Behind the Scenes at America's Biggest Hotel

Design flaw bounces sunlight, scorches swimmers

(NEWSER) - Guests have been getting scorched by a phenomenon that staff at Las Vegas' new Vdara hotel have nicknamed "the death ray." The glass skyscraper magnifies the sun's rays into a shifting hot spot around the hotel's pool area strong enough to burn skin, singe hair, and melt plastic cups, ABC News reports. Hotel execs—who prefer the term "solar convergence phenomenon"—say they're working on fixing the problem. More»

Handler hospitalized after mauling at MGM Grand hotel

(NEWSER) - A lion lunged at a trainer at the MGM Grand hotel and casino in Las Vegas in an attack captured on video by shocked tourists. Another trainer helped get the male lion off the man, who was rushed to a local hospital, where he received several stitches. MGM officials insist there's no problem with the company's safety practices, and that such incidents are very rare. The lions live in a desert compound and are rotated to the Vegas site so that each lion only appears one day per week, according to spokesmen. More»

Hotel-casino-condo-shopping behemoth brings 12K jobs, optimism to battered state

(NEWSER) - A gigantic addition to the Las Vegas Strip is a one-stop stimulus package for a city and state walloped by the recession and an $8.5 billion bet that happy days are near again. With 12,000 jobs, the CityCenter project—a kaleidoscope of condominiums, boutique hotels, shopping, and, of course, gambling—is the “single biggest hiring opportunity in the history of the US,” a rep tells Time, and with Nevada’s 13.2% unemployment, its December opening can’t come soon enough. More»

Vegas brand expands to Asia, Middle East despite industry woes

(NEWSER) - With the hospitality business gasping for air and its own core business in trouble, MGM Mirage is going global in hopes of building its brand well beyond Las Vegas. Having sealed eight deals with hotel developers and in talks with 10 more, the company will introduce the Bellagio and MGM Grand brands to Asia and the Middle East, the Wall Street Journal reports. More»

(NEWSER) - MGM Mirage, the gambling conglomerate, is considering the sale of casino properties in Michigan and Mississippi to pay down debt and save an underfunded Las Vegas development, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Vegas-based company has retained Morgan Stanley to shepherd the sales of the MGM Grand Detroit and Biloxi’s Beau Rivage, two of its best-performing casinos. MGM holds $13.5 billion in debt. More»