End of a three-decade era
As of yesterday morning, the operations of the Mirage in Las Vegas is owned by Hard Rock International. On Monday, MGM Resorts International that its sale of the renowned casino-hotel to Hard Rock for $1.075 billion in cash was completed. The Seminole Tribe of Florida, which owns Hard Rock International, becomes the first tribe to own and operate a casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
VICI Properties owns the Mirage’s real estate and has entered into an agreement to lease the property to Hard Rock starting at $90 million per year. This is a common arrangement in the gambling industry, as real estate companies and gaming operators focus on their core strengths; one is in the real estate business, one is in the gambling business.
Nothing will change immediately – the property will keep operating as the Mirage for a while – but an overhaul is coming. The resort will eventually be called the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas.
Won’t be the Mirage for much longer
Expect most vestiges of the Mirage to disappear. Hard Rock plans an extensive renovation to the property, including the construction of a giant guitar-shaped hotel tower, similar to the one at the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida. An artist’s rendering from a year ago depicts the blue and purple guitar looming over the center of the Las Vegas Strip, beams of light representing guitar strings stretching skyward.
The legendary Mirage volcano, a mainstay of all cinematic arriving-in-Las Vegas montages, is probably on its way out. Hard Rock CEO Jim Allen is known to not like it and the above-referenced rendering did not include it.
Many locals are upset about the possibility of losing the landmark. Alden Gillespy created a petition on Change.org to urge Hard Rock to keep the volcano. It has garnered over 10,000 signatures.
“When I heard the news, I remember just wondering why this was going to happen,” Gillespy told the Las Vegas Sun. “The fact that they were going to tear down the volcano, that hit me personally. Why wouldn’t the new plans call for an incorporation of one of the best free attractions in Las Vegas?”
“The Mirage is a staple to the Las Vegas Strip and one if the last theme hotels left with a show with the Mirage gone it would just leave the Bellagio Fountains,” wrote Orlando Bedoya on the petition site.
Another attraction that could end up a casualty of the sale is Cirque du Soleil’s “Love” show. Of course, having a fantastic stage show (and it is FANTASTIC) based on songs by The Beatles seems like it would fit the Hard Rock perfectly, but the company might have other thoughts.
According to Scott Roeben of the Vital Vegas blog in July, Hard Rock does not plan to use the theater where “Love” is held for a resident show and therefore will end the production before the resort reopens as the Hard Rock in 2025. Roeben also speculated that the fanbase for the show is aging and thus Hard Rock would want to attract a younger, growing audience.
Fortunately, “Love” has been extended through 2023. And hopefully, if Hard Rock does part ways with it, it will find a new home.