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The Mirage will soon be no more.
Since its opening in 1989, Mirage has been one of the most memorable Las Vegas hotel-casino resorts. The erupting volcano outside predated the Bellagio water fountains. Siegfried and Roy hosted the hottest show in tow. Cirque du Soleil was there.
In other words, The Mirage was Vegas and Vegas was The Mirage. Unfortunately, things have changed. The Mirage will close its doors on July 17, 2024 for good and make way for a brand-new property that’s as glitzy as you’d expect for Sin City. Keep reading as we give you the latest developments on 3400 S. Las Vegas Boulevard — the heart of The Strip.
Why The Mirage Is Closing
This one’s obvious, isn’t it? Business isn’t booming for the Mirage like it once was. If it were, then it would be business as usual and there would be no need to shutter the iconic brand. However, that’s not the case.
Competition is fierce on the Las Vegas Strip. Luxury customers might flock to the Wynn, others might be attracted to the newness of the Fontainebleau, and then there’s some that’ve heard of the ironic Caesars Palace and need to see it to believe it. Mirage has lost its luster in the heat of this competition and the reality is, most visitors don’t care about the tigers that Siegfried and Roy once tamed — they want a modern experience. The Mirage wasn’t that.
The writing was on the wall in December 2022. That’s when news broke in Las Vegas of Hard Rock International buying The Mirage from MGM Resorts, its owner since 2000. If you know anything about Hard Rock, you know they’re in the business of promoting itself with namesake hotels and casinos across the country. It was only time until they followed suit in the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas. Let’s talk about their plans in the next section.
What Is Replacing The Mirage On The Strip
That’s right, a guitar-shaped Hard Rock Hotel & Casino will soon replace the Mirage on Las Vegas’ Strip. It will be built on the same plot of land that houses the Mirage, which will be torn down. The guitar-themed tower is expected to be 700 feet tall so it will be a sight to see once done.
Speaking of which, Hard Rock Las Vegas is targeting an opening date in the spring of 2027. The keyword in that sentence is “target” because as we all know, things can and usually do change. Either way, expect the area that houses the Mirage to be closed to visitors for three years minimum.
Hard Rock has deeper plans for the namesake property. It will feature 3,600 rooms — about 600 more than the Mirage’s current capacity. Moreover, the casino floor will span 174,000 square feet of space with 2,000 slots and 212 table games. Surely, the sportsbook will feature a Hard Rock Bet platform.
If you know anything about the Hard Rock, you know the property will be decked out in rock and roll memorabilia — harder rock than The Beatles music that Mirage was formerly known for. Hard Rock operates hundreds of locations across the world so it’s not their first rodeo here.
The new hotel is projected to employ nearly 7,000 employees, according to Hard Rock management, while 2,500 construction jobs are expected during the rebuilding process.
Las Vegas History Slowly Fading Away
The Mirage is not the first property on The Strip to say goodbye this year. Back in April, the 66-year-old Tropicana closed its doors too. Though, a new casino won’t be replacing Tropicana like Mirage. No, no, that land is expected to house an MLB team — the Oakland Athletics, who will move to Sin City in a few years. Plans are in motion for a 30,000-seat stadium at the ‘ol Tropicana property.
Both Mirage and Tropicana have long been mainstays of The Strip. Heck, it can be argued Mirage led to a boom period for development on the Strip.
You see, the Mirage was first built and owned by the legendary Steve Wynn. In the late ‘80s, Wynn spent $600 million to create the Mirage — then the most expensive casino project in the city. Spending that type of money was unheard of at the time. In fact, Mirage was the first property to open on The Strip since the MGM Grand in 1973.
But after the Mirage, the money followed. More megaresorts opened in the years that followed including Excalibur, Luxor, and the MGM Grand — all of which are still going strong. Those resorts followed the Mirage model of “bigger is better” — a mantra that remains at the core of Vegas construction on the Strip. So with that, we’re not not only saying bye to the Mirage, but also a deep thank you. Its contributions to the city will never be forgotten.
If you want to wish farewell to the Mirage in person, you have a little over a month to do so. Doors close on July 17 for good with one final volcano show. Don’t miss it if you love Vegas lore like we do.
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