One of the Most Iconic Casinos in Las Vegas to Close its Doors After Nearly 35 Years
The iconic Mirage casino resort, which was the first so-called "mega-resort" on the Las Vegas Strip and helped to transform the area by leading a building boom in the '90s, will permanently close its doors for good on July 17. The property, which was purchased by Hard Rock International in 2022, will undergo extensive renovations to reopen as the Hard Rock Las Vegas in 2027.
Opened in 1989 by real developer Steve Wynn after two years of construction, at the time the Mirage was the most expensive and among the largest hotels in the world, costing a whopping $630 million. The resort initially led with a Polynesian theme, and later became known for attractions such as its sidewalk volcano fountain, which erupts nightly, as well as live acts such as Siegfried and Roy and Cirque du Soleil.
In addition to a hotel tower in the shape of a nearly 700 foot tall guitar, similar to the Seminole Hard Rock in South Florida, the planned renovations include over 3,600 rooms and 174,000 square feet of casino space. According to the Las Vegas Sun, the final plans will also double the current number of jobs at the property and generate over 2,500 construction jobs alone.
In the meantime, the company said on Wednesday that more than 3,000 employees would be laid off and it expects to pay out approximately $80 million in severance.
"While we pause for the incredible transformation of this iconic property, I’d like to thank all team members at the Mirage for their incredible commitment and helping us provide memorable experiences for our guests," Mirage president Joe Lupo said in a statement.
"We are planning to host collaborative hiring events with other employers in the Las Vegas community over the coming months," Lupo continued. "Connecting the thousands of talented Mirage team members who provide outstanding service with new employment opportunities is a top priority."
The long-running Beatles and Cirque du Soleil’s collaboration, "The Beatles LOVE," will also take its final bow on July 7. Over the course of 18 years the show has ran, it has reunited original Beatles members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr for a number of public appearances.
The news of the Mirage shuttering comes on the heels of the Tropicana Las Vegas, which first opened in 1957, announcing its own closure in early April to make way for the new Oakland Athletics stadium. The $1.5 billion project is set to open in time for the 2028 MLB season.
Between the new Hard Rock hotel, sports arena, and groundbreaking Sphere venue, which opened in fall 2023, the Vegas Strip is currently undergoing a transformation not seen in decades.
