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'''The Mirage''' is a defunct [[casino resort]] on the [[Las Vegas Strip]] in [[Paradise, Nevada|Paradise]], [[Nevada]], United States. It is owned by [[Vici Properties]] and operated by [[Hard Rock International]]. The 65-acre property includes a {{convert|90548|sqft|abbr=on}} casino and 3,044 rooms.<ref name=USA/>
[[Mirage Resorts|Golden Nugget, Inc.]], led by developer [[Steve Wynn]], purchased the future land of the Mirage in 1986. A hotel-casino, the [[Castaways (casino)|Castaways]], occupied a portion of the property and was demolished to make way for the Mirage. The resort opened on November 22, 1989, after two years of construction. It was the world's most expensive resort, completed at a cost of $630 million. It was also among [[List of largest hotels|the world's largest hotels]]. The Mirage was the first megaresort to open on the Las Vegas Strip, and its success prompted a building boom in the 1990s for other large resorts along the Strip.
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The Mirage opened with several non-traditional attractions for a Las Vegas casino, including animal habitats for dolphins and tigers, and an indoor tropical forest display. Its primary attraction is an artificial volcano that erupts nightly, providing free entertainment in front of the resort. In 1990, the Mirage debuted a magic show by [[Siegfried & Roy]], who performed there for nearly 14 years. The resort also hosted [[Cirque du Soleil]]'s first Las Vegas show, ''[[Nouvelle Expérience]]'', which opened in 1992. Cirque du Soleil would return to the property in 2006, with the debut of ''[[Love (Cirque du Soleil)|Love]]'', a show featuring music by [[the Beatles]].
Wynn departed the property in 2000, when his company was acquired by [[MGM Grand, Inc.|MGM Grand]]. Hard Rock International took over operations in December 2022, becoming the first tribal gaming operator on the Strip. The company intends to rebrand the resort as '''Hard Rock Las Vegas'''. The property will receive a complete renovation and expansion which will include a new guitar-shaped hotel tower, taking the place of the volcano attraction. The Mirage closed on July 17, 2024,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Valinsky |first=Jordan |date=2024-07-17 |title=The iconic Mirage in Las Vegas is closing today after 34 years {{!}} CNN Business |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/17/business/mirage-las-vegas-closure/index.html |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> and is expected to reopen
==History==
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Hard Rock's purchase was finalized on December 19, 2022,<ref>{{cite news |title=Hard Rock takes over operations of The Mirage hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip |url=https://www.ktnv.com/news/hard-rock-takes-over-operations-of-the-mirage-hotel-casino-on-the-las-vegas-strip |access-date=December 19, 2022 |work=KTNV |date=December 19, 2022}}</ref> making it the first tribal gaming operator on the Las Vegas Strip.<ref name=Indy/><ref name=Stutz2022>{{cite news |last=Stutz |first=Howard |title=Regulators allow Hard Rock to operate The Mirage; sale to close Monday |url=https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/regulators-allow-hard-rock-to-operate-the-mirage-sale-to-close-monday |access-date=December 19, 2022 |work=The Nevada Independent |date=December 16, 2022}}</ref> Under the new ownership, additional slot machines and table games were soon added in an effort to increase gaming revenue. Stages were also added to two bars for nightly entertainment, consistent with Hard Rock's music theme.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ross |first=McKenna |title='New energy': Hard Rock Las Vegas president teases Mirage changes |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/new-energy-hard-rock-las-vegas-president-teases-mirage-changes-2749878/ |access-date=April 25, 2024 |work=Las Vegas Review-Journal |date=March 24, 2023}}</ref>
The Mirage was expected to continue operating throughout the renovation and expansion project,<ref>{{cite news |last=Velotta |first=Richard N. |title=Gaming Commission approves Hard Rock's acquisition of The Mirage |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/gaming-commission-approves-hard-rocks-acquisition-of-the-mirage-2695660/ |access-date=December 19, 2022 |work=Las Vegas Review-Journal |date=December 16, 2022}}</ref> with completion by early 2028.<ref name=Know>{{cite news|title=What we know, don't know about the Mirage's transition to Hard Rock|work=Las Vegas Review-Journal|first=McKenna|last=Ross|date=January 9, 2024|url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/what-we-know-dont-know-about-the-mirages-transition-to-hard-rock-2978549/|access-date=April 6, 2024}}</ref> However, in May 2024, Hard Rock announced that the Mirage would permanently close
===Closure===
[[Nevada Gaming Commission|Nevada gaming regulations]] require that The Mirage award its $1.6 million accumulated [[progressive jackpot]] before its closure, with the casino paying out about 75% as slot machine jackpots and the other 25% via table games.<ref>{{cite news |title=Vegas Strip hotel must give out $1.6M to gamblers before closing next week |url=https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/vegas-strip-hotel-closing-next-week-19565440.php |access-date=11 July 2024 |work=SF Gate}}</ref>▼
The Mirage's hotel closed on July 15, 2024.<ref>{{cite news |last=Danzis |first=David |title='Sad' goodbyes as last Mirage hotel guests depart |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/sad-goodbyes-as-last-mirage-hotel-guests-depart-3094833/ |access-date=July 18, 2024 |work=Las Vegas Review-Journal |date=July 15, 2024}}</ref> Gaming operations ended on the early morning of July 17,<ref>{{cite news |last=Danzis |first=David |title=‘I’m really going to miss this place’: Las Vegas says goodbye to Mirage |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/im-really-going-to-miss-this-place-las-vegas-says-goodbye-to-mirage-photos-video-3096177/ |access-date=July 18, 2024 |work=Las Vegas Review-Journal |date=July 17, 2024}}</ref> and the entire property was closed later that day, shortly after 11:00 a.m.<ref name=Day1>{{cite news |last=Danzis |first=David |title=Mirage's 'Day One' employees ready for next chapter |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/mirages-day-one-employees-ready-for-next-chapter-3097423/ |access-date=July 18, 2024 |work=Las Vegas Review-Journal |date=July 18, 2024}}</ref> The Mirage attracted many last-time visitors in the days leading up to its closure.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gilbertson |first=Dawn |title=A Farewell to the Resort That Created the Vegas We Know |url=https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/travel/mirage-resort-casino-las-vegas-farewell-42b7dfa5 |access-date=July 18, 2024 |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=July 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=McCarver |first=Katie Ann |title=Las Vegas Strip volcano's last blasts are a must-see as Mirage's closing approaches |url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2024/jul/17/volcanos-last-blasts-are-a-must-see-as-mirages-clo/ |access-date=July 18, 2024 |work=Las Vegas Sun |date=July 17, 2024}}</ref> Hard Rock International expected to provide $80 million in severance pay to the property's 3,000 laid-off workers.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Mirage casino, which ushered in an era of Las Vegas Strip megaresorts in the '90s, is closing |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/mirage-casino-ushered-era-las-vegas-strip-megaresorts-90s-closing-rcna152736|access-date=10 July 2024 |work=NBC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/mirages-non-union-workers-could-get-smaller-severance-when-resort-closes-3066492/|title=Mirage's non-union workers could get smaller severance when resort closes|last=Ross|first=McKenna|work=Las Vegas Review-Journal|date=May 15, 2024|accessdate=June 13, 2024}}</ref> At its closure, the Mirage included 137 employees who had been with the property since it opened.<ref name=Day1/>
Closing ceremonies included speeches by former Las Vegas mayor [[Jan Jones Blackhurst]] and by Steve Wynn's wife, [[Elaine Wynn]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Velotta |first=Richard N. |title=Final closing ceremony — with an eruption — appears at Mirage |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/final-closing-ceremony-with-an-eruption-appears-at-mirage-3096387/ |access-date=July 18, 2024 |work=Las Vegas Review-Journal |date=July 17, 2024}}</ref> The latter had not visited the property in years and said, "It's a very poignant moment for me, and I didn't realize the impact of it until I walked into the building. But this is what we do in Las Vegas. We reinvest, we refresh, and we keep Las Vegas as one of the most exciting cities in the entire world."<ref name=Poignant>{{cite news |last=Stutz |first=Howard |title=The Mirage closing after three decades marks a 'poignant moment' for Elaine Wynn |url=https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/the-mirage-closing-after-three-decades-marks-a-poignant-moment-for-elaine-wynn |access-date=July 18, 2024 |work=The Nevada Independent |date=July 17, 2024}}</ref> Steve Wynn did not attend the event,<ref name=Ritter/> but wrote a lengthy tribute to the property, acknowledging its legacy.<ref>{{cite news |last=Velotta |first=Richard N. |title=Mirage developer Steve Wynn offers tribute to resort as it closes |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/mirage-developer-steve-wynn-offers-tribute-to-resort-as-it-closes-3091228/ |access-date=July 18, 2024 |work=Las Vegas Review-Journal |date=July 16, 2024}}</ref> Bo Bernhard, director of the International Gaming Institute at the [[University of Nevada, Las Vegas]] (UNLV), noted that the Mirage "changed the image Las Vegas projected to the rest of the world" and set a standard for future resorts. Michael Green, a UNLV history professor, said, "Las Vegas always reinvents itself. The Mirage is no longer state-of-the-art."<ref name=Ritter>{{cite news |last=Ritter |first=Ken |title=The last cards have been dealt as the iconic Mirage closes its doors on the Las Vegas Strip |url=https://apnews.com/article/mirage-las-vegas-casino-hard-rock-seminole-9711659b33574ca9059649a949d7400d |access-date=July 18, 2024 |work=Associated Press |date=July 17, 2024}}</ref> Work on the Hard Rock project began one day after the closure.<ref name=Ritter/><ref name=Poignant/>
▲[[Nevada Gaming Commission|Nevada gaming regulations]]
==Legal cases==
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{{main|Love (Cirque du Soleil)}}
[[File:The Mirage (9224966545).jpg|thumb|Hotel tower advertisements for ''Love'']]
Overall resort profits were hurt following the cancellation of Siegfried & Roy's show. In August 2004, their former theater was gutted to make way for a $100 million venue, which would accommodate a [[Cirque du Soleil]] show based on [[the Beatles]], in partnership with [[Apple Corps]]. The show had been in development for years.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mihailovich |first=Steven |title=Mirage looks forward to yesterday with Beatles at Cirque |url=http://www.lvbusinesspress.com:80/articles/2004/11/24/news/news09mirage.txt |work=Las Vegas Business Press |date=November 24, 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041127052825/http://www.lvbusinesspress.com:80/articles/2004/11/24/news/news09mirage.txt |archive-date=November 27, 2004}}</ref><ref name=Montreal>{{cite news |last=Weatherford |first=Mike |title=Sowing the Seeds of 'Love': Roots of Beatles-themed Cirque show can be traced to a Montreal garden party in 2000 |url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Jun-02-Fri-2006/weekly/7644936.html |work=Las Vegas Review-Journal |date=June 2, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060619144625/http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Jun-02-Fri-2006/weekly/7644936.html |archive-date=June 19, 2006}}</ref> The revamped theater includes 2,000 seats,<ref>{{cite news |last=Smith |first=Rod |title=The show is coming yeah, yeah yeah |url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Apr-09-Sun-2006/business/6709033.html |work=Las Vegas Review-Journal |date=April 9, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060412170950/http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Apr-09-Sun-2006/business/6709033.html |archive-date=April 12, 2006}}</ref> the largest of any Cirque du Soleil stage in Las Vegas.<ref>{{cite news |last=Radke |first=Brock |title=Go behind the scenes for free at 'The Beatles Love' |url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2017/oct/18/beatles-love-magical-technical-tour-cirque-mirage/ |access-date=May 5, 2022 |work=Las Vegas Sun |date=October 18, 2017}}</ref> It has 6,000 speakers.<ref name=Montreal/>
The show, titled ''[[Love (Cirque du Soleil)|Love]]'', opened in June 2006 and
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