A hearing is under way on CityCenter's request that it be allowed to demolish the never-occupied, $279 million Harmon hotel building on the Las Vegas Strip because of construction defects and safety concerns.
MGM Resorts International, half-owner and manager of the CityCenter casino-resort complex, is asking the court for permission to implode the 26-story structure, mainly because of more than 1,700 defects with the building it claims to have discovered.
It's unknown when a ruling will come down on the reques, and even if the implosion plan is approved, it would take several months for demolition plans to gain government approvals—assuming the ruling isn’t appealed.
Contractors are fighting the request, saying the Harmon can be repaired. They claim CityCenter is just trying to get rid of a building it can't use because of the economic slowdown and implosion would destroy evidence while tainting any future trial over alleged defects as jurors would assume the newly built building came down for good reason.
Courtesy of The Las Vegas Sun
