It’s finally happening. The Mirage will soon kick its transformation into the new Hard Rock Las Vegas into high gear, now is the the time to start saying your goodbyes to the Mirage.

The Beatles “Love” is closing on July 7 and I can’t wait!

Thank you for 18 memorable years.

Final show is July 7, 2024. Secure your tickets at https://t.co/qTFzhGBEGE pic.twitter.com/hRj15wiGiY

— The Mirage (@TheMirageLV) April 9, 2024

This is an unpopular opinion to some but I’m not a show guy and I like shiny new things.

In a memo, the company says construction to change The Mirage into the new Hard Rock would negatively impact the show so it decided to shut it down. In a surprise to me, construction started in Dec. 2023.

Here’s a model of what Hard Rock could look like in a few years.

This is what the Mirage will look like after they replace the volcano with the giant guitar. pic.twitter.com/rz79FXh3Ia

— Las Vegas Locally 🌴 (@LasVegasLocally) April 11, 2024

Plans For The New Hard Rock Las Vegas

Hard Rock International first presented plans to Nevada Gaming regulators in Dec. 2022. The company said construction on the new Hard Rock would begin in late 2023 or early 2024. 

It looks like that timeline is on schedule. Now let’s see if the work is finished in 2025 as planned.

A view that never gets old 🤩

Our light show will now run at 9 pm every day with an additional 9:30 pm show on Fridays and Saturdays. pic.twitter.com/93b4o5hJWM

— Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood (@HardRockHolly) April 1, 2024

The initial plans for Hard Rock are lofty. Here are some highlights:

• The volcano will be replaced by a small casino with a guitar-shaped all-suite tower similar to the Florida location above.
• Hotel rooms will be gutted and renovated. Between the new and old towers, there will be 3,640 hotel rooms.
• The casino floor will double in size to about 174,000 square feet. The plans say there will be about 2,000 slot machines and more than 200 table games. Fingers crossed for a great new sportsbook.
• Hard Rock said it will have 21 restaurants but many of those could be part of a food hall.
• There will be a new Hard Rock Live entertainment venue as well as a memorabilia shop.

In and Out of Love

I’ve loved The Mirage almost as much as the original Hard Rock. You can read my goodbye story to Hard Rock here.

As much as I’ve had great times at The Mirage I won’t miss it. The property lost its soul and vibe a few years ago. That said, my memories are strong and will never go away.

My interest in The Mirage started before I ever visited Las Vegas thanks to a movie. Vegas Vacation was my first glimpse into The Mirage.

When I moved to Las Vegas I spent a few days at The Mirage working while my belongings were being driven from the east coast. One of my first writing jobs in Las Vegas was a white paper for an architecture firm on casino design.

The research helped create an evolving understanding of why casinos have certain layouts. Unsurprisingly, it helped create a foundation of understanding about the casino industry and triggered a new understanding of casino marketing.

Casino designs have changed a lot over the years and will continue to do so. This didn’t start with The Mirage but the casino ushered us into a new era.

I’ve spent more time in The Mirage sportsbook than any other on the Vegas Strip. The “new” screens were out of date a few months after being installed but that’s another story. They were fine for the time but never the best.

The large open space allowed crowds to gather that few other sportsbooks in the area could match. I’m a size king when it comes to sportsbooks. There’s little that matches the energy of a large sportsbook with many people watching games when there’s something on the line beyond fandom.

I have a lot of love, great memories, and my own reasons to say my goodbyes to The Mirage. However, the property is a shell of the place I loved. Let’s get to the transformation into the new Hard Rock Las Vegas!