Press Conference and Celebrity Party Mark Debut of Sophisticated All-Suite Boutique Hotel LAS VEGAS, Dec. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebratory events yesterday marked the first opening at CityCenter, the extraordinary urban resort destination destined to refine and redefine the Las Vegas Strip. Company executives and local dignitaries participated in a press event and ribbon-cutting ceremony at Vdara Hotel & Spa. In recognition of the profound significance of the job creation resulting from Vdara and CityCenter's opening, company officials welcomed Vdara's employees to be the first to officially walk through the hotel's doors. Vdara opens to the public today. To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/citycentervdara/41446/ (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091202/NY19641 ) During the press event, Jim Murren, Chairman and CEO of MGM MIRAGE, said, "We are incredibly proud to offer the world this first taste of all that CityCenter will bring to the Las Vegas Strip. Travelers will finally find in Las Vegas what they find in other great cities around the world - spectacular architecture, culturally significant art, great public spaces, sophisticated hotels, unique restaurants and incredible amenities. We look forward to unveiling all of this and more as the month unfolds." Bobby Baldwin, President and CEO of CityCenter, said, "Vdara's management, and all of the employees, have completed all of the pre-opening activities and have readied the hotel to open. Their excitement and enthusiasm defy description as they await the opportunity to welcome the first hotel guests and residents." Extending yesterday's celebration into the evening, Vdara, in partnership with Vanity Fair, threw a star-studded, invite-only event hosted by famed photographer Sebastian Copeland, along with award-winning actors Orlando Bloom and Rosario Dawson. A dedicated environmental activist, Copeland shares Vdara's commitment to sustainability, which is evidenced in the resort's LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. Vdara is the first hotel to open at CityCenter, which in total will put 12,000 employees to work in Las Vegas. An all-suite hotel and spa designed for those who love the excitement of Vegas but prefer to enjoy it in an exclusive, non-gaming, smoke-free environment, Vdara is physically connected to Bellagio and directly adjacent to ARIA Resort & Casino, offering access to all the amenities and energy of CityCenter while also providing a retreat from it all. CityCenter will celebrate openings throughout the month, culminating with one final grand opening celebration, December 16. Crystals retail and entertainment district opens December 3, Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas December 4 and ARIA Resort & Casino December 16. About CityCenter CityCenter is an unprecedented urban metropolis on 67 acres between Bellagio and Monte Carlo resorts on the Las Vegas Strip. CityCenter is a joint venture between MGM MIRAGE (NYSE:MGM) and Infinity World Development Corp, a subsidiary of Dubai World. CityCenter features ARIA, a 61-story, 4,004-room gaming resort; luxury non-gaming hotels including Las Vegas' first Mandarin Oriental and Vdara Hotel & Spa; Veer Towers, the development's only strictly residential buildings; and Crystals, a 500,000-square-foot retail and entertainment district. Vdara, Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas and Veer Towers include approximately 2,400 residences total. Additionally, The Harmon, a 400-room luxury boutique hotel, is slated to open at CityCenter in late 2010. CityCenter also features a resident Cirque du Soleil production celebrating the timeless musical legacy of Elvis Presley; and an unparalleled Fine Art Collection with works by acclaimed artists including Maya Lin, Jenny Holzer, Nancy Rubins, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, among others. CityCenter is a design collaboration between MGM MIRAGE and eight internationally acclaimed architectural firms including Pelli Clarke Pelli, Kohn Pedersen Fox, Helmut Jahn, RV Architecture LLC led by Rafael Vinoly, Foster + Partners*, Studio Daniel Libeskind*, David Rockwell and Rockwell Group, and Gensler. At the forefront of sustainability, CityCenter is one of the world's largest green developments. ARIA, Vdara, Crystals, Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas and Veer Towers all have received LEED® Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. This marks the highest LEED achievement for any hotel, retail district or residential development in Las Vegas. The Harmon also is pursuing LEED certification. For more information about CityCenter, please visit http://www.citycenter.com/. http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/citycentervdara/41446DATASOURCE: CityCenter CONTACT: Christi Braginton, MGM MIRAGE Public Relations, +1-702-650-7565; or Natalie Mounier, Kirvin Doak Communications, +1-702-737-3100 Web Site: http://www.citycenter.com/

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