The Mirage closes: Las Vegas loses one of its landmarks

Las Vegas is a city of superlatives that has produced numerous icons in the past and present. The Mirage is one of the things that are firmly associated with the gambling metropolis: the mega hotel with its tropical theme and volcano was one of the first of its kind - it symbolises an entire era of the city and was home to the famous predator show "Siegfried & Roy" with the white tigers. Now, after more than 30 years, it is to be closed once and for all.

Las Vegas is a city full of sights and downright iconic places. Especially on the Las Vegas Strip, the most famous street in the metropolis, many highlights are lined up side by side.

The Bellagio, famous for its choreographed, glowing fountains, luxurious gardens and art gallery, is a must-see for every visitor.

Right next door is the Venetian with its replica canals, where visitors can take romantic gondola rides while admiring the replicas of typical Venetian sights such as St Mark's Square. The impressive Sphere, the world's largest spherical event hall with LED panelling, is also located on the same site.

Caesars Palace is not only known for its opulent Roman architecture, but also for its top-class shows and the first-class shopping centre, which houses a variety of luxury brands.

Further south on the Strip is the MGM Grand, one of the largest hotels in the world, which regularly hosts top sporting events and concerts.

Finally, the Mirage should not be missing from the list. This hotel was one of the first mega-resorts to shape modern Las Vegas. With its tropical theme, erupting volcano and breathtaking animal attractions, such as the Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, the Mirage is a prime example of the luxury and eccentricity that characterises Las Vegas (among other things).

However, the inimitable splendour and exclusivity that the Mirage exudes will soon be a thing of the past. This means that the city will inevitably lose one of its landmarks - but at the same time, space will be made for a new one! Hard Rock International, the company that has made a name for itself primarily through its Hard Rock Cafes around the world, is planning to build a new mega hotel on the site. The successor to the Mirage is to be characterised by a guitar more than 200 metres high, which will house the resort's new rooms.

The Mirage makes way for the new Hard Rock Las Vegas

The Mirage was built in 1989 by casino mogul Steve Wynn. The opening is considered to be synonymous with the dawn of a new era in the city, which was or is characterised by luxurious resorts on the Strip and ever new bombastic events or attractions. In fact, the Mirage was the first mega hotel, which gave rise to a whole series of corresponding buildings with casinos, shows and other attractions, some of which achieved a worldwide reputation. To this day, the image of Las Vegas associated with it is firmly etched in the minds of many people around the world.

Nevertheless, the Mirage will soon be coming to an end: the 3,000-room resort will cease operations on 17 July 2024 and then undergo a three-year renovation that will make all traces of the landmark, including the volcano, casino, show rooms and tropical theme, history.

The Mirage was sold to MGM Resorts back in 2000. Back then, most of the old track remained the same - and even after another change of ownership in 2022, when the entire complex went to Hard Rock International for one billion dollars, not much changed at first. From July, however, all the more will happen, as those responsible promise in a recently published Facebook post:

"We look forward to the beginning of an exciting journey into a new era where Hard Rock Las Vegas will energise the Strip with entertainment, innovation and world-class hospitality."

The new resort will finally open in 2027 as "Hard Rock Las Vegas". The eye-catcher and unique selling point will be a hotel tower more than 200 metres high in the shape of a guitar. This will resemble that of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in Florida. The details of what will ultimately be on offer will probably remain a secret for some time yet. However, it is already clear that far more than a casino and luxurious hotel rooms will be provided. After all, the Hard Rock Las Vegas is following in the truly enormous footsteps of the Mirage.

The more than 3,000 employees will be compensated with around 80 million US dollars

The closure of the Mirage also means the end of the Beatles show entitled "Love" by Cirque du Soleil and the volcano fountain, which will certainly be remembered as one of the first attractions on the Las Vegas Strip. Last but not least, the resort was home to the Siegfried & Roy show centred around the white tigers, which was a real visitor magnet until the early 2000s. In general, the Mirage continues to offer various attractions centred around wild animals to this day, all of which come to an end in July.

The closure also means the end of operations for the resort's numerous restaurants: Heritage Steakhouse, Osteria Costa, Otoro, Diablo's Cantina, Pantry, Paradise Cafe, California Pizza Kitchen and Still.

A total of around 3,000 employees are being made redundant - but not without compensation. Hard Rock International is initially planning to invest 80 million US dollars to help the Mirage employees. According to the chefs' and bartenders' union, employees will be able to receive 2,000 US dollars for each year of service. There would also be preferential hiring opportunities when the Hard Rock Las Vegas reopens.

Conclusion

Image source: https://pixabay.com/photos/tiger-white-tiger-asleep-big-cat-1285229/