The fate of the Harmon Hotel in Las Vegas is in limbo
Towering over the Las Vegas Strip is a 27-story blue glass structure emblazoned with an advertisement for Cirque du Soleil"s "Viva Elvis" show at the nearby Aria hotel. It is visible for blocks, but most Vegas revelers probably don"t know what"s inside the Harmon tower. The answer is: Nothing.
Embroiled in litigation, the fate of the unfinished tower remains uncertain.
And it will most likely remain a constant reminder of a building boom gone bad until late 2012, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.
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The Harmon building was conceived as a 47-story hotel and condominium complex, part of the $9 billion CityCenter project co-owned by MGM Resorts and Dubai World. But engineering problems halted construction in January 2009, and over the summer MGM shocked observers by arguing that it should simply be demolished.
In its third-quarter earnings statement, MGM said it took a $279 million non-cash impairment charge for the Harmon, the Review-Journal reported.
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MGM is in a dispute with CityCenter"s general contractor, Perini Building Co., over unpaid bills it argues it shouldn"t have to pay because of the flawed construction. Perini Building officials were not available to comment to USA TODAY Tuesday afternoon.
In an interview with the Review-Journal last week, CityCenter Chief Executive Officer Bobby Baldwin said the company