(NYSE: MGM) -- Under a canopy of fireworks illuminating the night sky, ARIA Resort & Casino opened its doors last night and welcomed its first guests. Located at the heart of CityCenter, ARIA is the centerpiece of this extraordinary urban resort destination. Its debut signifies the official grand opening of this city-within-a-city, following two weeks of celebrations for the reveals of Vdara Hotel & Spa, Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas and Crystals retail and entertainment district. Featuring an unprecedented combination of striking architecture, sustainable design, high-end service and spectacular amenities, the stunning ARIA has dramatically altered the skyline of the world's most famous boulevard and will forever change the perceptions of the Las Vegas Strip.

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"ARIA and CityCenter reflect a combination of innovation, energy and visionary design that we believe will reshape how the world views the destination resort experience and attract visitors from around the globe as a landmark of taste and style," said Jim Murren, Chairman and CEO of MGM MIRAGE, which developed CityCenter in partnership with Infinity World Development Corp.

Designed by the world-renowned firm Pelli Clarke Pelli, ARIA's architectural expression reveals itself at every turn, from its two breathtaking curvilinear steel and glass towers to the clean use of natural elements including lush foliage, wood and stone.

At 18 million square feet, CityCenter is the largest private sustainable development in the world, having received six LEED® Gold certifications for its buildings.

At an early morning press conference yesterday, company executives and national dignitaries including the president, CEO and founding chairman of the U.S. Green Building Council were on hand to pay tribute to CityCenter's significant milestone in the arena of sustainable design, construction and operations. Among its sustainable distinctions, ARIA commissioned the first fleet of clean-fueled CNG stretch limousines. It also is the first resort on the Las Vegas Strip to generate its own electricity.

Also part of yesterday's opening events, senior executives from both MGM MIRAGE and Infinity World had the rare honor of remotely ringing the Closing Bell of the New York Stock Exchange, marking the project's major contribution to the financial fortitude of Las Vegas. CityCenter is the single largest hiring effort in the country today, creating new jobs for approximately 12,000 people.

Bobby Baldwin, President and CEO of CityCenter said, "This is an incredibly proud time in our company's history. We believe this moment marks a turning point in the financial future of our community."

A grand opening invite-only gala capped the opening day's activities, giving VIP guests an opportunity to sample ARIA's impeccable hospitality, creative personalized attention and incredible array of amenities. Finally, at 11 p.m. fireworks filled the sky with brilliant bursts of color, reflected in ARIA's curved glass curtain wall, as Las Vegas visitors and locals gathered below eager to enter the resort when the doors opened shortly following the dramatic aerial salute.

Murren said, "CityCenter will become the benchmark by which all new developments will be measured, and it won't be surpassed in scope and grandeur for decades."

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 www.citycenter.com. For downloadable photos and broadcast-quality videos, visit citycenter.thedigitalcenter.com.

*Consultant to AAI Architects, Inc.

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SOURCE: CityCenter

CONTACT: Natalie Mounier of Kirvin Doak Communications, +1-702-737-3100;
or Christi Braginton of MGM Mirage Public Relations, +1-702-650-7565

Web Site: http://www.citycenter.com/