By David Tyda

Las Vegas is a lot of things. One thing it’s not, is stagnant. Known as America’s Playground and the Entertainment Capital of the World among other things, this dynamic city changes at a constant rate, getting bigger, better and savvier. Case in point: the debut of The Signature at MGM Grand.

Offering a taste of high-rise living – with perks like Starbucks on the ground level, unparalleled views from the upper floors and well-planned effcient spaces throughout – The Signature’s three, gleaming 40-story towers with 576 suites in each and thousands of square feet of meeting space between them deliver a refined and sophisticated experience.

From the clean, modern lines of Tower 1 to the spa-like Zen of Tower 3, this casino- and smoke-free environment is more like home than hotel. “Guests are responding,” says Frédéric Luvisutto, Vice President of The Signature. “They love being in a non-smoking environment. Couple that with the lack of casino noise, and this becomes a very quiet, peaceful retreat.”

The smallest room – a junior – isn’t junior at all. At 550 square feet, this space feels more like a weekend pied-à-terre thanks to a sleek, shoji-screenlike room divider between the bed and seating area. Junior rooms are equipped with a kitchenette while the one- and two-bedroom suites offer full kitchens. In these larger layouts, kitchens are outfitted with top-of-theline appliances such as Sub-Zero, Miele, Cuisinart®, and Bosch. Within the cabinets and drawers, guests will find china, stemware, silverware, and cookware, should the desire to cook arise. But we’re betting it won’t.

“The in-suite dining menu is elaborate,” says Luvisutto. “We set up your meal like a full restaurant experience in your suite.” And how could you pass up a meal from Uday Huja, the former Executive Chef of The Mansion, MGM Grand’s enclave of luxury villas? “I was excited we stole him to do this menu,” Luvisutto jokes.

One- and two-bedroom suites have completely separate sitting areas. These layouts – topping out with the 1,500-square-foot, two bedroom – feature two balconies compared to the single balcony in junior rooms.

The larger suites are perfect for business people who need space for light entertaining. Order a catered meal and show a presentation on the ultra-thin, flat-screen, HD television with CD/DVD player or plug your iPod into the iHome docking station for a little background music.

According to Luvisutto, The Signature attracts every type of traveler, but the business clientele is particularly drawn to the distraction-free environment. After all, you don’t want your sales reps wandering off to the roulette wheel in the middle of the day, do you?

But you are in Las Vegas after all, and there will be a time when you’re ready for some action. When that time comes, all of the MGM Grand amenities are literally a walkway away. Dine at the award-winning restaurants, have a few cocktails at any of the sleek lounges or clubs, catch a show at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, and when you’ve had as much fun as you can handle, recharge at the Grand Spa.

And then it’s back to business. Meeting spaces in Towers 2 and 3 can accommodate groups of up to 130 and have direct access to outdoor terrace spaces. Tower 3 features a 16-person boardroom and groups can book adjacent banks of rooms or entire 16-suite floors. Events for up to 700 people can even be staged around each of The Signature’s three pools.

“The pools at Towers 2 and 3 are double the size of Tower 1,” says Luvisutto, “and there’s an extensive poolside menu. Guests have been raving about delights, the delicatessen in Tower 2.” Luvisutto’s favorite dish is any thin-crust personal pizza, “but guests love the French Toast Panini,” he says. “Also, we make our own gelato in-house.” Of course, should you feel guilty after the pepperoni pizza or the dessert, there are massive fitness centers in Towers 1 and 3.

Luvisutto says, “We are in the business of creating three-day weekends, not a place to live.” But if you’re at The Signature for a three-day weekend, it feels like a place in which you might demand to live. Trust me, I know.

For more information on The Signature, call 877-880-0880 or visit mgmgrand.com.