Vdara ‘death ray’ captures imagination of world’s media

On warm days, Vdara’s glass-sheathed curve focuses the sun into an intense beam capable of melting plastic and burning skin.

MGM Resorts is examining the CityCenter hotel’s architectural flaw. Company executives call what it causes a “solar convergence phenomenon.”

The news media, however, prefer “death ray” — the term used by hotel employees — conjuring 1950s sci-fi and hysterical masses running for their lives. Death Ray ... Las Vegas ... It has proved too tempting for the world’s media. And the media can resist anything but temptation.

News organizations by the scores and across the spectrum have weighed in since the R-J first reported the story last week — from USA Today to travel bloggers to the Weekly World News, the news-parody tabloid that gave the world Bat Boy. You could say the media have focused on the Vdara story like a, well, you know.

io9.com

When architecture attacks: The Las Vegas death ray

ABC News

Forget sunscreen. At one Las Vegas pool, you might want to consider full-body armor to protect you from the sun’s powerful rays.

USA Today

Talk about a hunka, hunka burning solar love. This is one of the most bizarre hotel stories ever.

switched.com

While the (Vdara) pool area might be an unwise place to try and tan or relax, it might be a perfect place to set up a few solar panels.

The Register

Poolside guests at a newly opened Las Vegas hotel have been enjoying the complex’s quick-tan facility — a solar “death ray” with the power to burn flesh and melt plastic.

LAist.com

Vdara Hotel “death ray” not even in the Top 10 worst things that can happen to you in Las Vegas.

Weekly World News

There are rumors that the death rays are merely sun rays that are being reflected off the glass of the Vdara Hotel, but WWN has learned the truth from our FBI sources: Aliens are attacking Las Vegas.