Wednesday, February 3, 2010

This Week's LVW Col: The Art of Provoking

My columns are frequently inspired by readers and listeners. You'll write, "Hey, check this out," and I do. This time around, though, my reaction was the exact opposite of the reader who wanted me to take notice. Hopefully that's OK, too. Keep the thoughts coming, anyhow. Here's this week's piece. -Steve

The art of provoking
The LED installation at Aria is the best evidence that CityCenter dares to be different

By STEVE FRIESS

Image

"It's important to stay clean on all levels."

"Overeating should be criminal."
"If you live simply, there is nothing to worry about."

Quite a set of adages, no? The sort of thing a priest might use for the basis of his Sunday sermon or that attendees at a recovery meeting might utter.

But no. These and some 200 other truisms greet visitors retrieving their vehicles from the subterranean valet car pick-up at Las Vegas' newest, most expensive hotel-casino, Aria at CityCenter. On purpose. Paid for by ... Las Vegas' newest, most expensive hotel-casino, Aria at CityCenter!

That's a long, long way from "What Happens Here, Stays Here," huh?

Oh, and I love it. I just can't figure out for the life of me where MGM Mirage got the guts to do it.

Read the rest at LasVegasWeekly.Com

Photo by Steve Marcus

6 comments:

Josh said...

My only real problem with it (other than the banality of most of the messages) is that the art is forced upon a captive audience. It can take a long time for valets to retrieve your car, and you cannot escape the scrolling, migraine-generating display. Come to think of it, the only people who will see this art will be people who want to depart as soon as possible, but instead must wait.

Anonymous said...

Fantastic piece, Steve. Kudos.

Jessica K. said...

Josh - really? i find it really pretty. It's the coolest looking LED i've ever seen. i love it.

Michael said...

Enjoyed the article Steve, in my opinion, this is just another sign that Murren doesn't get it, when it comes to the company he's running.

And for those that think that's a prediction of doom for MGM it's not, plenty of companies that maintain their market presence without good leadership, the malpractice is that they aren't able to gain much market share or position themselves for the future.

Anonymous said...

Gotta admit I am with Josh on this. On top of it all, a trip to Vegas is about getting away from things, to relax, enjoy, smile, indulge. Yes, picture art is enjoyable and can be very uplifting especially with good explanations of the period, method, etc., but this isn't that. It seems purposely provocative and that's not a vacation.

SG

Anonymous said...

Is it now daring to say some "conservative" truths? Society is so politically correct that people don't dare to be honest. It's really ridiculous that to be daring, one must come full circle. Quite ironic that it has happened in a Sin City casino.

What next? Bible tracts in a girly show?

Whatever.

Anyways, if you're on vacation, it's unlikely people will read so the surprise will remain a secret. It can dismissed along with the quarters tossed into the slot machines where money and platitudes are flushed away.