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Reid excursion takes dignitaries to ecofriendly developments

Tour shows Nevada is righting its listing economic ship, official says







If Monday's National Clean Energy Summit 2.0 provided the classroom lesson on green development, then Tuesday's Clean Energy Jobs Tour was the field trip.

A day after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., hosted a daylong green-power discussion featuring former President Clinton and former Vice President Al Gore, Reid took several dignitaries on a road trip to see some of Southern Nevada's newest ecofriendly developments.


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  • The tour stopped inside the front entrance of CityCenter, the $8.5 billion megaresort MGM Mirage plans to open on the Strip in December.

    CityCenter is the largest private development under way in the nation. It's also the largest green project of its kind.

    Jim Murren, chairman and chief executive officer of MGM Mirage, said the company wanted to create "great urban planning from the beginning," with good circulation of pedestrians and cars, a walkable cluster of multiple uses such as condominiums and retail, and sustainability.

    To target its efforts, MGM Mirage added CityCenter to the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, an initiative that requires participants to meet dozens of standards on energy efficiency, water conservation and use of recycled materials, among other construction measures.

    Tuesday's visitors saw evidence of CityCenter's LEED efforts in every direction, from the electric-powered monorail at the project's heart to overhangs that shade windows from the sun. Drought-resistant trees already line walkways outside, and some of the project's concrete came from recycling the demolished Boardwalk, which formerly stood on the property. MGM Mirage will recycle 90 percent of CityCenter's construction waste, and skylights and glass ceilings offer natural light to replace electric lights during the day.

    MGM Mirage also trained 9,000 construction workers in sustainability so they could build the property to green guidelines, Murren said.

    Building CityCenter based on LEED principles tacked on about $500 million to the project's cost, Murren noted, though a now-defunct state law that granted property-tax rebates for some developers of green projects covered some of the cost.

    CityCenter has had its difficulties: The winter's credit crunch cost MGM Mirage its funding on the project. The gaming giant was within an hour of filing for bankruptcy when it hashed out its financing troubles in April.

    "We've spent $8.5 billion and we almost bankrupted the company, and we don't know if it's going to work," Murren said. "We think people will say, 'MGM Mirage, they get it. I want to have my conference there and stay there because they believe what I believe.' It's an $8.5 billion bet that we can do the right thing and make money."

    The hotel will create 10,000 to 12,000 permanent jobs upon completion.

    Reid's tour also stopped at the Rob's Ridge Solar Project, a development along State Route 159 between Blue Diamond and Bonnie Springs Ranch. Bombard Electric installed two solar-powered emergency stations for the Metropolitan Police Department at Rob's Ridge.

    The tour's final destination was the new Science and Engineering Building at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. There, Reid's group learned about the university's research into energy-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs, and studied ecofriendly home construction that Pulte Homes deployed at its Villa Trieste community in Summerlin thanks partly to grants obtained through UNLV.

    Executives of local power utility NV Energy were on hand to discuss their $500,000 contribution to the UNLV Foundation to create a minor in solar and renewable energy.

    Accompanying Reid were John Podesta, a former White House chief of staff and current president of the Center for American Progress Action Fund; Van Jones, special adviser to the White House Council on Environmental Quality; Jon Wellinghoff, a former consumer advocate for Nevada who's now chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; and Cathy Zoi, the U.S. Energy Department's assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy.

    Jones said the tour showed that Nevada is righting its listing economic ship.

    "We have seen the state begin to rally and repower America, and repower itself through this recession," Jones said. "We're building the future now, here in Nevada. There's an incredible bounty of assets here."

    Contact reporter Jennifer Robison at jrobison@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4512.

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    Yeah1964 wrote on August 12, 2009 03:46 PM: City Center will never see the success the developer's had hoped for. Going green or being eco friendly costs money.

    What the creator gave to us, like the sun and wind, now costs money. Greedy businessmen and politician's will continue to sabotage anything good for the enviroment. Nevada should of started sun and wind harnessing years ago.


    Yeah1964 wrote on August 12, 2009 03:46 PM: City Center will never see the success the developer's had hoped for. Going green or being eco friendly costs money.
    What the creator gave to us, like the sun and wind, now costs money. Greedy businessmen and politician's will continue to sabotage anything good for the enviroment. Nevada should of started sun and wind harnessing years ago.


    Harry forgot wrote on August 12, 2009 12:39 PM: That good ole boy Harry from Nevada forgot show his impressive audience the eco-friendly-green making Apollo and Red Rooster on Sahara.

    And all those eco-friendly-green making Strip clubs and bars on Industrial

    The only green "harry" knows is the millions he's made being a POLITICIAN, period.


    DMCinLV wrote on August 12, 2009 11:11 AM: One thing I know is true is that Harry Reid showed no interest in energy and environment until this summit was announced.

    Prior to that, his interest was in providing shareholders, such as those of Nevada Energy, with prime return on investment...

    Read current "Fast Company" article to see how future energy policy is being steered by current shareholders.

    Bottom line: what's in it for them?


    burbankcurfew wrote on August 12, 2009 10:42 AM: Sorry Bob but you're coming from the planet of no logic.
    It got so bad in Burbank from the planes flying over that strict curfew was declared.
    School kids are careful not because of auto smog but airplane fuel residue.
    We used to hurt when breathing due in part to aircraft. We would have to wash the unburned jet fuel off our cars every day and our windshields were oil. The EPA declared it a hazard and it was put on hold while further investigation is continuing.
    Check into the jet fuel residue issue and its' chemical breakdown.
    Both Democrat and Republicans are suffering from this. The kids and anyone doing outside strenuous workouts are in danger of this as much if not more than auto.
    Autos are required to meet stricter controls. Don't believe it then look it up and research it yourself. Better get off the partisan kick and try to protect yourself from chemicals that can cause cancer etc.


    EvilBankers wrote on August 12, 2009 09:44 AM: Since everything runs on money, I suggest Senator Reid cosponsor SB 604, the Federal Reserve Sunshine Act. Barney Frank is blocking HR 1207 in the House.

    Find out the facts before basing healthcare or green projects on a financial industry that resembles a house of cards. If the Federal Reserve isn't solvent, ALL of these projects will fail.

    We, the people, are warning you now. So, you won't be able to say "How could we have known?" You know now. Go find out what the Fed is hiding.


    KD wrote on August 12, 2009 09:36 AM: So City Center will create 10,000 to 12,000 permanent jobs huh.

    What about the 10,000 construction jobs that will be lost? What the additional layoffs other Casinos may face due to this project opening.

    Let's be realistic Vegas does not NEED this proprty open. Begs the question, How green is it build something not needed? Also, how Green are we to "defunct" a law to give credits to those that build green?

    More importantly, if tourism visitation stays the same, occupancy and revenues at other hotels will drop as City Center steals the business.

    With that, City Center may gross 10,000 jobs, but Las Vegas with Net a job close to zero or job loss.


    Bob wrote on August 12, 2009 09:07 AM: Wow, Brian, maybe you should move back to the planet you came from? Or did you come out of Area 52? Either way, all you have are unsubstantiated scare tactics.

    At least Senator Reid is moving forward. Some may not agree, that's the nature of the debate. Fear mongering shouldn't be a part of any discussion.

    Wait a sec... Brian, you're not an alien, you're a REPUBLICAN!


    Brian wrote on August 12, 2009 08:01 AM: Harry, seeing your interested in the Environment.

    Look up in our skies at the patch work of Chemtrails which now regularly blanket Vegas.

    These aircraft rain poisonous Barium, Ethylene Di Bromide and Aluminum on our kids.

    Contrails are the short ice crystal trails behind aircraft. Any commercial pilot will tell you they disipitate within minutes.

    Chemtrails stretch across the sky and linger for hours.

    How can a Representative who says he's worried what going into the air not be interested what is raining from the air?

    Look up people. Turn off the TV, get off the couch, get your heads out of the stores buying job robbing foreign junk and ask what on earth is going on....?


    Brian wrote on August 12, 2009 07:08 AM: Harry why don't you, Pelosi and that old homosexual Barney Frank give Americans a guided tour of the Federal Reserve instead of a few solar panels in the desert?

    Audit the privately owned Federal Reserve Harry. For pete's sake it's a private banking cartel. It's no more Federal than Federal Express.

    Harry, we'll save far more by doing this one act than some fraudulent global warming scam represented by solar panels in the desert. Even Weather Channel founder John Coleman says Global Warming is a scam.

    Harry push through HR 1207 to audit the Federal Reserve. The people want to know what is going on in this black box that creates money out of thin air and lends it to tax payers at interest. What's there to hide?

    Barney has 1207 lock up in Committee as would a priest would with an alter boy. Come on Harry, save 1207. Do the right thing. Prevent the further rape of our nation. The alter boy is screaming in there with Barney.

    Over 300 congressman have signed on to Ron Paul's 1207. The people want to know what is going on in the fast sinking ship of State that is America.

    Illusionary New World Order one world government carbon nonsense will not divert the people's attention. Neither will a weaponized laboratory created flu. The only immunity the syringes of death will provide is the vaccine makers immunity from law suit when they kill people.

    Harry have you not seen our disgust in the town hall meetings? We're getting angry Harry and election time is nearing. Independents and third parties will be the worst nightmare of the CFR controlled snake with two heads -the Democrats and Republicans.

    We're awake Harry. The jig is up. We want our; national sovereignty, Constitution and government back.


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