Industry Noize: Harmon Demo Begins

Officials at MGM Resorts International said June 20 that workers starting removing scrap metal and other materials from inside the Harmon tower after a judge issued a May 5 order allowing the process to go forward.

A street-level sidewalk is closed, but pedestrian bridges nearby will remain open to allow pedestrian traffic during the dismantling, according to MGM, which is still locked in a dispute with builder Tutor Perini Building over who is liable for the defects.

The Harmon was designed as a 48-story tower amid the 48.5 billion CityCenter complex that opened in 2009. But construction stopped in 2008 after inspectors found design flaws in the concrete structure.

It has stood empty at 26 stories since. CityCenter attorneys have argued that the unsound building is a safety hazard and should be taken down as soon as possible. They say the tower could collapse in a strong earthquake – considered 50 percent likely over the next 30 years.

Attorneys for Tutor Perini argued unsuccessfully that the structure should stay up to serve as evidence in MGM’s lawsuit.

They said that if CityCenter was so concerned about safety, it would have done more to earthquake-proof the empty building. A trial is set for September to determine who is liable for the defects.

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