There will soon be a sixth long-running hotel on the Strip in Las Vegas.
The illustrious Tropicana resort finally closed its doors forever on June 30, and the Mirage announced its own July 17 closure. After three years of renovations, the iconic Sin City landmark—which first opened to the public in the 1980s—will reopen as Hard Rock Las Vegas styled like a guitar.
In a statement that was circulated on social media, the resort announced that “The Mirage Hotel & Casino will be ceasing operations on July 17, 2024,” after 34 fantastic years. We will be saying goodbye to this famous and historic property for the next two months, and then we will begin a remarkable change. With Hard Rock Las Vegas set to light up the Strip with entertainment, innovation, and world-class hospitality, we are excited to embark on an exciting new chapter.
When The Mirage shuts down this summer, CNN reports that more than 3,000 workers will lose their jobs. Hard Rock, according to the tropically themed hotel-casino, would pay severance payments of around $80 million to both union and non-union employees. The workers will also have the chance to return when the resort reopens in 2027. Any reservations that are currently set to take place after July 14 will be canceled and refunded to the customers. By the same token, you’ll have to spend whatever spare casino chips you may have.
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Casino magnate Steve Wynn inaugurated the resort on November 22, 1989, marking the beginning of the Mirage’s three-decade reign. The resort included a volcanic fountain that erupted nightly to orchestrated music and flames. Before other Strip hotels like the Bellagio and the Venetian put up their own spectacular shows, this was the only one with a sidewalk attraction.
MGM Resorts purchased the Mirage in the year 2000. But in a subsequent $1.1 billion cash transaction, the hotel chain sold the land to Hard Rock International. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the new operator of the hotel has announced its plans for the transition, which involve renovating the current resort and adding more space for conventions, theater, and casino gaming.
In a statement, Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International, expressed gratitude to the Las Vegas community and team members for their warm reception of Hard Rock following 34 enjoyable years at The Mirage. For their backing and reasonable bargaining over the last year, we’d also like to express our gratitude to the Gaming Commission, as well as the Unions, community leaders, and organizations representing state and municipal governments. More than that, we appreciate MGM’s help during our move.
