The Mirage
A pioneering Las Vegas megaresort remembered for its tropical design, erupting volcano, casino, entertainment, and role in transforming the Las Vegas Strip.
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Overview
The Mirage was a casino hotel resort on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, developed by casino entrepreneur Steve Wynn and opened on November 22, 1989. It was created during a period when Las Vegas was seeking to move beyond its traditional image as a gambling and convention destination. Wynn positioned the project as a fully integrated luxury resort whose attractions, restaurants, hotel service, entertainment, and architecture would be as important as its casino. The result became one of the most influential properties in modern Las Vegas history. The resort occupied approximately 65 acres and ultimately contained 3,044 rooms and a casino of approximately 90,548 square feet. Its construction cost about $630 million, making it the most expensive hotel-casino completed at the time. The project was financed in significant part through Wall Street debt, including mortgage bonds marketed with the assistance of Drexel Burnham Lambert and Michael Milken. This financing model helped demonstrate that large-scale casino resorts could attract substantial institutional and bond-market capital. The Mirage's design emphasized spectacle and environmental immersion. Its signature feature was an artificial volcano in front of the property that erupted at scheduled intervals and offered free entertainment to pedestrians on the Strip. Inside, guests encountered a tropical forest, waterfalls, animal habitats, and a dolphin facility. The resort also became closely associated with Siegfried & Roy, whose magic and animal show began there in 1990, and with Cirque du Soleil, which presented Nouvelle Expérience at the property in 1992 and later returned with Love, a Beatles-themed production, in 2006. The property's success challenged prevailing assumptions about Las Vegas economics. Analysts had questioned whether a resort of such scale could generate the revenue needed to cover its costs, but The Mirage exceeded expectations. Its performance encouraged developers to build larger, more polished, and more experience-oriented resorts throughout the Strip during the 1990s. Tourism in the Las Vegas area rose sharply after its opening, and the resort became a model for the modern megaresort, where gaming was combined with themed architecture, headline entertainment, destination restaurants, retail, pools, and family-oriented attractions. Golden Nugget, Inc. was renamed Mirage Resorts in 1991. Steve Wynn left the company in 2000 after its acquisition by MGM Grand, which subsequently became MGM Mirage and later MGM Resorts International. The property underwent substantial room, casino, restaurant, nightlife, and resort-area renovations in 1995, 2002, 2005–2006, and 2008. Ownership of the real estate moved to MGM Growth Properties in 2016 and then to Vici Properties in 2022, while MGM Resorts remained the operating company for a period. In December 2021, Hard Rock International agreed to acquire the operating business from MGM Resorts for $1.075 billion and lease the real estate from Vici. Hard Rock temporarily retained the Mirage name under license while planning a complete redevelopment as Hard Rock Las Vegas. The Mirage hotel closed on July 15, 2024; casino operations ended in the early hours of July 17, and the property closed later that day. The planned redevelopment includes a guitar-shaped hotel tower and the removal of the volcano. The former resort therefore survives primarily as a landmark in Las Vegas tourism and resort development history rather than as an operating brand.
History
The land later occupied by The Mirage included several earlier businesses. The Red Rooster nightclub opened in 1930 and became the first Strip business to receive a gaming license the following year. It later operated as the Grace Hayes Lodge before being demolished in 1959. Another part of the site was occupied by the Castaways hotel-casino. Steve Wynn explored several resort concepts before settling on The Mirage. A proposed Victoria Bay project was abandoned in 1981 because of its cost, and a later downtown Las Vegas plan failed after negotiations for railroad land broke down. Through Golden Nugget, Inc., Wynn purchased the Castaways and surrounding acreage in October 1986. The existing properties, along with the house associated with Grace Hayes, were removed to create the new resort site. The project was initially developed under a working Golden Nugget name. Wynn considered alternatives including Bombay and Bombay Club, but ultimately selected The Mirage to evoke an oasis in the Nevada desert and reflect the planned South Seas theme. The name was announced in December 1988 after Wynn acquired naming rights from two local businesses that changed their names. Construction began in November 1987. MarCor Development Company and Sierra Construction Corporation were among the principal contractors. Costs grew from an early estimate of approximately $550 million to about $630 million. Financing included $525 million in mortgage bonds sold with the involvement of Drexel Burnham Lambert and Michael Milken. The project was notable for bringing Wall Street financing techniques, including high-yield debt, into the construction of a major Las Vegas resort. Bobby Baldwin oversaw important parts of development and later became the resort's president. In preparation for opening, the team studied hundreds of hospitality and dining companies. Nearly 6,400 employees were hired and trained, with customer service treated as a central part of the operating concept. Wynn accelerated the opening date after securing a major boxing event, the Sugar Ray Leonard–Roberto Durán III match, for December 7, 1989. The resort opened at noon on November 22, 1989. Its volcano, tropical atrium, dolphins, tigers, and other attractions distinguished it from conventional casino properties. The resort's strategy initially drew skepticism because its operating costs required exceptionally high daily revenue. Its performance nevertheless exceeded expectations, demonstrating that non-gaming attractions could drive visitation and spending. The Mirage became the first megaresort on the Strip and helped trigger the large-resort building boom of the 1990s. Golden Nugget, Inc. changed its name to Mirage Resorts in 1991. The company added amenities after the opening, including a parking garage, high-roller villas, and pool improvements. A proposed mountain-and-water attraction associated with Michael Jackson was never built. Renovations in 1995, 2002, 2005–2006, and 2008 refreshed rooms, the casino, restaurants, nightlife, and public spaces. MGM Grand acquired Mirage Resorts in 2000, after which the company became MGM Mirage and later MGM Resorts International. The resort remained under MGM operation while its real-estate ownership was transferred to MGM Growth Properties in 2016. Vici Properties acquired MGM Growth Properties in 2022. Hard Rock International separately purchased the operating business from MGM Resorts and assumed operational control in December 2022. Hard Rock planned a full conversion to Hard Rock Las Vegas, including a guitar-shaped hotel tower and the removal of the volcano. The Mirage closed in July 2024 after nearly 35 years of operation. Its closure marked the end of a property that had helped redefine Las Vegas as a destination built around themed resort experiences, headline entertainment, and large-scale hospitality rather than casino gaming alone.
- 2024
The Mirage closes
[1]The hotel closed July 15 and the casino and wider resort closed July 17 for redevelopment as Hard Rock Las Vegas.
- 2022
Vici ownership and Hard Rock operation begin
[1]Vici acquired the property through MGM Growth Properties, and Hard Rock finalized its operating takeover in December.
- 2016
Real-estate ownership moves to MGM Growth Properties
[1]The Mirage's real estate was transferred to MGM Growth Properties while MGM Resorts continued operating it under lease arrangements.
- 2000
MGM Grand acquires Mirage Resorts
[1]The acquisition ended Steve Wynn's ownership of the resort.
- 1991
Golden Nugget, Inc. becomes Mirage Resorts
[1]The corporate owner adopted the Mirage Resorts name.
- 1989
Resort opens
[1]The Mirage opened on November 22 as the first megaresort on the Las Vegas Strip.
- 1988
The Mirage name is announced
[1]The final name was selected to suggest an oasis in the Nevada desert.
- 1987
Construction begins
[1]Construction of the tropical-themed hotel-casino began in November.
- 1986
Golden Nugget acquires the Castaways site
[1]Steve Wynn's Golden Nugget, Inc. purchased the Castaways and nearby acreage for redevelopment.
- 1930
Red Rooster opens on the future resort site
[1]The Red Rooster nightclub opened on land that would later form part of The Mirage and became the first Strip business to receive a gaming license in 1931.
Products and positioning
A spectacle-driven luxury casino resort that combined gaming with themed architecture, entertainment, dining, and destination attractions.
Hotel accommodation · 1989
The Mirage hotel
The resort's hotel component contained 3,044 rooms and positioned the property as a large-scale luxury destination rather than a standalone casino. Rooms and public areas were renovated repeatedly, including major work in 2002, 2005–2006, and 2008. The hotel closed permanently in July 2024 ahead of the planned Hard Rock redevelopment.
Casino gaming · 1989
The Mirage casino
The casino occupied approximately 90,548 square feet and formed one part of a broader resort proposition. The property deliberately emphasized attractions and entertainment so that gaming would not be its sole draw. Casino operations ended in the early hours of July 17, 2024.
Outdoor attraction · 1989
Volcano
The artificial volcano in front of the resort erupted on a scheduled basis and provided free public entertainment from the Strip. It became the property's most recognizable visual symbol and a defining example of Las Vegas using spectacle to attract visitors. Hard Rock planned to remove it as part of the redevelopment.
Live entertainment · 1990
Siegfried & Roy
Siegfried & Roy's magic show debuted at The Mirage in 1990 and ran for nearly 14 years. The resort also displayed the duo's white tigers when they were not performing, making animal presentation part of the property's identity.
Cirque du Soleil production · 1992
Nouvelle Expérience
Nouvelle Expérience opened at The Mirage in 1992 and was Cirque du Soleil's first Las Vegas production. Its arrival helped establish the Strip as a long-term home for internationally recognized theatrical and circus-style productions.
Cirque du Soleil production · 2006
Love
Love, built around music by the Beatles, opened at The Mirage in 2006. It represented the resort's continued use of major theatrical entertainment to differentiate itself from competing casino hotels.
Resort attractions · 1989
Tropical atrium and animal habitats
The interior included a domed tropical environment with lush vegetation, waterfalls, and animal-related attractions, including dolphins and tigers. These features made the resort's architecture and visitor experience central to its commercial proposition.
Brand decisions
2024
Close The Mirage for a complete redevelopmentGeneration changeBackground
Hard Rock determined that converting the resort required a full closure rather than continuing operations during a gradual transition.
Action taken
The hotel closed on July 15, casino operations ended on July 17, and redevelopment began with plans for a guitar-shaped tower and removal of the volcano.
Aftermath
The Mirage ceased operating as a resort brand, while Hard Rock Las Vegas was projected to open in late 2027.
2021
Sell the operating business to Hard Rock InternationalM&ABackground
MGM Resorts concluded that The Mirage ranked lower in its future capital-allocation priorities as the company focused on its wider resort portfolio.
Action taken
MGM Resorts agreed to sell the operating business to Hard Rock International for $1.075 billion, with the real estate to be leased from Vici Properties.
Aftermath
Hard Rock assumed operations in December 2022 and planned to convert the resort into Hard Rock Las Vegas.
Operating-business sale price. $1.075 billion (December 2021 agreement)
1989
Build a resort centered on attractions as well as gamingStrategyBackground
Traditional Las Vegas properties were strongly identified with casino gambling, while Wynn wanted the new resort to attract visitors through a broader destination experience.
Action taken
The Mirage was developed with a volcano, tropical displays, animal habitats, major entertainment, restaurants, and luxury accommodation as integral components of the resort.
Aftermath
The resort exceeded skeptical financial expectations and helped establish the megaresort model later adopted across the Las Vegas Strip.
Recent events
MGM Resorts announces sale of Mirage operations to Hard Rock International[2]
Reported:
MGM Resorts announced that it had sold the operations of the Mirage hotel and casino in Las Vegas to Hard Rock International for US$1.08 billion. The deal remained subject to regulatory approval and was expected to close in the second half of 2022; MGM retained the rights to the Mirage name and brand.
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