- The Washington Times - Friday, May 17, 2024

The Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is set to close in July, ahead of major renovations that will transform it into the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas featuring a 700-foot tall guitar-shaped tower.

The Mirage is owned and operated by Hard Rock International, which is owned by Florida’s Seminole tribe.

“We’d like to thank the Las Vegas community and team members for warmly welcoming Hard Rock after enjoying 34 years at The Mirage,” Hard Rock International Chairman Jim Allen said in a statement.

The hotel at The Mirage will close on July 14, with the casino ending its operations after July 17.

As part of the closure, more than 3,000 employees will be laid off and Hard Rock International will pay $80 million in severance, the company told the Associated Press.

The property is not slated to reopen until 2027.

“I’d like to thank all team members at The Mirage for their incredible commitment. … We are planning to host collaborative hiring events with other employers … connecting the thousands of talented Mirage team members who provide outstanding service with new employment opportunities is a top priority,” The Mirage President Joe Lupo said in a statement.

Hard Rock International expects the rebranded property to provide twice the amount of jobs at around 7,000 on top of more than 2,500 construction jobs associated with the renovation.

The Mirage’s Beatles-themed show Cirque du Soleil “LOVE” will end after July 6. Reservations after July 17 at The Mirage or for the other shows and restaurants associated with it will be canceled and refunded, according to the hotel.

Players with slot vouchers will be able to redeem them up until the closing date, after which they will have until the expiration date printed on the voucher to mail it in for the monetary amount. The Mirage chips will be eligible to redeem until closing, and the Treasure Island casino will accept them for 120 days after that.

Down the street, another iconic casino, the Tropicana, shut its doors last month. It is slated to be demolished ahead of the construction of a new stadium for when MLB’s Oakland Athletics relocate to Las Vegas.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.

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