Mirage Hotel and Casino to close this week
LAS VEGAS (CBS, KYMA/KECY) - Hard Rock International announced its plans to cease operations of The Mirage Hotel & Casino on Wednesday.
This is to begin the transformation of the property into the highly anticipated Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas.
Locals and tourists share their reaction to the Mirage's closing.
"We knew that they were closing so I was like I have to go and see it before it's the Hard Rock," said Alison Rodriguez, visiting from Texas.
It's an end to an era as the tropical oasis known as the Mirage will close it's doors for good July 17.
The Mirage which debuted on the strip almost 35 years ago, was home to some of the most famous acts and Sunday marked the last night guests were able to stay there.
"The Sigfried and Roy show is the most iconic thing that you think of when you think about the Mirage and then also The Beatles Show…I tried to make it out to see it, but it finished last week, so this is the closest I'm going to get to it," Rodriguez expressed.
Las Vegas locals who typically stay away from the Strip, shared their past experiences there as many describe their time at the Mirage as their own exotic tropical getaway in the desert.
"I appreciated the Mirage and I loved when it opened. You have to dress up to go in there or you didn't get to go in there, it was amazing," said Andrea Werner, a Las Vegas local.
The 3,000+ room casino resort will continue to operate as the Mirage until renovations and rebranding begin to turn it into the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, and the remodeling is expected to take three years, with a completion date of spring 2027.
Other Las Vegas locals says while they will miss the nightly volcano shows and the jungle-like atmosphere of the water and foliage, they have high hopes for what's to come.
"It's sad to see it go away, but I am excited to see the Hard Rock because that guitar looks pretty amazing," said Jay Chan, a Las Vegas local.
"I'm hoping Hard Rock is like the old Hard Rock in the sense that it was the place to be years ago and I'm hoping that it makes this property become that again," said Carlos Delafuente, another Las Vegas local.
