Twin pools are lounge-worthy and huge; if only management would designate one of them exclusively for adults. Doubles from $455.

Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad, India

Photo: Courtesy of Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces

Taj Falaknuma Palace

Hyderabad, India

You’ll trade your car for a horse and carriage at the gate of the Taj Falaknuma Palace, which crowns a hill above the city, and be showered with rose petals when you ascend the marble steps. After a 10-year restoration, this former palace of the Nizam of Hyderabad (once the world’s richest man) is now a living museum, with 60 opulent guest rooms done up in ivories and golds. Wander the property if you like: nothing is off limits, including the library of rare books. Adding to the fairy-tale setting, at sunset you’ll hear the lilting strains of a flute in the courtyard. Doubles from $890.

Ritz-Carlton Shanghai

Photo: Chris Cypert / Ritz-Carlton

Ritz-Carlton Shanghai

Pudong, Shanghai

It’s almost impossible to actually walk anywhere in the frenetic Pudong neighborhood, so lucky for you that Ritz-Carlton’s second Shanghai property offers plenty of reasons to stay put. Topping off Cesar Pelli’s 58-story IFC Shanghai building, the 285-room hotel places you in a cloud-level fantasy. Guest rooms, with their Art Deco touches, have skyline views from floor-to-ceiling windows, Frette linens, and freestanding bathtubs built for lounging. Doubles from $534.

W Retreat Koh Samui, Thailand

Photo: Courtesy W Hotels Worldwide

W Retreat Koh Samui

Thailand

Bringing a long-lacking dose of mod design and youthful exuberance to this ever-popular Thai resort island, W Hotels’ first “Retreat” property in Southeast Asia hews to the brand’s urbane aesthetic. Fans of the cheeky W formula will find all the requisite diversions, such as morning Thai boxing. Seeking serenity? The resort occupies a coveted peninsula on Samui’s quiet northern coast. While the lure of the beach may be hard to resist, guest rooms offer plenty of watery temptations as well: all of the 75 glass-walled villas have private pools, and the best offer shimmering Gulf of Thailand views. Doubles from $712.

Matakauri Lodge, Queenstown, New Zealand

Photo: Courtesy of Matakauri Lodge

Matakauri Lodge

Queenstown, New Zealand

It’s no wonder hedge-funder turned hotelier Julian Robertson chose a secluded South Island spot for his family’s third hotel, Matakauri Lodge, the latest sibling to the Farm at Cape Kidnappers and the Lodge at Kauri Cliffs. The property is ideal for adventurers in search of a luxury lodge near Queenstown. The 11 large, timber suites, decorated in rust, orange, and cream by native design doyenne Virginia Fisher, feature walk-in closets, open fireplaces, and the requisite mountain vistas. Doubles from $460.

Live the High Life in a Converted Airplane

Pat-downs from the Transportation Security Agency, seat auctions and fees spiraling out of control have made commercial air travel a real drag. In the 1930s and 1940s, boarding a passenger plane and flying to a faraway place was thrilling and glamorous and luxurious.

Unfortunately, but for the lucky few who can afford the awesome perks of business class, the glory days of commercial airline passenger comfort are long gone.

Thankfully, the romance and excitement of the early days of commercial flying lives on via a few ingenious entrepreneurs and architects around the world who dug deep into the sexy history of air travel and created amazing homes and hotels from decommissioned and/or deconstructed commercial aircraft.

Let's check out the high life in several converted airline properties. Prepare for liftoff.

Hotel Costa Verde

The Hotel Costa Verde overlooks the Pacific Ocean in Costa Rica. Photo: Hotel Costa Verde

High on a coastal rainforest bluff that overlooks the sparkling Pacific Ocean in Costa Rica, the Hotel Costa Verde offers sun-seeking vacationers a variety of accommodations from open-air rooms to private bungalows to the cozy fuselage of a refurbished 1965 Boeing 727.

The quirky and kooky suite, which formerly flew for Avianca Airlines, now cantilevers over the jungle atop a 50-foot pedestal and offers guests all the luxuries of a traditional suite - but with a serious twist. A spiral river-rock staircase leads up to the fuselage suite’s entrance and a pair of covered decks with treetop jungle views and a vista of the ocean through swaying palm trees.

The Hotel Costa Verde sits on a 50-foot pedestal above the Costa Rican jungle. Photo: Hotel Costa Verde

Custom teak paneling covers the walls and ceiling of the entire interior, from cockpit to tail. The covered decks provide up-close encounters with the rainforest’s diverse flora and fauna and the well-appointed living spaces inside the body of the airplane offer the conveniences of home. A sitting area has a television and the kitchenette has an adjacent dining area. There are two air-conditioned bedrooms including one with two double beds and porthole windows.

Max Power

Max Power Aero sells $200,000 homes that were once working aircraft. Photo: Max Power Aero

If a few days in a retrofitted fuselage in the Costa Rican jungle isn’t enough to satisfy your urge to shack up in an airplane, there are a number of companies such as Max Power Aero that offer the sale, customization and installation of decommissioned aircraft for re-use as funky private homes.

Prices start at around $200,000 and Max Power Aero offers potential buyers the option to have the fuselage mounted on rotating pedestal that allows the plane to weathervane and point into the wind.

Jumbo Stay Hostel

Entrepreneur Oscar Dios turned a former jumbo jet into a Stockholm, Sweden hostel. Photo: Lioba Schneider

At the entrance to the Arlanda airport in Stockolm, Sweden, hostel entrepreneur Oscar Diös transformed a former Pan Am 747-200 jumbo jet into a modern and sophisticated hostel conveniently located just a 10 minute walk to the international airport’s check-in terminals.

Although some of the original parts and signage remain, much of the interior of the plane was removed and replaced with 27 individual cabins of varying configurations. There are a total of nine bathrooms on the plane, some of them communal.

Jumbo Stay’s first-class lounge offers pre-packaged meals that are similar to those served on commercial airplanes. Photo: Lioba Schneider

Along with the first-class lounge located in the upper level cabin and furnished with the aircraft’s original first-class seats, the Jumbo Stay Hostel offers guests (and visitors) an on-board café in the nose cone where pre-packaged meals are served “in-flight” style on small plastic trays by staff wearing vintage air-hostess uniforms.