The Mirage, Iconic Destination For SoCal Travelers, Is Closing

LAS VEGAS — The Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas will close in July, the tourist destination announced Wednesday.

Hotel guests must check out by July 15 and operations will cease July 17 so work can begin to transform the property into the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas. The new concept is projected to open in spring 2027 and feature a nearly 700-foot guitar-shaped hotel in the center of the Las Vegas Strip.

“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,” Mirage President Joe Lupo said in a prepared statement posted on social media.

“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.”

More than 3,000 workers will be laid off with Hard Rock paying about $80 million in severance packages. The new endeavor is expected to employ nearly 7,000 people.

The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil will have its last show July 6 at the Mirage and all other resident shows will close July 14.

"We'd like to thank the Las Vegas community and team members for warmly welcoming Hard Rock after enjoying 34 years at The Mirage," Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International, said Wednesday in a statement.

This will be the second time this year that a Strip casino shutters. The Tropicana Las Vegas closed in April after 67 years to make room for a $1.5 billion baseball stadium planned as the future home of the relocating Oakland A’s.

Developed by former casino mogul Steve Wynn, the Mirage opened with a Polynesian theme as the Strip's first megaresort in 1989, spurring a building boom on the famous boulevard through the 1990s.

The Mirage became the first Strip property to be run by a Native American tribe in 2022, after Hard Rock International, which is owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, purchased it from MGM Resorts in a cash deal worth nearly $1.1 billion.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.