Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/7240
30 / the tasting panel / march 2010 O pened less than four months ago, CityCenter rises from the neon-studded necklace of the Las Vegas Strip like a glistening, multi-spired elec- tronic jewel. Sprawled across 67 acres between Bellagio and Monte Carlo, this modernistic, ecologically-certified tribute to luxurious dining and drinking confirms the philosophy that "If you build it, they will come." Even in a recession. An $8.5 billion joint venture between MGM Mirage and Dubai World, CityCenter includes three lofty hotels comprising almost 6,000 rooms: the non-gaming Mandarin Oriental, the sedately elegant (and also non-gaming) Vdara and, a brief walk away, the vibrant, pulsating Aria Resort & Casino. Both Vdara and Aria are MGM-operated properties personified by exemplary service and family-like friendliness. Although CityCenter was conceived in a period of eco- nomic excess, it was completed during the worst down- turn in recent history. But it thrives, in part, because of the employees who populate its bars and restaurants; customers find their upbeat attitude contagious and, for that, management is to thank. Here's our look at a couple of women who set the standard for service at CityCenter. With 17 restaurants, nine public bars and in-room dining for 4,004 suites all under her auspices, Christina Clifton, Vice President of Food & Beverage for Aria Resort & Casino comes from a background that included 14 years with Four Season Hotels & Resorts and six years at The Mirage as Vice President, Food & Beverage, before creating Aria's extensive F&B program. Clifton is also Chairwoman of the philanthropic Epicurean Charitable Foundation, which offers scholarships for students inter- ested in the hospitality and culinary industries. Ironically, Clifton's Bachelor's degree in Music Education from the University of Arizona indirectly led her to Aria. "My last semester in school, I started hostessing in a restaurant just in case things didn't go well with my degree in music," she recalls. "But I enjoyed it so much I Hot property WoMen set the standard for service at the neW cityceNter reaching new heights in vegas Aria pulsates with gambling, cocktails, 17 restaurants, nine bars and limos that run on compressed natural gas; it is the world's largest Gold LEEDS-certified structure. story and photos by Richard Carleton Hacker