Why is the Mirage hotel-casino closing in Las Vegas?
The Las Vegas Strip is going to get a makeover with the iconic Mirage Hotel & Casino shuttering in the coming months. Here’s what will replace it and when.
The days are numbered for the Mirage Hotel & Casino which opened its doors in 1989 as well as a new era of megaresorts in Sin City. Hard Rock International, which purchased the property from MGM Resorts International for $1.1 billion in 2022, announced that the iconic hotel will be shuttering on 17 July.
After which the property will undergoing renovations to transform it into the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas. Part of that transformation includes the construction of “a nearly 700 ft. guitar-shaped hotel towering prominently in the center of the famous Las Vegas Strip,” according to a press release.
Last year when representatives presented the project to the Nevada Gaming Control Board they told them that the guitar-shaped hotel “will be built on the 50-yard line of the most economically productive street in America.” The new hotel will have between 800 and 1,000 rooms, in addition to the 3,000 rooms in the renovated Mirage, to accommodate guests which is expected to open in the spring of 2027.
Future Mirage reservations will be cancelled, hotel and casino workers laid off
The Mirage hotel will be automatically canceling reservations beyond 14 July this year and refunding affected guests. The same goes for those with show tickets beyond that date. The Mirage has been the home of a Cirque du Soleil act set to a Beatles soundtrack for the past 18 years.
Hard Rock International said that it will also be laying off over 3,000 employees and will pay out roughly $80 in severance packages which were negotiated with unions. However, when the hotel reopens after its transformation the new megaresort complex is expected to double the current number of jobs.
“We’d like to thank the Las Vegas community and team members for warmly welcoming Hard Rock after enjoying 34 years at The Mirage,” said Jim Allen, Chairman of Hard Rock International in a statement.
A message posted on the Mirage Facebook account says, “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.”
Those that may be concerned about and slot vouchers or Mirage chips that they are holding onto, they can still be redeemed until 17 July 2024 at the Mirage. After that date, they can still be cashed out under certain conditions. For those concerns and others you can consult the frequently asked questions page.