Hard Rock Las Vegas

Hard Rock Las Vegas is a planned casino hotel and entertainment resort under development on the central Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The project is a rebranding and large-scale renovation of the former Mirage resort, which opened in 1989 and became one of the landmark properties of modern Las Vegas. Hard Rock International is developing and operating the property under a long-term lease from Vici Properties, which owns the real estate. The resort is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2027, subject to construction and regulatory progress. The project represents Hard Rock International's return to the Las Vegas Strip after the closure of the earlier Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, which operated east of the Strip from 1995 until 2020. That earlier property used the Hard Rock name and branding under licensing arrangements but was not owned or operated by Hard Rock International. Hard Rock International later acquired naming and development rights for a future Las Vegas property and expressed interest in establishing a new flagship resort on the Strip. Plans to convert the Mirage into Hard Rock Las Vegas were announced in December 2021. Vici Properties acquired the real estate assets of MGM Resorts International's former property portfolio, including the Mirage, as part of a transaction completed in 2022. Hard Rock subsequently acquired the Mirage's operating business from MGM for approximately $1.075 billion and took over operations in December 2022. The Mirage continued operating under its existing identity for a transitional period before closing on July 17, 2024. Renovation work began immediately after closure. The redevelopment is expected to retain and extensively remodel the existing hotel and resort infrastructure while adding a prominent guitar-shaped hotel tower inspired by the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood in Florida. The tower is planned for the former site of the Mirage volcano attraction, whose removal was one of the first visible steps in the redevelopment. Earlier concepts contemplated a taller structure, but the approved design was reduced to approximately 660 feet and 42 stories. The guitar tower is expected to contain 675 rooms, while the complete resort is planned to offer approximately 3,700 rooms. Upon completion, the property is expected to include a casino of about 174,000 square feet, approximately 2,000 slot machines, and 212 table games. Other planned components include expanded convention facilities, pools and spa amenities, a sportsbook, live entertainment venues, music-related attractions, and a Hard Rock Live arena with a projected capacity of 5,000. Later planning material also described a proposed 2,000-seat theater, a guitar museum, and a karaoke room. The resort is expected to incorporate music memorabilia and Hard Rock's entertainment-led identity, although the collection may be less extensive than that of the former off-Strip Hard Rock property. Hard Rock Las Vegas is positioned as an integrated resort combining gaming, lodging, live music, food and beverage, nightlife, meetings, and destination entertainment. Its central-Strip location gives it a different commercial role from the earlier Hard Rock Hotel & Casino: rather than operating primarily as a standalone music-themed casino hotel, the new property is intended to compete with the major integrated resorts that anchor the Las Vegas Strip. The planned guitar tower is designed to provide a highly recognizable visual symbol for the Hard Rock brand and the redevelopment.

Hard Rock Las Vegas is being developed on the site of the former Mirage resort in the center of the Las Vegas Strip. The Mirage opened on November 22, 1989, and became an influential Las Vegas casino resort. The property later became part of MGM Resorts International's portfolio. In 2022, Vici Properties completed its acquisition of the real estate assets associated with MGM's properties, including the Mirage, while MGM continued operating the resort under a lease arrangement. The Hard Rock brand had an earlier Las Vegas presence through the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, which operated from 1995 to 2020 on Paradise Road east of the Strip. That property was established through licensing and branding arrangements rather than direct ownership and operation by Hard Rock International. Its owners retained the property and related rights while using the Hard Rock name. When plans emerged to convert the former property into Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Hard Rock International began pursuing a separate opportunity to establish a new resort on the Strip. In May 2020, Hard Rock International acquired naming rights and development rights for a future Las Vegas property from Juniper Capital. The company announced in December 2021 that it would rebrand the Mirage as Hard Rock Las Vegas. Hard Rock later purchased the Mirage operating business from MGM for approximately $1.075 billion and assumed operational control in December 2022. The company continued running the resort as the Mirage during the transition period. The Mirage closed on July 17, 2024. The redevelopment plan calls for a property-wide renovation, including the complete gutting and remodeling of hotel rooms and improvements to casino and convention facilities. The project also removes the former Mirage volcano attraction and replaces it with a guitar-shaped hotel tower. The tower's design draws on the guitar hotel at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood in Florida. Klai Juba Wald Architecture + Interiors, which worked on the Hollywood guitar hotel, was selected for design work on the Las Vegas project. PENTA is identified as the general contractor. An earlier proposal contemplated a tower approximately 998 feet tall, but Clark County officials rejected that version. The revised tower is planned to reach about 660 feet and contain 42 stories. The room count for the tower was subsequently increased from 596 to 675. The entire resort is planned to have approximately 3,700 rooms. Construction of the tower is expected to take roughly two and a half years, and the project is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2027. The planned resort is designed as a broad integrated entertainment complex rather than only a casino and hotel. Its announced components include a 174,000-square-foot casino with about 2,000 slot machines and 212 table games, expanded pools and spa facilities, convention space, a sportsbook, music memorabilia, and multiple live entertainment venues. A Hard Rock Live arena is planned with capacity for approximately 5,000 people. Later plans described a five-story, 2,000-seat West Theater behind the guitar hotel, including a karaoke room, as well as a guitar museum and a sportsbook facing the Strip. The former Mirage-Treasure Island tram is also expected to reopen as the Hard Rock-Treasure Island Tram. The project is intended to make Hard Rock's music, celebrity, and live-entertainment heritage visible at one of the world's best-known resort destinations. At the same time, its central-Strip location and large planned inventory place it within the highly competitive market for integrated resorts, convention travelers, casino customers, nightlife visitors, and large-scale entertainment events.

• 2025

  Guitar tower foundation work advances

  [1]Hard Rock Las Vegasen.wikipedia.org

  Most pilings for the new guitar-shaped tower are reported to be in place by January.

• 2024

  Mirage closes for redevelopment

  [1]Hard Rock Las Vegasen.wikipedia.org

  The Mirage closes on July 17, beginning the physical conversion to Hard Rock Las Vegas.

• 2022

  Hard Rock assumes Mirage operations

  [1]Hard Rock Las Vegasen.wikipedia.org

  Hard Rock completes its operating-business transaction with MGM and takes control of the Mirage.

• 2021

  Mirage rebrand announced

  [1]Hard Rock Las Vegasen.wikipedia.org

  Hard Rock announces plans to convert and rebrand the Mirage as Hard Rock Las Vegas.

• 2020

  Earlier Hard Rock Hotel & Casino closes

  [1]Hard Rock Las Vegasen.wikipedia.org

  The earlier Las Vegas Hard Rock property ceases operations.

• 2020

  Hard Rock obtains future Las Vegas naming and development rights

  [1]Hard Rock Las Vegasen.wikipedia.org

  Hard Rock International acquires naming rights and development rights for a future Las Vegas property from Juniper Capital.

• 1995

  Earlier Hard Rock property opens in Las Vegas

  [1]Hard Rock Las Vegasen.wikipedia.org

  The separately owned and licensed Hard Rock Hotel & Casino begins operating east of the Las Vegas Strip.

• 1989

  The Mirage opens

  [1]Hard Rock Las Vegasen.wikipedia.org

  The Mirage opens on November 22 on the future site of Hard Rock Las Vegas.

• Planned opening

  [1]Hard Rock Las Vegasen.wikipedia.org

  Hard Rock Las Vegas is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2027.

A music- and entertainment-led integrated casino resort designed to bring Hard Rock International's global hospitality identity to the central Las Vegas Strip.

• Gaming

  Casino

  The planned resort casino is expected to cover approximately 174,000 square feet. Announced plans call for around 2,000 slot machines and 212 table games, making gaming one of the property's central operating divisions.

• Hospitality

  Hotel

  The redeveloped resort is planned to contain approximately 3,700 rooms across renovated existing accommodations and a new guitar-shaped tower. Existing rooms are expected to receive comprehensive remodeling as part of the conversion from the Mirage.

• Hospitality and architecture

  Guitar-shaped hotel tower

  The signature tower is planned for the former Mirage volcano site. The revised design is expected to rise approximately 660 feet across 42 stories and include about 675 rooms. Its form is intended to connect the Las Vegas resort visually with Hard Rock's guitar hotel in Hollywood, Florida.

• Entertainment

  Live entertainment venues

  The resort is planned to include a 5,000-seat Hard Rock Live arena and a proposed 2,000-seat West Theater. These venues are intended to support concerts, shows, and other large-scale entertainment programming.

• Leisure and wellness

  Pools, spa, and resort amenities

  Updated plans include expanded pool and spa facilities, supporting the resort's positioning as a full-service destination for leisure travelers in addition to casino and entertainment guests.

• Cultural and entertainment attractions

  Music attractions

  Hard Rock Las Vegas is expected to feature music memorabilia and a proposed guitar museum. The music elements extend Hard Rock's established association with popular music, artists, and entertainment culture.

• 2025

  Expand the guitar tower planGeneration change

  Background

  The guitar tower is the signature architectural addition to the redevelopment.

  Action taken

  Updated plans increased the tower's planned room count from 596 to 675 and added expanded pool and spa amenities.

  Aftermath

  The revised concept increased the planned accommodation capacity and broadened the resort's leisure offering.

  Source

• 2024

  Close the Mirage for conversionStrategy

  Background

  A property-wide renovation was required to transform the Mirage into the new Hard Rock resort.

  Action taken

  Hard Rock closed the Mirage on July 17, 2024 and began renovation and construction work immediately afterward.

  Aftermath

  Existing rooms, casino areas, convention facilities, and resort amenities entered redevelopment, while the former volcano site was cleared for the guitar tower.

  Source

• 2022

  Acquire the Mirage operating businessM&A

  Background

  Vici Properties acquired the Mirage real estate from MGM's property portfolio, while MGM continued operating the resort under lease arrangements.

  Action taken

  Hard Rock purchased the Mirage operating business from MGM and assumed operational control in December 2022.

  Aftermath

  Hard Rock operated the Mirage during the transition period before closing it for the full conversion.

  Purchase price for Mirage operating business. $1.075 billion (2022 transaction)

  Source

• 2021

  Select the Mirage for Hard Rock's new Strip resortStrategy

  Background

  Hard Rock wanted a major property on the Las Vegas Strip and identified the centrally located Mirage as the platform for its new resort.

  Action taken

  Hard Rock announced plans to rebrand the Mirage as Hard Rock Las Vegas and undertake a major renovation.

  Aftermath

  The announcement established the current project and linked the Hard Rock brand to the former Mirage site.

  Source

• 2020

  Secure a new Las Vegas development opportunityStrategy

  Background

  Hard Rock International sought a new Las Vegas presence after the separately owned Hard Rock Hotel & Casino was being repositioned as Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

  Action taken

  The company acquired naming rights and development rights for a future Las Vegas property from Juniper Capital.

  Aftermath

  The rights acquisition created the basis for a new Hard Rock resort separate from the former off-Strip property.

  Source

1. 1Hard Rock Las Vegasen.wikipedia.org