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Visitors disrespect and even damage art in our hotels
Wed, Jan 5, 2011 (3:53 p.m.)
Well-heeled: Even in a casino, the art is not made for touching.
Photo: Justin M. Bowen
Las Vegas pitches itself as this increasingly sophisticated, yet still inebriated good time, a getaway for gawking tourists unleashing wild behavior during a four-day junket that includes drink coupons and exposure to contemporary art. But it seems that the blend of art and recklessness has yet to settle in. Maybe we just can’t have nice things.
Just take a gander at what is and isn’t on the floor of the newly christened Cosmopolitan. Objects d’art on display opening week were removed shortly after for repair. The Roark Gourley high-gloss 9-foot stiletto shoes on the second-floor promenade are nicked and chipped, possibly by photo-snapping tourists lost in a Disneyland moment, some of whom crawled into the insole for a more enveloping big-shoe experience.
The Gourley sculptures, set in a wide corridor, are now surrounded by a new decorative rope. But that hasn’t stopped tourists from throwing themselves onto the works. While the three-dimensional works—including a sculpture of multiple hands that lost some of its fingers thanks to overeager visitors—remain vulnerable, the two-dimensional works seem unharmed. Chris Burns, director of content and entertainment curation at the Cosmopolitan, says management is looking at ways to make the pieces more user-friendly.
Speaking of art on the Strip: We’re still wondering what happened to that Julian Schnabel suite of Christopher Walken photographs outside the Deuce bar at Aria. A bouncer reportedly told guests that one of the photographs was damaged by a reveler and removed, but an Aria publicist has not responded to requests for comment.
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas dares to be different. From the hotel’s red reservations desks to fine art found throughout the resort, The Cosmopolitan’s signature style is helping to pave its own path on the Las Vegas Strip.
Upon entering the resort, you’re greeted by pillars of video boards playing video art by Digital Kitchen and David Rockwell Studio exclusively produced for The Cosmopolitan. Just beyond that, you’ll find all your favorite casino games on the resort’s 100,000-square-foot casino floor.
The Cosmopolitan’s rooms standout as the resort’s most unique feature. About 2,220 of The Cosmopolitan’s 2,995 rooms have 6-foot deep terraces that span the length of the room, a first at a modern Strip hotel. Other in-room amenities include soaking tubs, kitchenettes and quirky accessories like artsy coffee table books.
The dining experience at The Cosmopolitan isn’t something you’ll find at other Strip resorts, either. All of The Cosmopolitan’s 13 restaurateurs are new to the Las Vegas market. You’ll find American steakhouse fare in a modern setting at STK, top-notch sushi at Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill and the freshest fish flown in from the Mediterranean daily at Estiatorio Milos.
Whether the sun is up or down, Marquee Nightclub & Dayclub is the place to find the party at The Cosmopolitan. The venue is a dayclub/nightclub, complete with a pool and cabanas outside and three different rooms with three different vibes inside.
If nightclubs aren’t your thing, you can grab a drink at one of The Cosmopolitan’s five other bars, like The Chandelier, which is encased in 2 million dripping crystals.
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