The iconic Mirage Hotel and Casino has announced its closing. The hotel, which was one of the first ultra-luxurious resorts on the Las Vegas Strip, is to shut down on July 17.
The Mirage as we know it will soon be gone, but it won’t be long before visitors to the Strip will be treated to a brand new attraction: Hard Rock Las Vegas. The new hotel is expected to open by the end of May 2027 and will be a soaring 7,000ft tower built in the shape of a guitar.
The news comes following Hard Rock International’s purchase of The Mirage from MGM Resorts International back in December 2022. At the time, Hard Rock spent more than $1 billion on the property.
Loss of jobs
The closure of the Mirage will mean the loss of 3,300 employees, made up of hotel workers and day-one employees. Staff received the news in a meeting on Wednesday morning.
Layoffs are estimated to come at a cost of $80 million in severance, with employees receiving either $2,000 per year of service, along with six months of pension and health benefits, or smaller amounts agreed with the retention of seniority rights.
Resort President Joe Lupo acknowledged the difficulty of the situation, commenting “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. But today is a tough day for a lot of people. Our priority is the well-being of those individuals.”
Lupo’s team set up job fairs for Mirage employees in what had once been the Mirage Buffet, to assist staff in their search for similar employment in the area.
“We expect many great opportunities, in Las Vegas and at the Hard Rocks, to present to employees,” Lupo stated.
End of an era
It has been confirmed that the Mirage’s famous volcano will also be removed as part of the works. The attraction will be taken down to accommodate the ambitious new project.
The former Siegfried & Roy theatre is also set to be removed. The theatre had been showing the critically acclaimed Cirque du Soleil-Beatles production “Love”, but the upcoming renovation works will cease its 18-year run. The show will conclude its historic run on July 7, with tickets for the final performances now on sale.
The Mirage opened in 1989 and led the way in an era of extravagance on the Strip. Created by casino mogul Steve Wynn — the man behind Treasure Island, Bellagio, and Wynn Las Vegas — the resort set trends with its free sidewalk attractions and entertainment.
While the loss of this landmark hotel is a hefty blow for Las Vegas, plans for its replacement are already taking shape. We can expect a similar design to that of Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, Florida — featuring 25 restaurants and a brand new 5,000-seat theatre.
Once reopened, the hotel is expected to double the current number of jobs at the Mirage, with close to 7,000 members of staff.
Guests who had booked rooms at the Mirage Hotel after the closing date will be issued full refunds. Those with casino chips are encouraged to use them by the time the hotel closes. Meanwhile, the neighboring hotel and casino Treasure Island will accept them for 120 days after the closure of the Mirage.
