Cost of Expansion

Sun, Mar 30, 2008 (2 a.m.)

In the shadows of the cranes, steel, and concrete upon which Las Vegas has pinned its addiction to growth, a body count has emerged. Nine construction workers have died in the last 16 months at Strip construction sites.

For family members featured in this video, the light response from government authorities has compounded the mourning process.

"It feels like they rendered my brother's life valueless," said Monique Cole, whose brother died last year at CityCenter.

Others wonder: Is safety sacrificed in the rush to build?

CityCenter developer MGM Mirage says no.

"We're very concerned about safety in everything we do, whether it's a room remodel or something as enormous and complex as CityCenter," MGM Mirage spokesman Alan Feldman said. "For the number of people on the site and the amount of activity going on, we can be very proud of the fact that we have a very safe environment in which to work."

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