Hard Rock to begin transition of Las Vegas Strip's Mirage with demolition of iconic volcano fountain

Hard Rock International (HRI) will soon close The Mirage Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, paving the way for the construction of its planned guitar-shaped hotel tower. According to permits issued to the company, the Mirage’s transition is expected to begin with the demolition of the popular volcano fountain, which featured hourly shows for visitors. 

The Mirage is set to cease operations by July 17th, shortly after which Hard Rock will kick off a three-year renovation project, culminating in the rebranded Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas (HRHCLV). As part of the project, the company plans to build a 660-foot tall, all-suite hotel tower shaped like glass back-to-back guitars, with other sweeping renovations inside the property’s main building.

Hard Rock representative Jennifer Lazovich had last year said that the high-rise would be built “right where the existing volcano is.” Now, according to permits obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, it has been confirmed that Mirage’s volcano fountain, its main attraction since its opening in 1989, will be the first feature to get torn down. 

According to a dust control permit obtained by the publication, Las Vegas-based PENTA Building Group is contracted to remove the existing volcano fountain and build the guitar-shaped hotel tower.

The above-cited publication also obtained Clark County Building Department records which show that the contractors responsible for the beginning of construction work received grading permits on May 20th. As per the records, Hard Rock has until November 16th to begin the project. 

A representative for the resort told Las Vegas Review-Journal that construction will not begin until the property’s closure, but did not specify an expected timeline for the work. 

The grading work, or the process of preparing land for construction, will be done for the guitar podium pad, guitar tower pad, valet building, and other associated improvements, according to the permit’s scope of work. Vegas Civil LLC is responsible for the grading project.

Records by engineering consultants Kimley Horn suggest the largest scope of the construction will be the podium expansion – one building in the front of the resort’s property upon which the guitar tower will be built.

Hard Rock acquired The Mirage’s operations from MGM Resorts International in December 2022 for more than $1 billion in cash. Casino landlord Vici Properties owns the Mirage’s real estate and has said that its lease with Hard Rock calls for an initial annual rent of $90 million.