Hard Rock Las Vegas

Background

An earlier gaming property, the Hard Rock Hotel, operated east of the Las Vegas Strip from 1995 to 2020. Hard Rock International was not involved with the property except in name.[1] In 2019, with plans to rename the original Hard Rock as Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Hard Rock International expressed an interest in buying a property on the Strip and rebranding it as a new Hard Rock resort.[2] In 2020, the company bought the naming rights for a future Las Vegas property.[1]

The upcoming Hard Rock Las Vegas is being developed at the former site of The Mirage, a casino resort on the central Strip. The Mirage opened on November 22, 1989, and later came under the ownership of MGM Resorts International.[3]

Hard Rock announced in December 2021 that it would rebrand the Mirage as Hard Rock Las Vegas.[4] Vici Properties completed a previously announced acquisition of MGM's properties, including the Mirage, in April 2022. MGM continued to operate these properties,[5] although Hard Rock took over the Mirage's operations in December 2022, after completing a $1.075 billion deal with MGM.[6] Hard Rock leases the property from Vici,[7] and continued operating the Mirage until its closure on July 17, 2024.[8]

Construction

Work on the Hard Rock project began one day after the closure.[9][8] The Mirage structures will receive a full renovation as part of the Hard Rock rebranding,[10] with hotel rooms being completely gutted and remodeled.[11][12] The casino and convention facilities will also be expanded.[13][14]

Aside from renovations to existing rooms, Hard Rock also intends to construct a guitar-shaped hotel tower on the property, like the Seminole Hard Rock in Florida.[15][16] The new tower is being built on the former site of the Mirage's volcano attraction.[17][18][19] Demolition of the volcano was among the first tasks on the Hard Rock project.[20]

The guitar tower is expected to rise 660 feet.[21] Hard Rock previously proposed a 998-foot tower, which was rejected by Clark County officials.[22] Construction of the tower is expected to take two and a half years;[23] most of the pilings were in place as of January 2025.[24] The size of the Hard Rock project soon grew to include additional rooms in the guitar tower, increasing it from 596[25] to 675. The updated plans also include expanded pool and spa amenities.[26]

Opening

Hard Rock Las Vegas is expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2027, several months later than previously scheduled.[27] The property is expected to employ up to 6,000 workers, and will open with a 174,000 sqft casino, featuring 2,000 slot machines and 212 table games.[28] The hotel will have approximately 3,700 rooms, including those in the new guitar tower.[29] Like the original Hard Rock Hotel, the new resort is expected to feature music memorabilia, though not to the same extent.[30]

Upon the opening of the hotel, the Hard Rock-Treasure Island Tram will reopen. The tram previously connected The Mirage and Treasure Island Hotel and Casino.[31]