Viva Green Vegas
From the May/June 2011 issue of National Geographic Traveler After spending a decade searching out the world’s most innovative sustainable tourism projects, I would have bet my last dollar that this road would never lead to Las Vegas, where “alternative energy†is more apt to be the name for the newest cocktail rather than a conservation strategy. Yet here I am on the Strip, staring at neon lights turning the night into day and passing billboards for million-dollar jackpots and a Lady Gaga concert. I’m headed to CityCenter, a new resort complex whose six U. S. Green Building Council LEED floral certifications make it the single largest concentration of eco-rated buildings in North America. “Massive,†is my first thought as I enter the expansive lobby of Ariaâ€"CityCenter’s 4,004-room flagship hotel. It houses a riverâ€"84 feet long, Maya Linâ€"designed, and made entirely from recycled silverâ€"that is part of a multimillion-dollar art collection. C...