Elvis Has Left the Building, and the Elvis Building Will Be Leaving the Strip

I was kind of amazed by this story.  I'm not going to quote from it because the Las Vegas Review-Journal has a habit of using some sleazy law firm to sue bloggers, but you can go to the link and read it if you like.  Bottom line, for several years we've traveled to Las Vegas and watched the CityCenter development go up.  One of the more striking buildings in the project was supposed to be the Harmon Hotel, located right on Las Vegas Blvd. at the intersection of Harmon - pretty much dead center on The Strip.  It took some photos of the building a couple of years ago (it's the rounded blue building on the right):

According to the story MGM, which is part owner of the CityCenter property, now wants to implode this building because of design defects which could cause it to collapse in the event of a large earthquake. So, a 27-story tower that has never been occupied will bite the dust in another one of those patented Las Vegas implosions.

Given the location of this building, being right on Las Vegas Blvd and right next to the ritzy Crystals luxury mall, not to mention near several other hotels and fancy new buildings, I've got to believe the implosion will be a pretty tricky business. It's not like knocking one of the old hotels down that sat on a big lot by itself. And I can't imagine what this will do to the hotel and tourist business on that part of the Strip. I'm sure there will be at least several days in which this area will be completely inaccessible.

Somebody really screwed up.