The Mirage closed its doors for good this week and there have been many people mourning the loss. I feel strange because I’m not mourning the loss of The Mirage.
I’m a moody person with big swings. This week the swings went from emotional to emotionless.
I’ve had strong feelings about The Mirage closing for the past few weeks. I’m just not sad about this iconic casino closing and that gives me mixed emotions.
On one hand, The Mirage is an important part of my Las Vegas life. It was the height of luxury when I first started visiting Las Vegas.
On the other hand, The Mirage has felt dated, dark, and dingy once you walked through the atrium in recent years. This is a casino that needs new life and I’m looking forward to what the next casino here will offer.
The last time I was this emotional about a casino closing was the original Hard Rock. Similar to The Mirage, this casino was so important to me that I had to share details about my last visit to the original Hard Rock Las Vegas.
Memories At The Mirage
My last walk through The Mirage was similar to the Hard Rock. I remembered specific things that happened in different parts of the property.
I worked, gambled, and hung out at the sportsbook a lot over the years. This part of The Mirage had a huge impact on my work and play life.
During one vacation, a friend and I were in the background of an episode of The Kardashians simply because they were recording dinner at Heritage Steakhouse. This was the first time I had quail and it was delicious.
Zorkfest even plays a part in my memories of The Mirage.
The year ZorkFest was at Treasure Island I met a friend in the sportsbook to watch a little baseball before heading into the event. He was late because he had to stop at the Carnegie Deli for a bologna sandwich. He stunk up the sportsbook before we headed into the Zorkfest cocktail hour. That’s such a strange memory but it’s one that will last forever.
I chose to celebrate my time at The Mirage over the past month or so. I’ve texted friends about some of the fun times we’ve had over the years.
It’s been fun reminiscing about The Mirage and I’m not sad like so many people seem to be.
Now It’s Time To Move On
Much like the original Hard Rock, The Mirage saw better days a decade before closing. Even though I have strong feelings for The Mirage it’s time to move on. I’ve barely visited since MGM Resorts sold the casino.
The low ceilings and dark carpet from the last renovation about a decade ago made the casino floor feel dark and dingy. I’m not the only person who feels this way. I’ve been surprised by the negativity about The Mirage since Las Vegas casinos reopened after the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In addition to being dark, visitors I know expressed how dated the property felt. While I agree, that didn’t bother me as much because of the great memories I have from The Mirage.
On To The Next One
One reason I’m not entirely sad about The Mirage closing is having faith that Hard Rock International (HRI) will create something special. I still don’t feel as comfortable with the operators of Virgin but that’s a story for another day.
HRI’s Chairman and CEO Jim Allen is one of the few casino executives that impresses me. Between hearing him speak at conferences and reading interviews, his passion for the business and understanding of Hard Rock customers is among the best I’ve seen.
In Las Vegas parlance think about Allen more like Derek Stevens (Circa) than Tom Reeg (Caesars). He understands making a great experience for his guests and employees.
The plans for the new Hard Rock Las Vegas sound fantastic. This isn’t a lipstick-on-a-pig makeover like the old Hard Rock to Virgin.
Plans for the Hard Rock are a total reimagination of the property. Between the plans and renderings, this should look at feel nothing like The Mirage inside and out.
This is a full gut of The Mirage from floor to ceiling on the inside. Walking into the Hard Rock will be totally different than entering The Mirage
The main entrance to the Hard Rock (above) will be through a small casino with a hotel tower that will have the closest pool to the Vegas Strip. It appears as though guests will walk into the main casino through or above the valet area.
The Rhumbar entrance near Caesars Palace will also be different. Here’s a rendering view from Harrah’s.
Renderings don’t always tell the story about what a business will look or feel like. Having said that, I trust Allen and HRI will do another great job creating a casino.
I’ll never forget my great experiences at The Mirage but I am looking forward to what happens next.
How does The Mirage closing make you feel? Happy? Sad? Both?
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