Las Vegas Hotel 'Death Ray' Burning Guests

(CANVAS STAFF REPORTS) - A new hotel on the Las Vegas strip is so hot that it is burning guests.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that the south-facing tower of the curving Vdara Hotel at CityCenter is reflecting the sun's rays and directing them at the pool area, melting plastic and causing hot areas. Hotel pool employees are calling it the "Vdara death ray."

A spokesman for Vdara owner MGM Resorts International is using the term "hot spot" or "solar convergence" and said designers are working with staff to find solutions.

Solar convergence is when the sun's heat is amplified off a curved building and creates areas of increased heat. The heat at the hotel pool was strong enough that the metal parts of some chairs were too hot to touch, AOL News found on a visit Monday.

Chicago attorney Bill Pintas, who owns a condo in the $8.5 billion, six-skyscraper development, which opened in December, told the news site that he experienced the intense heat after returning to his chair after a swim.

"Within 30 seconds, the back of my legs and back were burning, he said. My first thought was, 'They destroyed the ozone layer!"

ABC News reported that the heat has also melted plastic.

The Review-Journal said designers had worried about such an issue and tried to solve it by using a high-tech film on the south-facing glass panes. MGM spokesman Gordon Absher said more than 70 percent of the sun's reflected rays are scattered but acknowledged that is not enough.

Pintas, a personal injury attorney, told AOL News that he believes there is a liability issue.

"It's just a matter of time before someone's going to be very badly hurt," he said.

Absher said other Las Vegas resorts with glass facades have had similar problems.