Las Vegas rebound riding on $8.5 billion CityCenter
With the opening of the CityCenter in a few days, Las Vegas is hoping that the visitors will come back to Sin City.
Many watching the high-stakes roll of the dice shudder at the thought that nearly 5,900 rooms in three hotels will be awaiting guests when CityCenter’s crown jewel — the 4,004-room Aria Resort & Casino — opens Dec. 16. That will increase Las Vegas’ already saturated inventory by more than 4 percent at a time when fewer visitors are coming and room prices have fallen 25 percent from last year.
CityCenter’s debut might pull rates even lower, but state leaders hope the complex leads Nevada out of two years of economic misery that has hit the state with record unemployment, foreclosures and bankruptcies.
FAA rejects Boeing 777 safety warnings
Despite warnings that, on long distance flights, ice can plug up certain piping and restrict the fuel flow, the FAA has decided to allow the 777 to continue flying.
Citing the possibility of engine shutdowns or emergency descents, critics wanted at least some of the suspect parts replaced by the end of this year, and in any event no later than mid-2010.
One reason for the later regulatory deadline is the limited availability of replacement parts, according to industry officials. The FAA rejected recommendations by the National Transportation Safety Board to order affected Boeing 777 operators to swiftly replace parts on at least one of the two engines on each aircraft.
Air travel rises, freight demand falls In October
The International Air Transportation Department report said that passenger traffic rose in October, but freight demand continued to fall.
Data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) showed passenger demand rose 0.5 percent on the same month a year before while freight demand fell 0.5 percent after a 5.4 percent drop in September.
“Cargo traffic is 14 percent above the December 2008 low point but remains 15 percent below the early 2008 peak,” IATA said.
(Photo: TGIGreeny/Flickr Creative Commons)
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