LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – A beloved hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip is ceasing operations.
The Hard Rock International said that The Mirage Hotel & Casino is scheduled to cease operations on July 17, 2024.
Officials say the closure is to begin the transformation of the property into the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas.
The hotel is planned to feature a nearly 700 feet guitar-shaped hotel in the center of the Strip.
“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.”
“While we pause for the incredible transformation of this iconic property, I’d like to thank all team members at The Mirage for their incredible commitment and helping us provide memorable experiences for our guests,” said Joe Lupo, President of The Mirage. “We are planning to host collaborative hiring events with other employers in the Las Vegas community over the coming months. Connecting the thousands of talented Mirage team members who provide outstanding service with new employment opportunities is a top priority.”
Mirage employees who spoke with FOX5 say they’ll miss the property. A former executive with The Mirage echoed that sentiment.
“We knew we had something special with the Mirage, and it proved to do exactly what we were talking about,” former executive Alan Feldman told FOX5 about the hotel’s opening in 1989. “It really changed the paradigm for the way in which hotels in Las Vegas are designed and presented to the public. The town is forever changed for the better as a result.”
Feldman recognizes the circle of life that dictates change on the Las Vegas Strip.
“As much as I would love for The Mirage to last forever, I’ve got to go back to that fundamental belief that we do well when we’re willing to part with some of the things in the past and try new things,” he said. “Am I sad the volcano is going to go away? Of course. But I’ve got to tell you, I’m pretty excited about a huge guitar-shaped hotel coming right to the Strip. That’s pretty cool.”
Hard Rock officials said the new property will double the number of jobs currently available in the Mirage and will offer severance packages for eligible employees.
The Culinary Union also released a statement following the announcement. Union Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge reiterated that the previously established union contract with the property will continue to protect the workers during the closure, and work to center them in the property’s future.
“Culinary Union contracts include strong language on layoff, recall, seniority, training, and placement so that unionized workers who choose to retain their recall rights and are recalled within 36-months of layoff will have access to free job training and seniority right of first-access to available job openings when the property reopens, and placement into other job opportunities as they are available,” the union stated.
“Culinary Union will also host multiple Rapid Response events for The Mirage workers at the Culinary Academy of Las Vegas to connect workers to unemployment, job fairs, union benefits, and other resources.”
