The iconic Mirage hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip will vanish this summer finally closing its doors after 35 years, marking the end of an era for a property credited with helping transform Sin City into an ultra-luxury resort destination.
The megaresort will close on July 17 to undergo major renovations and construction on the 80-acre property, which is to reopen in May 2027 strumming a new tune on The Strip as the Hard Rock Las Vegas.
The new hotel will feature a tower in the shape of back-to-back guitars with 'brightly lit strings', soaring nearly 700 feet above the heart of The Strip.
When The Mirage first opened, it was the first ultra-luxury hotels open in Las Vegas with a focus on a theme and with a greater emphasis on entertainment and dining that generated revenue beyond the casino floor.
The Mirage hotel-online slot casino in Las Vegas will close on July 17 for major renovations
Hard Rock International is set to transform the Las Vegas Strip with the construction of a giant electric guitar-shaped hotel, shown here in a rendering
'We'd like to thank the Las Vegas community and team members for warmly welcoming Hard Rock after enjoying 34 years at The Mirage,' Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International, said in a statement announcing the closure.
'We really are encouraged about not only the future of Las Vegas, but how Hard Rock and Seminole Tribe can play a role in helping to develop that and grow the market,' Resort President Joe Lupo said to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
'But today is a tough day for a lot of people. Our priority is the well being of those individuals.'
It will be the second time this year that a casino on the Strip shutters.
The Tropicana Las Vegas closed in April after 67 years to make room for a $1.5 billion baseball stadium planned as the future home of the relocating Oakland A's.
Developed by former casino mogul Steve Wynn, The Mirage opened with a Polynesian theme as the Strip's first megaresort in November 1989, spurring a building boom on the famous boulevard through the 1990s.
Its volcano fountain was one of the first sidewalk attractions, predating the Venetian's canals and the Bellagio's dancing fountains.
In a controversial move, the volcano will be demolished as part of the new development despite 11,000 people signing a petition to save it.
The Mirage's vanishing act will make way for Hard Rock's rock star residency in Vegas. Pictured above, a similarly themed hotel in Hollywood, Florida
Developed by former casino mogul Steve Wynn, The Mirage opened with a Polynesian theme as the Strip's first megaresort in November 1989
The closure of The Mirage marks the end of an era for Last Vegas. Its iconic volcano fountain was among Las Vegas's first strip-side attractions and will now be demolished
People watch the Volcano show at the Mirage hotel-casino along the Las Vegas Strip
Elaine Wynn, who was married to Steve Wynn when the hotel opened said her husband had a unique vision for the iconic property.
'I remember, initially, when Steve was designing it, he wanted to have The Mirage kind of front-up, right onto the Strip. And I said, "If you bring it close to the Strip, people aren't going to appreciate the towers"', Wynn said.
'We wondered, what is going to be the thing that separates the sidewalk from the porte cochere? It was purely Steve's vision, "the volcano!", He said, "Let's do a volcano that sets off fire in the sky!"'
For those checking into the hotel, a 50-foot-long aquarium of exotic fish could be seen swimming behind the front desk - mesmerizing guests.
'We always thought when people checked into these places, and they had to wait in line, how tough it would be for them to be patient to have to just stand there,' Wynn said.
'But when we put in the fish tank, it was like they were mesmerized. They did not mind standing there and waiting because they were so busy observing all the beautiful tropical fish.
'The Mirage was a wonderful experiment that set the tone for how we did projects, and how we moved on from there … It was like we were, for the first time, creating the coloring book for a megaresort.'
The hotel played host to illusionists Siegfried and Roy who debuted their show at the hotel
The entertainment giants are wearing their extravagant show costumes in 1993
The hotel ushered in an era of Las Vegas megaresorts in the '90s
The property is credited with helping transform Vegas from a gambling hub into an ultra-luxury resort destination with broader appeal.
It was known as a venue where tourists could see Siegfried & Roy taming white tigers or a Cirque du Soleil act set to a Beatles soundtrack.
The final curtain on the Beatles-themed show, which brought Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr back together for public appearances throughout its 18-year run, also comes down in July.
It's the same theater formerly used by Siegfried & Roy. It will also be torn down during the renovation. The 1,300-seat Mirage Theater will remain intact.
In 2022, the hotel's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat closed.
Hard Rock International said that more than 3,000 employees will be laid off and it expects to pay out $80 million in severance.
Staff will also have an opportunity to move to other hotels including at the Seminole Hard Rock in Florida or at two hotels in Virginia, Cincinnati and Northern Indiana.
'We expect many great opportunities, in Las Vegas and at the Hard Rocks, to present to employees,' Lupo explained.
The Culinary Workers Union, which has represented about 1,700 employees at the Mirage since it opened, said in a statement that the contract it won last year ensures laid-off workers will get $2,000 for each year of service, plus pension and health benefits for six months.
The contract also gives them the option of being called back to work and maintaining their seniority when the hotel reopens.
'Culinary Union will continue to ensure workers are protected and centered in the property's future,' the statement said.
The addition of the new Hard Rock International hotel isn't the only change afoot on in Vegas - the famed Tropicana Las Vegas, pictured, closed in April after 67 years
The Tropicana, an iconic Las Vegas Strip establishment built in 1957, will be demolished to make way for a new baseball stadium for the Oakland Athletics. Above, as seen in 1958
The A's will now begin construction on their new ballpark at the Tropicana site in Las Vegas. Pictured: A rendering of what the baseball stadium will look like
The Mirage became the first Strip property to be run by a Native American tribe in 2022, after Hard Rock International, which is owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, purchased it from MGM Resorts in a cash deal worth more than $1 billion.
Hard Rock said at the time that the property would remain open and operate under the Mirage brand for several years while it finalized renovation plans.
The Tribe said that the new hotel will be 'iconic', adding that the 'City of Lights just got brighter'.
The new hotel will include 25 restaurants (five at the new hotel tower near the Strip) and a 5,000-seat theater.
The Mirage is accepting no bookings for after July 14 and said any reservations past that date will be canceled and refunded.
Mariah CareyThe BeatlesLas Vegas
The megaresort will close on July 17 to undergo major renovations and construction on the 80-acre property, which is to reopen in May 2027 strumming a new tune on The Strip as the Hard Rock Las Vegas.
The new hotel will feature a tower in the shape of back-to-back guitars with 'brightly lit strings', soaring nearly 700 feet above the heart of The Strip.
When The Mirage first opened, it was the first ultra-luxury hotels open in Las Vegas with a focus on a theme and with a greater emphasis on entertainment and dining that generated revenue beyond the casino floor.
The Mirage hotel-online slot casino in Las Vegas will close on July 17 for major renovations
Hard Rock International is set to transform the Las Vegas Strip with the construction of a giant electric guitar-shaped hotel, shown here in a rendering
'We'd like to thank the Las Vegas community and team members for warmly welcoming Hard Rock after enjoying 34 years at The Mirage,' Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International, said in a statement announcing the closure.
'We really are encouraged about not only the future of Las Vegas, but how Hard Rock and Seminole Tribe can play a role in helping to develop that and grow the market,' Resort President Joe Lupo said to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
'But today is a tough day for a lot of people. Our priority is the well being of those individuals.'
It will be the second time this year that a casino on the Strip shutters.
The Tropicana Las Vegas closed in April after 67 years to make room for a $1.5 billion baseball stadium planned as the future home of the relocating Oakland A's.
Developed by former casino mogul Steve Wynn, The Mirage opened with a Polynesian theme as the Strip's first megaresort in November 1989, spurring a building boom on the famous boulevard through the 1990s.
Its volcano fountain was one of the first sidewalk attractions, predating the Venetian's canals and the Bellagio's dancing fountains.
In a controversial move, the volcano will be demolished as part of the new development despite 11,000 people signing a petition to save it.
The Mirage's vanishing act will make way for Hard Rock's rock star residency in Vegas. Pictured above, a similarly themed hotel in Hollywood, Florida
Developed by former casino mogul Steve Wynn, The Mirage opened with a Polynesian theme as the Strip's first megaresort in November 1989
The closure of The Mirage marks the end of an era for Last Vegas. Its iconic volcano fountain was among Las Vegas's first strip-side attractions and will now be demolished
People watch the Volcano show at the Mirage hotel-casino along the Las Vegas Strip
Elaine Wynn, who was married to Steve Wynn when the hotel opened said her husband had a unique vision for the iconic property.
'I remember, initially, when Steve was designing it, he wanted to have The Mirage kind of front-up, right onto the Strip. And I said, "If you bring it close to the Strip, people aren't going to appreciate the towers"', Wynn said.
'We wondered, what is going to be the thing that separates the sidewalk from the porte cochere? It was purely Steve's vision, "the volcano!", He said, "Let's do a volcano that sets off fire in the sky!"'
For those checking into the hotel, a 50-foot-long aquarium of exotic fish could be seen swimming behind the front desk - mesmerizing guests.
'We always thought when people checked into these places, and they had to wait in line, how tough it would be for them to be patient to have to just stand there,' Wynn said.
'But when we put in the fish tank, it was like they were mesmerized. They did not mind standing there and waiting because they were so busy observing all the beautiful tropical fish.
'The Mirage was a wonderful experiment that set the tone for how we did projects, and how we moved on from there … It was like we were, for the first time, creating the coloring book for a megaresort.'
The hotel played host to illusionists Siegfried and Roy who debuted their show at the hotel
The entertainment giants are wearing their extravagant show costumes in 1993
The hotel ushered in an era of Las Vegas megaresorts in the '90s
The property is credited with helping transform Vegas from a gambling hub into an ultra-luxury resort destination with broader appeal.
It was known as a venue where tourists could see Siegfried & Roy taming white tigers or a Cirque du Soleil act set to a Beatles soundtrack.
The final curtain on the Beatles-themed show, which brought Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr back together for public appearances throughout its 18-year run, also comes down in July.
It's the same theater formerly used by Siegfried & Roy. It will also be torn down during the renovation. The 1,300-seat Mirage Theater will remain intact.
In 2022, the hotel's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat closed.
Hard Rock International said that more than 3,000 employees will be laid off and it expects to pay out $80 million in severance.
Staff will also have an opportunity to move to other hotels including at the Seminole Hard Rock in Florida or at two hotels in Virginia, Cincinnati and Northern Indiana.
'We expect many great opportunities, in Las Vegas and at the Hard Rocks, to present to employees,' Lupo explained.
The Culinary Workers Union, which has represented about 1,700 employees at the Mirage since it opened, said in a statement that the contract it won last year ensures laid-off workers will get $2,000 for each year of service, plus pension and health benefits for six months.
The contract also gives them the option of being called back to work and maintaining their seniority when the hotel reopens.
'Culinary Union will continue to ensure workers are protected and centered in the property's future,' the statement said.
The addition of the new Hard Rock International hotel isn't the only change afoot on in Vegas - the famed Tropicana Las Vegas, pictured, closed in April after 67 years
The Tropicana, an iconic Las Vegas Strip establishment built in 1957, will be demolished to make way for a new baseball stadium for the Oakland Athletics. Above, as seen in 1958
The A's will now begin construction on their new ballpark at the Tropicana site in Las Vegas. Pictured: A rendering of what the baseball stadium will look like
The Mirage became the first Strip property to be run by a Native American tribe in 2022, after Hard Rock International, which is owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, purchased it from MGM Resorts in a cash deal worth more than $1 billion.
Hard Rock said at the time that the property would remain open and operate under the Mirage brand for several years while it finalized renovation plans.
The Tribe said that the new hotel will be 'iconic', adding that the 'City of Lights just got brighter'.
The new hotel will include 25 restaurants (five at the new hotel tower near the Strip) and a 5,000-seat theater.
The Mirage is accepting no bookings for after July 14 and said any reservations past that date will be canceled and refunded.
Mariah CareyThe BeatlesLas Vegas