Vegas insiders, investors, and residents alike have long been aware that the Mirage is closing its iconic doors as it paves the way for a Hard Rock renovation that is set to be the grandest on the Strip so far. But the exit of the Mirage leaves a hole in people's hearts, especially among those who have been with the Mirage from the start – namely, its architects who helped bring the ideas of Steve Wynn to life. But it's a nostalgic look back as the Mirage took time to say its last goodbyes and welcome the future with open arms.

On Wednesday, The Mirage, a landmark casino resort that revolutionized the Las Vegas Strip as we know it, closed its doors for the last time. The event, which marked the end of its 34-year legacy, was commemorated with a poignant ceremony that honored the establishment's significant impact on the city and the industry where it made its name and achieved significant fame.

Hundreds of former and current employees gathered in front of the iconic volcano on the Strip for a 90-minute ceremony. The event concluded with one final eruption of the volcano, followed by a private tour of the Mirage casino. The ceremony's closure was marked by Mirage executives and Nevada officials closing the front doors at precisely 11 am.

A heartfelt goodbye, the end of an era

During the heartfelt speeches, Jim Allen, chair of Hard Rock International, shared a moment from the previous night. He had spotted a group of the Mirage's key architects, including Brian Fink and John Wald from Kali Juba Wald Architects, drinking at one of the Mirage's bars. Surprised by their presence, Allen inquired about their gathering. They responded, "We had to be here. We had to be here the last night the legendary Mirage closes." Allen admitted to feeling a deep sadness as he walked away, as he thought about the immense responsibility and the historical significance of their decision to close The Mirage. He reflected, "God give me strength. Hopefully, we are making the right decision here, because when you start committing four or five billion and beyond, you don't want to break apart something that has so much history."

Transitioning from the Mirage to Hard Rock

The Mirage, in spite of its profitable status and lack of severe age-related issues, will undergo a complete transformation over the next three years. Hard Rock International, which acquired the property's operating assets from MGM Resorts for $1.075 billion in December of 2021, plans to remodel it into the 2nd Hard Rock Las Vegas casino resort. The redevelopment will strip The Mirage down to its concrete foundations, making way for a new era under the Hard Rock brand.

A significant part of this transformation includes the addition of a 600-room, guitar-shaped hotel, which will replace the site where the volcano erupted every night. This dramatic change means that almost no remnants of the former Mirage will remain, erasing much of the physical nostalgia for its millions of visitors.

The Mirage's unspoken history

Meanwhile, notably absent from the ceremony was Steve Wynn, the visionary behind The Mirage. Wynn, who now resides in Florida at 82, was instrumental in conceptualizing and creating The Mirage, which forever altered the Las Vegas landscape. However, his legacy, as most of you may know, is marred by controversy. Last year, Wynn paid a $10 million fine to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, concluding a protracted legal fight over sexual harassment and assault allegations against several women, which supposedly occurred at his hotels. But despite denying the allegations and never being convicted of a related crime, Wynn's association with the industry ended, and he was therefore conspicuously absent from the closing ceremony.

The ceremony offered a chance for reflection on The Mirage's historical significance and its impact on the Las Vegas Strip. As the last eruption of the volcano echoed and the doors were officially closed, a vibrant chapter of Las Vegas history came to an end, paving the way for a new beginning under the Hard Rock brand.