The Next Theme For Las Vegas... Urban Sophistication?

Las Vegas is preparing to create a city district out of thin desert air.

"...It's been hard to visualize the hotel-retail-residential development from the numbers (66 acres, $5 billion) used to describe it.

...To be built next to Bellagio, on the last sizeable patch of vacant land on the Strip, CityCenter is next-level Vegas big-think: instead of one hotel, three?a 4,000-roomer complete with casino, plus a pair of 400-room nongaming boutique hotels. The retail component is still under development, but it will run to 500,000 square feet and feature cafes, shops, galleries and clubs in a pedestrian-friendly layout. Mall REIT Taubman Centers will act as design and development advisor and oversee leasing. M In addition, there will be 1,640 luxury condos. All told, the development is the size of Times Square, Rockefeller Center and SoHo taken together. Target completion date: November 2009."