Hearing about demolishing Harmon Hotel to resume in July

The expanding range of legal issues attached to the proposed demolition of the Harmon Hotel added nearly two months to the hearing schedule in just one day.

As the first round of testimony concluded on Thursday, resumption of the case was set for the entire week of July 9. Just the day before, when it became apparent the four days set aside this week would not be enough, April 18 had been picked to reconvene.

The main reason for extended time was to line up witnesses and conduct the preliminary legal groundwork on extrapolation, which Clark County District Court Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez asked attorneys to incorporate into their positions. In the past, the Nevada Supreme Court has ruled that a sampling of problems, in this case construction defects at the Harmon, can be used as the base for calculating a number for the whole property without detailing each instance.

As a result, the hearing's next round will feature testimony from and cross examination of statisticians. The past week was dominated by engineers.

In addition, Steve Schiller will retake the witness stand in July for a grilling by attorneys for CityCenter, the $8.5 billion development that contains the Harmon, over his $2 million plan to temporarily shore up the unfinished hotel. CityCenter, developed and half-owned by MGM Resorts International Inc., has alleged that the Harmon has so many construction defects it would collapse in a serious earthquake. For that reason, CityCenter wants to implode the 26-story Harmon.

General contractor Perini Building Co. Inc., which retained Schiller, the president of the engineering firm John A. Martin & Associates of Nevada, has countered that the Harmon could be made safe for the short term.

On Thursday Schiller ticked off a long list of permanent repairs, such as wrapping beams with carbon fiber sheets and making some walls less stiff. He said that would bring the Harmon in compliance with all building codes.

The lengthening time to finish the case increases the possibility that one of the principal issues will become irrelevant. Perini and several other contractors have argued that keeping the building is essential to their case, not only as evidence but an exhibit for a jury.

The trial covering the larger half-billion dispute between CityCenter and the contractors, in which the Harmon plays a central role, is scheduled in February.

CityCenter maintains all necessary evidence can be collected well before the trial, allowing removal of a safety hazard.