Mirage Hotel and Casino closes for good after nearly 35 years on the Las Vegas Strip

After nearly 35 years on the Las Vegas Strip, Wednesday marks the end of the Mirage Hotel & Casino.

The resort closed its doors for good ahead of the planned renovations and construction of the new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas — which is expected to be completed by Spring 2027.

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Opened on Nov. 22, 1989, the Mirage was an undisputed game-changer for the Las Vegas resort scene. The brainchild of casino mogul Steve Wynn, it's still widely considered the Strip's first mega-resort.

Over the years, the Mirage also hosted some of the most iconic shows the Entertainment Capital of the World had to offer — including tiger-taming magicians Siegfried & Roy. The property's theater was the site of the infamous attack that left Roy Horn maimed on Oct. 3, 2003.

The Mirage theater would go on to host Cirque du Soleil's tribute to The Beatles, "Beatles LOVE," which had its final show on July 7. And of course, it will always be remembered for the fiery excitement of its volcano show that drew crowds along Las Vegas Boulevard with eruptions every night.

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Hard Rock International, owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, purchased the property in December 2021. Operations were turned over to Hard Rock in December 2022 and it began ground testing at the site in January 2023.

Hard Rock executives previously told Scripps News Las Vegas that renovation plans include adding 800 to 1,000 hotel rooms, renovating the existing rooms and suites, renovating the casino floor to include 1,800 slot machines and 200 table games, renovating and expanding event and meeting space, and adding nearly 3,000 theater seats.

"We'd like to thank the Las Vegas community and team members for warmly welcoming Hard Rock after enjoying 34 years at The Mirage," said Jim Allen, Chairman of Hard Rock International. "We'd also like to thank the Unions, community leaders, local and state government organizations and the Gaming Commission for their support and fair negotiations over the past year. Also, we are grateful to MGM for assisting with our transition."

This story was originally published by Scripps News Las Vegas.