It's no secret around Las Vegas that City Center is on everyone's minds. MGM Mirage will unveil Project City Center this month and one of the towers that has a casino and sports book is called "Aria". The reason why I'm writing this article about this new casino in the desert is that this sports book is one of a kind. Granted, it's small and looks nothing like the MGM, Mirage, the old Stardust, or Las Vegas Hilton. But this does have all of the new bells and whistles that I'm sure all books would love to have. A contact of mine sent me this fact sheet about the new Aria sports book in town so I thought I would share it.

Facts and Figures:      

*10,156 square feet, non-smoking (as of right now)

*100 chairs; additional seating on sofas and couches located in the back of the Book

*Twenty (20) ITPs (Interactive Player Terminals) providing only Race Book guests the opportunity to place pari-mutuel wagers from the comfort of their seat. (Most sports books have around 10 or less)

*A total of 90 monitors are located throughout the Race & Sports book including the Skybox Sports Bar & Grill

*TV monitors range in sizes from 32" to 103" and offer guests multiple-game viewing (all TV's are HD and can be split into picture-in-picture screens)

*Two (2) 9' x 16' big screens with the potential of dividing the screens into eight (8) individual picture-in-picture screens

*Two self-betting kiosks accepting Race & Sports wagers; open 24 hours

*Nine (9) betting windows including a VIP high-limit line

*Race & Sports Book has the ability to show up to 360 different feeds from events worldwide. (This is correct, and I heard through the grapevine that the book have over 50 DirecTv feeds)

*Cell phone service allowed inside the Race & Sports Book; prohibited while in line preparing to place a wager or while at the counter.

*Complimentary drinks offered to guests who have placed a wager. (No drink tickets)

Skybox Sports Bar and Grill - SKYBOX is a 180-seat, fully integrated bar, grill and "to go" area located adjacent to the Race & Sports Book.  Avid sports fans can nibble on a modern approach to American classics and the "best of the best" neighborhood bar items while cheering on their favorite teams and catching every exciting sports moment.  SKYBOX will cater to those looking for a late night craving as well as those looking for an early morning breakfast or mid-day business lunch while enjoying the Race & Sports Book surroundings. (A lower version of the ESPNZone)

The SKYBOX To Go take-out counter surely will fill the needs of every player and spectator wishing for a quick meal.  The full service bar is located near the escalators leading to the Promenade Level for those wishing to grab a quick drink.

Bets offered:   Guests can place bets on the following sporting events: NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL, NCAA Basketball, NCAA Football, NCAA Baseball, Motorsports (including NASCAR, Indy Racing, and Motorcross), Tennis, Golf, Soccer, Boxing, Arena Football, UFC and Rodeo.

Horse and Harness Racing (pari-mutuel); Dog Racing both pari-mutuel and non-pari-mutuel at selected tracks

Wagers: Minimum - $5; Maximum - Limits vary for each sporting event.  There are a number of events where bets must be approved by management.