CLOSE IN RWY CHANGE FOR LNDG AT LAS RESULTS IN GAR DUE TO LOSS OF VISUAL CONTACT WITH RWY 19.

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OUR CITATION 650 WAS BEING VECTORED TO A VISUAL APCH AT LAS. THE FO WAS FLYING THE ACFT OCCUPYING THE L SEAT AS PER COMPANY SOP. THE CAPT OCCUPIED THE R SEAT. INITIALLY THE FLT WAS TOLD TO EXPECT RWY 25. THE CREW BRIEFED FOR RWY 25 AND SET UP THE APPROPRIATE NAVAIDS FOR THE ILS. ATC THEN CHANGED THE RWY TO RWY 19R AND THE FLT WAS TOLD TO EXPECT THE VISUAL APCH. THE FLT WAS ASKED TO RPT 'THE SPACE NEEDLE' IN SIGHT. THE CAPT WAS FAMILIAR WITH 18 YRS WITH THE ACR. THE FO WAS NOT FAMILIAR AND DID NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND 'THE SPACE NEEDLE.' THE CAPT PLACED THE HDG BUG ON HDG TO 'THE NEEDLE.' FO FINALLY SAW THE SPACE NEEDLE AND FLEW TO IT. THE CAPT THEN ASKED THE FO IF HE HAD RWY 19R IN SIGHT. HE STATED HE DID NOT. THE CAPT THEN ATTEMPTED TO PROVIDE VISUAL CUES AND PROMPTS TO THE RWY. THE FO STILL SAID HE DID NOT HAVE RWY 19R IN SIGHT. IT SHOULD BE NOTED RWY 19R WAS DIMLY LIT AND SAT AMONG A SEA OF LAS VEGAS LIGHTS. ATC ADVISED 'MAINTAIN 3500 FT UNTIL ABEAM THE NEEDLE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL.' BY NOW THE FO APPEARED TO HAVE THE RWY BUT HAD NOT BEGUN A DSCNT. THE CAPT CONTINUED TO ASSIST THE FO AND HE THEN RPTED HE 'HAS LOST THE RWY.' ADVISING ATC OF THIS; THE FLT WAS TOLD TO MAINTAIN 5000 FT AND RE-VECTORED TO THE FINAL. THE FO WAS STILL UNCERTAIN OF THE RWY XFERRED CTL TO THE CAPT WHO LANDED THE ACFT. RECOMMENDATIONS: ALTHOUGH OUR CARRIER OPERATES IN/OUT OF LAS ON A REGULAR BASIS AND LAS SITS IN A SEA OF LIGHTS; IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE 'THE SPACE NEEDLE' AT NIGHT. PERHAPS A MORE DEFINED FIX MIGHT BE IN ORDER. THE FLT HAD BEEN BRIEFED TO EXPECT RWY 25 AND THEN CLOSE IN IT QUICKLY CHANGED TO RWY 19R. THE CREW WAS BRIEFED AND PREPARED FOR RWY 25. SO MANY TIMES WHEN THIS HAPPENS; THE ACFT IS CLOSE TO THE CHANGED RWY; WORKLOAD IS HIGH AND ERRORS OCCUR. PERHAPS CTLRS COULD GIVE THE ACFT THE OPTION IF AVAILABLE IN A MORE TIMELY MANNER. WITH LAS SITTING IN A SEA OF LIGHTS PERHAPS A STUDY ON NIGHT OPS IN A BRIGHTLY LIT AREA WITH A DIMLY LIT AIRFIELD MAY BE IN ORDER AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THAT STUDY PUBLISHED TO IMPROVE OPERATIONAL TECHNIQUES.