The hearing over what to do with the unfinished Harmon Hotel began earlier this week with a legal nod toward Las Vegas' penchant for spectacular implosions.
Attorneys for a couple of the contractors on the project in the CityCenter complex argued for letting it stand at least until a broader trial over construction defects and determining financial responsibility begins in February. Anything less would make a fair hearing impossible, they said.
"If this building (Harmon) falls, it will travel around the world," said Jeffery Garofalo, representing Ceco Concrete Construction, referring to the expected news coverage. "It may poison the jury pool and be highly prejudicial" because so many people would associate the Harmon with horrible contractor performance.
But MGM Resorts International Inc., the half-owner and developer of the $8.5 billion CityCenter, argued public safety must come first. Nearly a year ago, the Clark County Building Division raised concerns that numerous building code defects could cause the 26-floor building to collapse in an earthquake. Last August, a CityCenter study concluded that demolition made more sense than repair.
"We're here in this courtroom today, about four years after the first safety-threatening violations were discovered," CityCenter attorney Steve Morris said. "Since then, nothing has been done."
Contractors have scheduled their own expert witnesses, who are expected to say computer modeling that prompted earthquake concerns was riddled with flaws. Perini Building Co. Inc., the general contractor, has offered in the past to repair the Harmon as the best solution. The hearing is expected to continue through Thursday.
Contractors want to preserve the Harmon as possibly the world's largest trial exhibit so they can conduct physical tests to rebut allegations of pervasive shoddy workmanship. CityCenter has so far provided raw data about mistakes, but not a final list that would explain the problems. Until then, the contractors say, they don't know exactly which tests to conduct.
The court-imposed deadline for what is called destructive testing, where small sections of the building are demolished to view the underlying work, has already passed. Morris contended that the contractors already had ample opportunity to gather any evidence they needed.
Morris also tried to dispel the idea that MGM Resorts had used its political muscle to prod the county into taking its side.
"There aren't any secrets here," he said. "There aren't any smoke-filled back rooms where conspiracies are being developed."
He said that the demolition bill would run about $30 million. Nearly $280 million was spent on the Harmon's never-finished construction.
The larger issue underlying the sprawling case, which brought more than two dozen attorneys to the courtroom of Clark County District Court Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez, involves whether Perini should be paid its approximately $500 million fee or whether CityCenter is owed damages for a job poorly done.
The testimony began with CityCenter consulting engineer Chukwuma Ekwueme methodically showing photo after photo of parts of the Harmon, where he and his team had chipped away the concrete pillars and beams to examine the steel reinforcing bars inside. Through dozens of examples, he pointed out construction errors such as missing or poorly spaced bars, which could contribute to structural failure.
His work involved taking more than 10,000 photographs and writing out 1,000 pages of field notes, he said. BD+C
Related Stories
University Buildings | Dec 5, 2022
Florida Polytechnic University unveils its Applied Research Center, furthering its mission to provide STEM education
In Lakeland, Fla., located between Orlando and Tampa, Florida Polytechnic University unveiled its new Applied Research Center (ARC). Designed by HOK and built by Skanska, the 90,000-sf academic building houses research and teaching laboratories, student design spaces, conference rooms, and faculty offices—furthering the school’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) mission.
Mass Timber | Dec 1, 2022
Cross laminated timber market forecast to more than triple by end of decade
Cross laminated timber (CLT) is gaining acceptance as an eco-friendly building material, a trend that will propel its growth through the end of the 2020s. The CLT market is projected to more than triple from $1.11 billion in 2021 to $3.72 billion by 2030, according to a report from Polaris Market Research.
Giants 400 | Dec 1, 2022
Top 50 Parking Structure Architecture + AE Firms for 2022
Choate Parking Consultants, Gensler, Clark Nexsen, and Solomon Cordwell Buenz top the ranking of the nation's largest parking structure architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2022, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report.
Education Facilities | Nov 30, 2022
10 ways to achieve therapeutic learning environments
Today’s school should be much more than a place to learn—it should be a nurturing setting that celebrates achievements and responds to the challenges of many different users.
75 Top Building Products | Nov 30, 2022
75 top building products for 2022
Each year, the Building Design+Construction editorial team evaluates the vast universe of new and updated products, materials, and systems for the U.S. building design and construction market. The best-of-the-best products make up our annual 75 Top Products report.
K-12 Schools | Nov 30, 2022
School districts are prioritizing federal funds for air filtration, HVAC upgrades
U.S. school districts are widely planning to use funds from last year’s American Rescue Plan (ARP) to upgrade or improve air filtration and heating/cooling systems, according to a report from the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council. The report, “School Facilities Funding in the Pandemic,” says air filtration and HVAC upgrades are the top facility improvement choice for the 5,004 school districts included in the analysis.
Architects | Nov 29, 2022
Three decades and counting, Tinkelman Architecture has helped reshape New York’s Hudson Valley
The full-service firm has designed more than 100 projects in this region, including several multifamily buildings currently in the works
Retail Centers | Nov 29, 2022
'Social' tenants play a vital role in the health of the retail center market
After a long Covid-induced period when the public avoided large gatherings, owners of malls and retail lifestyle centers are increasingly focused on attracting tenants that provide opportunities for socialization. Pent-up demand for experiences involving gatherings of people is fueling renovations and redesigns of large retail developments.
Giants 400 | Nov 28, 2022
Top 200 Office Sector Architecture and AE Firms for 2022
Gensler, Perkins and Will, Stantec, and HOK top the ranking of the nation's largest office sector architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2022, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report.
Legislation | Nov 23, 2022
7 ways the Inflation Reduction Act will impact the building sector
HOK’s Anica Landreneau and Stephanie Miller and Smart Surfaces Coalition’s Greg Kats reveal multiple ways the IRA will benefit the built environment.