Murren: Reid efforts saved CityCenter

MGM Mirage Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jim Murren said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wasn’t the only elected official he asked to help save the $8.5 billion CityCenter when the project faced bankruptcy in April.

In an interview with the Review-Journal last month, Murren said he reached out to Nevada’s congressional delegation to call banks and lending institutions in an effort to find the last $1.2 billion of financing needed to keep the project from shutting down.

“Obviously nobody carries the weight that Harry Reid does from a standpoint of being able to gain access to the most senior people that needed to know what was going on,” Murren said. “I asked him (to help). I spent a lot of time with Sen. Reid on phone during our crisis period. He would call me frequently as to how we were doing. What if there was anything he could to help.”

Since October, Murren has been on television in a Reid re-election advertisement, explaining the senator’s efforts.

“I’m extremely appreciative for what he did,” Murren said. “I was asked if I would participate. I’ve always supported Harry. I’m part of the Republicans for Reid anyway. But I was asked to participate in the ad. I was honored to do it.”