Cindy Ortega: Five ways MGM Resorts’ The Park on the Strip means green
Editor’s Note: Robin Leach is working from the cooler climes of La Jolla near San Diego for the remainder of this hot month in advance of our newly designed website launching shortly. We’ll continue with our guest columnists until his return for Labor Day Weekend.
Today, one of our guest columns is by Cindy Ortega on how she’s created an outdoor park oasis on the Strip. The other is from Las Vegas singer-songwriter Chadwick Johnson, who has a touching and emotional story behind his two concerts at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday night. Here’s Cindy on five ways her park means green:
By Cindy Ortega
An oasis in the desert. An outdoor park on the Las Vegas Strip. Sound like a mirage?
In April, it became a reality when my employer, MGM Resorts International, opened The Park, an immersive outdoor dining-and-entertainment district connecting New York-New York, Monte Carlo and the new T-Mobile Arena. The new destination reflects our all-encompassing commitment to environmental sustainability from design to completion, with the goal of reducing the use of natural resources.
Envisioned as a microcosm of the beautiful Mojave Desert that surrounds it, The Park draws inspiration from this sensitive yet thriving ecosystem. To achieve a more cohesive natural environment, the overarching plans for The Park incorporated innovative operational and design approaches to water conservation, energy efficiency, waste recycling, material selection and other green building strategies.
From investing in cutting-edge technology to employing eco-friendly construction measures, The Park weaves an intricate narrative of sustainability. Here, I’ll walk you through five of the incredible ways The Park means green:
Smart-scaping
Envisioned as a slice of Las Vegas’ surrounding environment in the Mojave Desert, The Park is lush with natural desert vegetation. Plant species such as agave and yucca, as well as the tree species of Palo Verde, Acacias and Mesquites, call the desert their home and are adept at conserving water in arid climates.
Looking locally
MGM Resorts locally sourced many of the materials found in The Park. The most notable are the sandstone planters. Red meta-quartzite stone sourced from Las Vegas Rock’s Rainbow Quarry, just 30 miles from The Park’s site, was used throughout the space, most significantly in the artful planters. Not only does the partnership with LVR illustrate an alliance with the local economy, but the use of locally produced materials also reduces fossil fuel used to transport these elements.
Cooler than the rest
With temperatures soaring, pedestrians will find respite from swaths of asphalt and urban traffic when they enter. The Park is designed to reduce this heat-island effect using the laws of nature to keep its temperature cooler. The sun’s rays are reflected due to the light-colored pavers, while shading can be found throughout The Park. The canopy of fully grown trees and series of 50-foot shade structures provide cover from the intensity of the summer sun.
The shade structures collect heat at ground level and circulate it upward and away from passersby below. Myriad features reduce heat within the space, keeping the atmosphere more favorable year-round, including elevated planters blooming with desert flora, sandstone surfaces that are cool to the touch and dissipate heat, water features and reflective building rooftops.
Reusing and recycling
From the removal and replanting of mature trees from the original site to procuring building materials with recycled content, the material components were considered core elements of The Park’s design. All of the furniture, shade structures, waste bins, tree grates and building structures were manufactured using combinations of pre- and post-consumer-recycled steel.
Furthermore, 80 percent of all waste was recycled during construction. Even the centerpiece art installation, Bliss Dance, is an existing sculpture, selected for its rich regional history and cultural symbolism.
Water wise
Designers were incredibly mindful of the valley’s fragile hydrology when planning The Park, taking measures to mitigate use of the city’s water supply. An onsite well provides all of The Park’s irrigation water. Sculptural waterscapes operate on a closed-loop system that captures, filters and reuses water. Point-source drippers that conserve 72 percent more water than traditional sprinklers and an anemometer that controls water features based on wind speeds are just a few of the water technologies that will save millions of gallons each year.
I’m proud to say that our efforts have not gone unnoticed. On April 4, MGM Resorts International was awarded a Water Hero Award from the Water Conservation Coalition for our company’s commitment to water efficiency and conservation.
The Park is the most recent development in our decades-long effort to build a real community on the Strip. I hope everyone will take the opportunity to visit The Park and enjoy all that we have to offer. From learning about our desert landscaping and how to implement sustainable practices at home to marveling at stunning art like Bliss Dance to enjoying incredible food in restaurants like Beerhaus and Sake Rok, we have something for everyone.
Be sure to check out our other guest column today from Las Vegas singer-songwriter Chadwick Johnson, who reveals the emotional story behind “Remember Love” for his two shows at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday night. Robin also has an exclusive about Olympic gold medal hero Ryan Locke’s plans to celebrate his belated 32nd birthday in Las Vegas. On Wednesday, we’ll learn about the new hotel Lucky Dragon, and Dr. Jeff Cummings of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health writes about the incredible work there in the fight against Alzheimer’s.
