When Aria Resort and Casino opened in December 2009, it was the centerpiece of the CityCenter complex and the most technologically sophisticated resort in Las Vegas. MGM Resorts and Dubai World built Aria as a showcase of what resort technology could be: the guest rooms are controlled by a touch-screen panel that manages the lights, blinds, temperature, television, and wake-up call simultaneously; the building's systems automatically adjust to the time of day, the season, and the occupancy of each room. When a guest checks out, the room resets itself.
The casino floor itself is a departure from Las Vegas tradition. Most casinos suppress natural light and remove clocks to disorient gamblers and extend their play sessions. Aria introduced floor-to-ceiling windows that allow daylight into the casino and make the passage of time visible. The decision reflected a generational shift in the resort's target demographic: younger gamblers, market research suggested, were uncomfortable with the sensory manipulation tactics of the old casinos and responded better to transparency and control.
Aria's opening in the depths of the financial crisis was a calculated bet on Las Vegas's resilience. The bet paid off slowly. By the time the global economy recovered, Aria was established as one of the premier properties on the Strip and had helped demonstrate that CityCenter, despite its traumatic development history, was a genuine addition to the Las Vegas resort landscape.