Mirage Las Vegas To Close, Gives Way To Hard Rock Guitar Hotel

By Bill Speros

May 16th, 2024 8:17 PM EDT

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The Mirage Las Vegas will soon be . . . a mirage. 

Its famous volcano is ticketed for the ash heap of Las Vegas history. 

The legendary Strip resort closes on July 17. The Mirage enjoyed a 35-year run. Upon its opening in 1989, Steve Wynn’s newest jewel was considered a forerunner of the new Las Vegas – whose hallmark would be all-in-one-stop luxury-themed resorts. 

In its place, owner Hard Rock is set to build a 660-foot, guitar-styled hotel similar to its structure just west of I-95 in Hollywood, Florida. 

RELATED: A Visit To The Hard Rock's Music Vault

The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas won’t open until May 2027. 

In the interim, all 3,330 or so Mirage employees will be let go – and/or hopefully relocated to other positions within the Hard Rock empire. The company expects to pay an estimated $80 million in severance. 

Some union employees in Las Vegas will receive $2000 per year of service, plus their pension, and health benefits for six months, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. 

No Signs Of Mirage To Remain

Hard Rock isn’t holding back in its plans for the site. Don’t expect any signs of The Mirage to be visible once the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vega are finished. And there won’t be any “cold” or “staged” openings. 

Everything will open all at once. Hard Rock officials had no comment beyond their company’s press release. Among the perks of the to-be-built resort, are 25 restaurants and a 5,000-seat theatre.  

“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 the company’s release.  “We’d also like to thank the Unions, community leaders, local and state government organizations, and the Gaming Commission for their support and fair negotiations over the past year. Also, we are grateful to MGM for assisting with our transition.”

Hard Rock said it expects to double the number of jobs at the hotel currently. In addition, the construction of the new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas is expected to create some 2,500 related jobs. 

Mirage Joins Legendary Resorts Of Las Vegas Past 

The Mirage sportsbook was a must-stop for visitors to Sin City when sports betting was illegal outside Nevada. It was among the best in town  - and there was nowhere else better for bettors to watch and wager at the same time. 

The resort played host to some of Las Vegas's most memorable acts, including Siegfried and Roy’s white tigers show. Its Beatles-themed Cirque du Soleil show "Love" has been a favorite of visitors and locals for 18 years. 

“We look forward to the beginning of an exciting journey into a new era as Hard Rock Las Vegas will ignite the Strip with entertainment, innovation, and world-class hospitality,” the Mirage posted on its Facebook page. 

The Mirage joins a list of legendary Las Vegas hotels and resorts that have given way to time and progress. The Dunes, The Sands, The Stardust, The Riviera, and many others all enjoyed top-tier status on The Strip during their heyday. 

The Tropicana Las Vegas closed in April after a legendary 67-year run on The Strip. The plan is for the Las Vegas A's to play their MLB home games on that site by ... someday. The Trop entertained visitors, gamblers, and performers from the day of Mob Dominance to The Strip’s current cluster of conglomerates. Much like the Mirage when it opened, the Tropicana was hailed as a “desert oasis” and considered the jewel of The Strip. And it is the most expensive hotel.

Hard Rock will be copying a tried formula with this guitar-themed resort. No doubt the twin instruments will claim a unique place in The Strip’s nightly LED-fueled kaleidoscope. Las Vegas has taken a turn toward the high-end player with the recent launch of The Fontainebleau. And The Circa at the back end of Downtown and Fremont Street. 

Mirage guests with room reservations or show tickets beyond July 14, 2024, will be automatically canceled, and refunded.   

About the Author

Bill Speros

More About Bill

Bill is an award-winning journalist and editor whose career includes stops at USA Today Sports Network / Golfweek, Cox Media, ESPN, Orlando Sentinel and Denver Post. He's been covering the North American regulated gambling market for almost a decade and has his finger on the pulse for all industry news involving sportsbooks, online casinos, prediction markets and more. Bill placed his first bet at age 11, and his first job was as a paper boy delivering the Boston Herald and Boston Globe. By age 16, he was playing blackjack and getting comped drinks on the Las Vegas Strip. When home, his weekend rotation included trips to Wonderland Greyhound Park and Raynham Greyhound Park. After 30 years in legacy media, Bill wedded his passion for journalism and storytelling with a lifetime of wagering by working at Gambling.com.