  We investigate the asymptotic symmetry algebra of (2+1)-dimensional higher
spin, anti-de Sitter gravity. We use the formulation of the theory as a
Chern-Simons gauge theory based on the higher spin algebra hs(1,1). Expanding
the gauge connection around asymptotically anti-de Sitter spacetime, we specify
consistent boundary conditions on the higher spin gauge fields. We then study
residual gauge transformation, the corresponding surface terms and their
Poisson bracket algebra. We find that the asymptotic symmetry algebra is a
nonlinearly deformed W(infinity) algebra with classical central charges. We
discuss implications of our results to quantum gravity and to various
situations in string theory.
