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The Mirage

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A casino hotel is an establishment consisting of a casino with temporary lodging provided in an on-premises hotel . Customers receive the benefits of both gambling facilities and lodging. Since the casino and hotel are located on the same premises, a gambler's necessities can be provided for in one location.

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85-645: The Mirage was a casino resort on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise , Nevada , United States. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by Hard Rock International . The 65-acre property includes a 90,548 sq ft (8,412.2 m) casino and 3,044 rooms. Golden Nugget, Inc. , led by developer Steve Wynn , purchased the future land of the Mirage in 1986. A hotel-casino, the Castaways , occupied

170-725: A South Seas / Polynesian theme. Wynn said, "There had been a terrible sameness to the properties of Las Vegas. The public couldn't differentiate between the Sands , the Dunes , the Aladdin , the Sahara . I wanted to take it to a new level". Describing his vision, Wynn said, "Think of the harsh Southern Nevada desert, and then you see a waterfall, something out of the South Pacific or the island of Kauai. It's not supposed to be there, and that

255-553: A bid to counter their seedy image"; customers are limited to three visits a week; and locals will have to pay an entrance charge of ¥6000, while foreigners can enter for free. The bill "clearly takes a leaf from Singapore's book". In 2007, the Philippine Amusement & Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) opened Entertainment City by the Manila Bay to four integrated resorts. In 2022, Universal Hotels & Resorts of

340-604: A couple of days. The casino was reopened, by Nicholas Robone and his family, as the La Mirage Casino in January 1986. The family had been approved for a two-month gaming license, giving state regulators enough time to investigate an anonymous tip that Nicholas Robone had skimmed money while previously working at the Continental hotel-casino across the street. The skimming charges were not proven. In March 1986,

425-522: A fire-shooting device for the revamped volcano. It closed in February 2008, to allow for the $ 25 million upgrade to take place. The volcanic structure, made of steel, was stripped down to receive a new exterior. It reopened at the end of the year. The improved volcano shoots water 12 feet (3.7 m) high, while 120 flamethrower devices spout out flames on the lagoon. The attraction is choreographed to music by Mickey Hart and Zakir Hussain . WET's redesign

510-558: A full renovation as part of the rebranding, with rooms being completely gutted and remodeled. Hard Rock also intends to construct a guitar-shaped hotel tower on the property, like the Seminole Hard Rock in Florida. The new tower will replace the Mirage's volcano, prompting a Change.org petition to save the attraction from demolition. This effort was unsuccessful, and the volcano will be demolished once construction begins on

595-425: A history of squatters . On March 29, 2013, Clark County ordered the property's owners to demolish Key Largo's remaining structures by April 26, 2013. The owners were also ordered to stabilize or demolish the casino's northern wall by April 19, 2013. Asbestos located inside the building would need to be removed before large-scale demolition work could take place. On March 31, 2013, a search for human remains among

680-474: A new guitar-shaped hotel tower, taking the place of the volcano attraction. The Mirage closed on July 17, 2024, and is expected to reopen under its new name by May 2027. A portion of the Mirage property was once occupied by a nightclub known as the Red Rooster. It opened in 1930, on what would become the Las Vegas Strip . The following year, it became the first Strip business to receive a gaming license. It

765-489: A portion of the property and was demolished to make way for the Mirage. The resort opened on November 22, 1989, after two years of construction. It was the world's most expensive resort, completed at a cost of $ 630 million. It was also among the world's largest hotels . The Mirage was the first megaresort to open on the Las Vegas Strip, and its success prompted a building boom in the 1990s for other large resorts along

850-630: A resort in downtown Las Vegas , on 50 acres of railroad land that would later become the site of the Clark County Government Center . Wynn's plan to build in downtown were scrapped after the railroad declined his $ 50 million offer for the land, asking twice that amount. Wynn eventually purchased the Castaways and nearby acreage in October 1986. Wynn's purchase included Hayes' house, which was vacated and demolished along with

935-404: A staff of 60 gardeners to oversee the various plant life around the property. The resort includes a nine-story domed atrium which covers an indoor tropical rainforest display. It has a combination of fake and real plant life, including orchids and 70-foot palm trees. A 40-foot Washington palm was injected with formaldehyde to preserve it, and a steel rod was inserted up its trunk to angle it over

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1020-550: A stream in the atrium. Brinkerhoff handled the design and landscaping for the atrium, which was inspired by a project that Wynn planned in Atlantic City, before cancelling it in 1985. By 2019, the resort's tropical theme had been scaled back. Five years later, the atrium would be demolished as part of the Hard Rock transition. With 3,049 rooms, the Mirage was among the world's largest hotels when it opened, surpassed by

1105-401: A texture to the rock formations to produce micro bubbles in the water, fulfilling Wynn's desire to have whitewater in the attraction, as it allowed for adequate lighting. Wynn disliked the sulfuric odor given off by the volcanic eruptions, so a piña colada scent was added. In 2005, the design firm WET was hired to begin planning an upgrade of the volcano. The company spent two years developing

1190-453: A water slide, and high-roller villas. It would cost up to $ 15 million, and would be built behind the resort. It was scheduled to open later in 1990, but ultimately went unbuilt. Wynn owned the resort through his company, Golden Nugget Inc., which he renamed Mirage Resorts in 1991. A $ 55 million renovation took place in 1995. As of 1997, it was the most profitable resort on the Strip. Wynn left

1275-417: Is a major resort property that includes a hotel with a casino , together with convention facilities, entertainment shows, theme parks , luxury retail and fine dining . The term is largely Singaporean . Earlier IR licenses were awarded to Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa , which both began operations in early 2010, and were by 2013 the most profitable casinos in the world. Since then,

1360-400: Is a popular attraction. The Mirage's casino measures 90,548 sq ft (8,412.2 m). It opened with 2,300 slot machines and 115 table games. A high-limit area was added at the last minute, having been overlooked prior to that point. The Mirage was the first Las Vegas casino to use security cameras full-time on all table games. In 1997, Mirage Resorts spent $ 150 million on artwork which

1445-422: Is no longer state-of-the-art." Nevada gaming regulations required that the Mirage award its $ 1.6 million accumulated progressive jackpot before its closure, with the casino paying out about 75% as slot machine jackpots and the other 25% via table games. From July 9-11, the casino gave away $ 200,000 in slot machine jackpots, followed by $ 250,000 over the next two days. On July 16, it gave away $ 100,000;

1530-775: The Las Vegas Hilton (3,174) and the Rossiya Hotel in Moscow (3,200). The hotel tower, standing 29 stories, was built out in a Y-shape layout, copying the design used at the Las Vegas Hilton. The Mirage popularized the Y-shape design, which was later copied by Las Vegas' Treasure Island , Monte Carlo , and Mandalay Bay resorts. The hotel's top five floors are used for high roller rooms and penthouse suites. The exterior windows are made of 18-karat gold, and

1615-608: The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department . A total of 117 firefighters worked to contain the fire, which caused approximately $ 4.5 million in damage. Fire crews stayed on the property late into the night to contain the fire. Fire investigators worked with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to determine the cause of the fire. An initial investigation revealed that two fires originated separately at

1700-588: The Las Vegas Strip and in Atlantic City, New Jersey . Casino hotels can be significant employers in an area; in 2009 in Atlantic City, Local 54 of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union represented 22,000 casino hotel workers. Key Largo (hotel and casino) Key Largo (also known as Quality Inn Key Largo Casino ) was a hotel and casino located on 4.85 acres (1.96 ha) of land at 377 East Flamingo Road , one mile east of

1785-532: The Las Vegas Strip , in Paradise, Nevada . The property began in 1974, as the Ambassador Inn hotel. A casino was added in 1978. The property underwent numerous name changes up to 1997, when it was reopened as the Key Largo. The property closed in 2005, to make way for a new high-rise project that failed to materialize. After years of sitting vacant, Key Largo was partially destroyed in a 2013 fire and

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1870-674: The Paramount Pictures mountain logo . A $ 14 million dolphin habitat opened at the Mirage on October 19, 1990, serving as an educational and research center. The habitat consisted of four pools providing a total of 2.5 million gallons, exceeding government regulations. The facility included tours, and visitors could interact with the dolphins and become trainers for a day. It was a popular educational attraction among schoolchildren. It originally featured five bottlenose dolphins , including four from Marathon, Florida and one from Texas. As of 2008, three dolphin generations had been born at

1955-478: The "Fat Meeting", and the women became the subject of weight-related jokes among co-workers. Two women agreed to $ 5,000 settlements in 1998, and another withdrew from the case. It ended in May 2003, after the remaining women agreed to settlements with MGM Mirage. In 2003, several resort employees were fired after failure to file months' worth of currency transaction reports . One former employee in particular would become

2040-512: The Castaways to make way for a new casino resort. Wynn sold his Golden Nugget Atlantic City resort, and used the profits to fund his new project. Numerous names were considered for Wynn's project, including Bombay and Bombay Club, which had been rejected by the end of 1986. "Wynn" was considered as a name, and would later be used for the Wynn Las Vegas resort. Wynn unveiled plans for the tropical-themed resort, temporarily known then as

2125-697: The Gokongwei-led JG Summit Holdings conglomerate opened the Nustar Resort and Casino integrated resort in Kawit Island of the South Road Properties reclamation area of Cebu City . Cinnamon Life Colombo is Sri Lanka's first integrated resort. The resort is consists of an 800 room hotel, 47-storeyed resident tower and convention center with 5,000 seating capacity. Integrated resorts are common on

2210-603: The Golden Nugget, in June 1987. He said the project would be renamed at a later point to match its South Seas theme. The project's working title came from Wynn's Golden Nugget hotel-casino in downtown Las Vegas. Wynn did not intend to have two Golden Nuggets in Las Vegas, believing they would become known as "the old one" and "the new one", the former of which he found undesirable for the downtown property. The final name

2295-402: The Hard Rock transition. The guitar tower is expected to rise 660 feet. Hard Rock's previous proposal for a 998-foot tower was rejected by the county. The redesigned tower would add 596 rooms for a new total of 3,640. Construction is expected to take two and a half years. The casino and convention facilities will also be expanded. Hard Rock's purchase was finalized on December 19, 2022, making it

2380-714: The Integrated Casino Resorts Cyprus Consortium, is the first integrated resort in Cyprus, and all of Europe. It was expected to launch in 2021, and is currently open. On 20 July 2018, the Japanese Diet passed a bill allowing the establishment of casinos in three Japanese cities. Under the Integrated Resort Implementation Law, "the casinos will be embedded in family-friendly resorts, partly in

2465-463: The Key Largo on August 29, 1997, with three table games, 248 slot machines, 150 employees, and 320 rooms. The hotel remained a part of the Quality Inn chain. If successful, there were plans to expand the casino and add a hotel tower, both on vacant land directly west of Key Largo. A sportsbook opened at the casino in 1999. Key Largo's low prices appealed to tourists and local residents, as

2550-404: The Las Vegas Strip a year later. Both businesses received $ 250,000 to stop using the name as of July 1, 1988. That year, the Ambassador Inn hotel became a Quality Inn , while the casino was renamed Anthony's Casino. In 1993, the name changed to Quality Inn & Casino. During 1997, the property was given a $ 7 million renovation and a south Florida theme. The hotel-casino reopened as

2635-500: The Las Vegas Strip, with the volcano serving as an attraction to pique the interest of pedestrians and lure them inside. This was done at the suggestion of Elaine Wynn: "Steve wanted to build the Mirage right off the sidewalk, and I said that we had to push it back, that people wouldn't get the benefit of the architectural design if they didn't have a frame of reference". Wynn had the property layout designed for convenience to guests, allowing them to quickly access amenities. The Mirage has

The Mirage - Misplaced Pages Continue

2720-459: The Mirage to Trump's properties instead. Choi, meanwhile, filed wrongful termination lawsuits against the company. The two settled in 2001. In 1997, the Mirage was sued by 11 cocktail waitresses alleging weight discrimination from Wynn and the resort. The suit referenced a 1995 meeting that some of the women had with Wynn, who allegedly told them, "You're too fat, and I'm embarrassed to have you working here". The incident would later become known as

2805-413: The Mirage would permanently close two months later, in order to expedite the project. Hard Rock Las Vegas is expected to open by the end of May 2027. It will employ up to 6,000 workers. The Mirage's hotel closed on July 15, 2024. Gaming operations ended on the early morning of July 17, and the entire property was closed later that day, shortly after 11:00 a.m. The Mirage attracted many last-time visitors in

2890-429: The Mirage, along with many other MGM properties, was transferred in 2016 to MGM Growth Properties , while MGM Resorts continued to operate it under a lease agreement. Vici Properties would later acquire MGM Growth, including the Mirage, in 2022. In 2019, Hard Rock International expressed an interest in buying property on the Las Vegas Strip for a new Hard Rock resort, following the 2018 sale and proposed rebranding of

2975-456: The Mirage, which needed to make an unprecedented $ 1 million per day to cover its expenses. The property would end up exceeding expectations, and gaming would become less of a focus for future Strip resorts. The Mirage was the first new resort to be built on the Strip in 16 years, after the completion of the MGM Grand (now Horseshoe) in 1973. The Mirage was also the first megaresort to open on

3060-572: The Robone family was approved by Nevada for a 12-month limited gaming license. Nicholas Robone and his wife Mary held 47.5 percent of the casino, while their son, Anthony Robone, held five percent and was the casino's manager. In 1987, Allen Rosoff sued La Mirage for trademark infringement . Rosoff was the owner of the Mirage Motel , which he had been operating at the south end of the Las Vegas Strip since 1953, and claimed that La Mirage's name

3145-568: The Strip, and was the second in the Las Vegas Valley after the opening of the International Hotel in 1969. The Mirage's success prompted a building boom for other large Strip resorts during the 1990s. Prior to the Mirage's opening, the city was experiencing a decline in tourism, especially following New Jersey's legalization of gambling in Atlantic City. Las Vegas tourism increased 16 percent in 1990, which remains one of

3230-561: The Strip. The Mirage opened with several non-traditional attractions for a Las Vegas casino, including animal habitats for dolphins and tigers, and an indoor tropical forest display. Its primary attraction is an artificial volcano that erupts nightly, providing free entertainment in front of the resort. In 1990, the Mirage debuted a magic show by Siegfried & Roy , who performed there for nearly 14 years. The resort also hosted Cirque du Soleil 's first Las Vegas show, Nouvelle Expérience , which opened in 1992. Cirque du Soleil would return to

3315-695: The attraction, and a fourth began in 2019. The attraction did not feature wild dolphins. Casino resort The casino may offer common forms of gambling including slot machines , table games , and sports betting . The hotel, nearby or directly connected to the casino, provides lodging and may include other popular services such as food and beverages, valet parking , a swimming pool , health club , and on-site entertainment. Many casino hotels in popular destinations, operate as resort hotels with additional services such as upscale lodgings, ballrooms, and large conference facilities, in which case they may be called integrated resort . An integrated resort ( IR )

3400-432: The casino floor and hotel rooms, while adding several restaurants. In 2009, Phil Ruffin bought the adjacent Treasure Island Hotel and Casino from MGM Mirage. He subsequently made offers to buy the 65-acre Mirage, but was rejected. MGM Mirage was renamed MGM Resorts International in 2010. Twenty years after its opening, the Mirage remained popular despite being overshadowed by newer and more-luxurious resorts. Ownership of

3485-401: The closure. She had not visited the property in years and said, "It's a very poignant moment for me, and I didn't realize the impact of it until I walked into the building. But this is what we do in Las Vegas. We reinvest, we refresh, and we keep Las Vegas as one of the most exciting cities in the entire world." The ceremony concluded with a final eruption of the volcano. Steve Wynn did not attend

The Mirage - Misplaced Pages Continue

3570-438: The company called Choi a rogue employee and declined to provide legal assistance. After 79 days in prison, she returned to the U.S. and was fired. State gaming regulators alleged that Choi's actions were supported by Mirage Resorts, which eventually paid a $ 350,000 fine. The company later alleged that Choi embezzled money, and that she conspired with Wynn's casino rival, Donald Trump , to obtain guest lists and divert customers from

3655-433: The company, alleging wrongful termination in the case. The Mirage was designed by Joel Bergman , who led Wynn's design firm Atlandia. The firm also included interior designers Henry Conversano and Roger Thomas, and architect DeRuyter Butler. Don Brinkerhoff and his landscape company, Lifescapes International, also worked on the resort. In addition to his team, Wynn also took design suggestions from his wife Elaine . The team

3740-442: The company, helped fund the project by selling $ 525 million worth of mortgage bonds . The Mirage was the first Las Vegas resort to be built with the money of Wall Street through the use of junk bonds. This financing method would later be adopted by other casino developers throughout the U.S. Bobby Baldwin oversaw major aspects of the project with Wynn, and would later serve as the Mirage's president, after previously serving in

3825-413: The county, and were granted a four-month extension to demolish the hotel-casino. A Clark County spokeswoman said, "It's a pretty complex project because there's asbestos involved. They have to abate the asbestos and then tear down the building. Given the condition of the building, it's hard to get in there, so it's going to take some time." Demolition was underway as of June 2013. Additional demolition work

3910-414: The days leading up to its closure. Hard Rock International expected to provide $ 80 million in severance pay to the property's 3,000 laid-off workers. At its closure, the Mirage included 137 employees who had been with the property since it opened. Closing ceremonies included speeches by former Las Vegas mayor Jan Jones Blackhurst and by Steve Wynn's wife, Elaine Wynn , who toured the property hours before

3995-553: The event, but wrote a lengthy tribute to the property, acknowledging its legacy. Bo Bernhard, director of the International Gaming Institute at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), noted that the Mirage "changed the image Las Vegas projected to the rest of the world" and set a standard for future resorts. Michael Green, a UNLV history professor, said, "Las Vegas always reinvents itself. The Mirage

4080-444: The fire-damaged debris concluded with no bodies found. However, multiple squatters were found during the search, which was conducted with cadaver dogs . On April 4, 2013, ATF released a report suggesting that arson was the cause of the fire. Officials offered a $ 5,000 reward for information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of the responsible party. On April 26, 2013, the property's owners filed demolition plans with

4165-457: The first tribal gaming operator on the Las Vegas Strip. Under the new ownership, additional slot machines and table games were soon added in an effort to increase gaming revenue. Stages were also added to two bars for nightly entertainment, consistent with Hard Rock's music theme. The Mirage was expected to continue operating throughout the renovation and expansion project, with completion by early 2028. However, in May 2024, Hard Rock announced that

4250-480: The hotel's 16th floor. The men, who were never found, took more than $ 70,000 according to Canterino, who said the incident made him nervous to leave home. He sued the Mirage, alleging inadequate security. After a decade of litigation, the Nevada Supreme Court ruled in the resort's favor. In 1997, Mirage executive Laura Choi traveled to South Korea to collect gambling debts for the resort. However, she

4335-399: The lagoon area was to include a dormant volcano. Lighting designer David Hersey , who was hired to light the resort, suggested making the volcano erupt. Wynn had been satisfied with the lagoon feature as-is, and he was concerned that an erupting volcano would look underwhelming. However, he approved the idea after seeing a scale model. Hersey designed the attraction with Brinkerhoff. They added

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4420-440: The largest year-over-year increases in the city's history as of 2024. Due to the Mirage's success, Wynn borrowed an additional $ 100 million in 1990, to add more features. These included a parking garage, more high-roller villas, and an expansion of the pool area. Wynn also partnered with singer Michael Jackson to design a mountain and water attraction at the Mirage. It would resemble Diamond Head, Hawaii , and would include pools,

4505-420: The latter of which worked on the hotel tower. The project had an early cost of $ 550 million, although it went over budget. With an ultimate cost of $ 630 million, the Mirage was the world's most expensive hotel-casino ever built, until the opening of Trump Taj Mahal a few months later in Atlantic City . Much of the Mirage project was financed by Drexel Burnham Lambert . Financier Michael Milken , an executive of

4590-513: The near future. And so we just took a strategic decision to sell it". In December 2021, Hard Rock agreed to purchase the Mirage's operations from MGM Resorts for $ 1.075 billion. Under the deal, Hard Rock would lease the property from Vici and would rebrand the Mirage as the Hard Rock Las Vegas . MGM would keep the "Mirage" name and license it to Hard Rock for up to three years, until the rebranding takes effect. The Mirage will receive

4675-523: The night of January 18, 2005, although many operations at the property had ceased earlier in the day. Approximately 200 people worked at the hotel-casino, which featured 245 slot machines, four blackjack tables, and a roulette wheel. The casino's sportsbook was closed a week earlier, on January 12, 2005. Anthony Curtis of the Las Vegas Advisor opined that Key Largo would not be missed significantly, stating that while it had loyal customers, it

4760-465: The night of May 12, 2008, a man started a fire at the abandoned hotel-casino while attempting to steal copper wiring . The man was unaware that the power was still active and suffered burns on over 80 percent of his body. On the afternoon of March 28, 2013, a fire broke out at the closed hotel-casino. The fire was reported around 3:05 p.m. Because of the fire, East Flamingo Road was closed between Koval Lane and Paradise Road for several hours by

4845-451: The original Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. In November 2021, MGM Resorts announced that it was in the early process of selling the Mirage's casino operations. The company already operated nine other resorts, and was in the process of adding a tenth. CEO William Hornbuckle , who helped oversee the Mirage's opening, said the resort "just fell pretty far down in the spectrum of how much in capital we'd allocate to it in any given period of time in

4930-530: The primary focus of a state investigation, which found that he had lied to his supervisors about mailing the reports, concealing the fact that he was actually months behind on the work. Nearly 15,000 reports had gone unfiled, and the Nevada Gaming Commission issued a record $ 5 million fine against MGM Mirage. CEO Terry Lanni considered it the most embarrassing incident in the gaming industry during his 26-year career. Two other ex-employees sued

5015-458: The property and Mirage Resorts in 2000, when the company was acquired by MGM Grand Inc. , later renamed to MGM Mirage. The hotel rooms were renovated in 2002, and a major renovation took place from 2005 to 2006, to help the Mirage compete with newer resorts. The project included several new restaurants and a nightclub, among other changes. It was the largest renovation since the resort's opening. A $ 100 million renovation took place in 2008, updating

5100-553: The property in 2006, with the debut of Love , a show featuring music by the Beatles . Wynn departed the property in 2000, when his company was acquired by MGM Grand . Hard Rock International took over operations in December 2022, becoming the first tribal gaming operator on the Strip. The company intends to rebrand the resort as Hard Rock Las Vegas . The property will receive a complete renovation and expansion which will include

5185-429: The property was known for its $ 1.99 hamburgers and cheap hotel accommodation. In October 2004, plans were approved for two high-rise towers to be constructed on the property: a 70-foot hotel tower with 344 rooms, to replace the existing hotel and its 314 rooms; and a 196-foot condominium tower with 905 units. It was not clear if the casino would be demolished or integrated into the proposed project. Key Largo closed on

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5270-457: The public and visible to pedestrians, erupts regularly each night. Gas jets provide the flames for the volcano, which has water flowing down its sides into a lagoon, covering 4.5 acres (1.8 ha). Natural gas pipes, 8 inches (200 mm) in width, are used in conjunction with a recirculating system to give the appearance that the lagoon is on fire. In addition, whitewater from the volcano is covered in red lighting to simulate lava. Originally,

5355-509: The release of early images, wanting to keep the resort a surprise for the opening. The Mirage hired nearly 6,400 employees. Wynn emphasized customer service to the workers, who underwent a month of job training before the opening. The Mirage opened at 12:00 p.m. on November 22, 1989. Wynn previously scheduled a December 26 opening, but changed these plans after securing the Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Roberto Durán III boxing match at

5440-419: The remaining $ 400,000 was given away at the table games. Work on the Hard Rock project began one day after the closure. Demolition of the volcano was among the first tasks. Signage from the Mirage was donated to the city's Neon Museum for preservation, including a 30-foot-long arch along the Strip that marked the resort's south entry. In 1992, guest Joseph Canterino said he was beaten and robbed by two men on

5525-469: The resort for December 7. He intended for the Mirage to become a popular venue for boxing matches, competing with other Las Vegas resorts. Within hours of the opening, a casino customer hit a $ 4.6 million jackpot on a $ 1 slot machine. The resort had non-traditional features for a Las Vegas gaming property, and Wynn considered them to be the primary attractions, saying the Mirage would not be dependent on its casino like other properties. Its signature attraction

5610-484: The same position at the Las Vegas Golden Nugget. To prepare for the opening, Baldwin and others spent nearly a year visiting 250 companies – in fields such as hospitality and dining – to gather information and advice. Dissatisfied with the current public relations firm, Wynn hired Hill & Knowlton eight weeks before the opening. Despite the company's objections, Wynn refused to allow media tours and

5695-403: The south and north ends of the property. Severe damage, such as a collapsed roof on the property's northern side (formerly the casino floor), slowed down the investigation. Clark County Building Official Ron Lynn, who believed that the hotel-casino was damaged beyond repair, said there were indications that people had sought shelter inside the abandoned building. During its closure, Key Largo had

5780-446: The suite floors are distinguished with uninterrupted glass panes, whereas the lower floors have white streaks between them. The white-and-gold color scheme had previously been used at the Golden Nugget. Since its opening, the hotel has featured a $ 1.2 million aquarium tank, built behind the check-in stand. The aquarium was conceived by Conversano to distract guests and relax them while waiting to check in. It contains hundreds of fish, and

5865-719: The term has been adopted by the hospitality industry for global use. In August 2018, the Queensland government was set to invite investors to register their interest in developing an Integrated Resort Development in the Gold Coast. This comes after a proposed development on the Gold Coast Spit ended on 1 August 2017. In June 2021, the Integrated Resort Development Act 1987 was updated. The City of Dreams Mediterranean , developed by

5950-410: The word "LOVE". The club closed in 2015. The resort includes a topless pool area known as Bare Pool Lounge, opened in 2007. It is also operated by The Light Group. It features DJ music, and is popular among local residents, as well as celebrities. The Mirage opened with an artificial volcano attraction, located in front of the resort. It became a signature attraction for Las Vegas. The volcano, free to

6035-408: Was added in 2005, operated by The Light Group . The 16,500 sq ft (1,530 m) club was divided across three rooms. It featured projection imagery and 120 LED ceiling tiles. The club operated until 2011, when it was renamed 1 OAK, standing for "one of a kind". The club featured artwork by Roy Nachum . It closed in early 2020. Revolution, an $ 11 million nightclub themed after the Beatles ,

6120-484: Was added in 2006, to accompany the resort's opening of the Beatles-themed show Love by Cirque du Soleil . It was a joint venture between Apple Corps and Cirque du Soleil, marking the latter's first Las Vegas nightclub. The 7,000 sq ft (650 m) club fit up to 400 people. The entrance was marked by 10-foot-tall capitalized letters spelling out the club's name, with "EVOL" spelled backwards to form

6205-418: Was an erupting artificial volcano, providing free entertainment to pedestrians in front of the resort. Other attractions included a dolphin habitat and a lush jungle display located beneath a domed atrium. In addition, the resort featured a magic show by Siegfried & Roy , and the duo's white tigers were on display in the resort while not performing. Financial analysts and gaming executives were skeptical of

6290-602: Was announced in December 1988: The Mirage. The name emphasized the resort as an oasis in the Nevada desert. To avoid confusion, Wynn purchased the rights to the Mirage name from two local businesses, the La Mirage Casino and the Mirage Motel . Both received $ 250,000 to change their names. Construction began in November 1987. General contractors included MarCor Development Company and Sierra Construction Corporation,

6375-429: Was arrested for violating the country's law on debt collection, which prohibited citizens from allowing money to go overseas if the amount exceeded $ 10,000. According to the Mirage, the money was supposed to be collected in other countries through a number of legal avenues. An investigation into Choi and the Mirage was launched by multiple agencies. Choi said Mirage Resorts was aware of her actions and encouraged them, while

6460-416: Was causing confusion among his prospective customers. Rosoff won a permanent injunction against La Mirage. However, La Mirage was granted a stay of proceedings until it could appeal the case to the Nevada Supreme Court . In 1988, as La Mirage was appealing the case, businessman Steve Wynn purchased the Mirage name from both businesses to avoid confusion with his upcoming Mirage resort , which opened on

6545-487: Was displayed in the resort's high-stakes gaming area. The casino added a new high-limit gaming area in 2004, featuring design work by artist Dale Chihuly . The Mirage also has 300,000 sq ft (28,000 m) of convention space. Other resort features have included a tattoo parlor, and a clothing store by the Kardashian family . The Mirage-Treasure Island Tram travels between the two resorts. The Jet nightclub

6630-500: Was heavily involved in every design aspect of the project, which underwent numerous revisions, particularly in relation to its hotel tower. Wynn's team did extensive studies of several local resorts – Bally's , the Las Vegas Hilton , the Flamingo , and the adjacent Caesars Palace – and sought to combine their best features into one property. Unlike other casinos at the time, the Mirage's pedestrian entrances were built back away from

6715-536: Was inspired by the Fountains of Bellagio , another choreographed attraction by the company. In 2015, MGM reduced the number of daily volcanic eruptions as a potential cost-saving measure. Super Bowl LVIII was held in Las Vegas in 2024, and was broadcast by CBS , owned by Paramount Global . To promote the game and Paramount media franchises, the Mirage's volcano and lagoon area were temporarily transformed into an interactive Alpine-themed mountain attraction depicting

6800-542: Was later purchased by actress Grace Hayes in 1947, and became the Grace Hayes Lodge. It was demolished in 1959, although Hayes continued living in a house located on the property. Another portion of the land was occupied by a hotel-casino known as the Castaways . Casino owner Steve Wynn had considered building a resort on the Strip to be known as Victoria Bay , but the project was canceled in 1981, due to high costs. Three years later, he thought about building

6885-400: Was left to deteriorate. By June 2007, the casino's gaming license had expired. Because of new laws, the property would need to add at least 200 hotel rooms, a 24-hour restaurant, and 2,000 sq ft (190 m ) of public space to qualify for a new license. The property was ultimately put up for sale at a price of $ 79 million. The price was later lowered to $ 48 million. On

6970-530: Was not nearly as popular as its nearby competitors, Ellis Island and Terrible's Hotel and Casino . In June 2005, the Clark County Commission approved design plans for the new resort and condominium project, allowing for the demolition of Key Largo. The project would include a 20,000 sq ft (1,900 m ) casino and three towers, with its tallest building standing 41 stories high. The new project failed to materialize, and Key Largo

7055-502: Was subsequently demolished. The property was built and opened in 1974, as the Ambassador Inn, part of a hotel chain. A casino called Ambassador Casino opened on the property in 1978, while the hotel retained the Ambassador Inn name. In 1981, the Ambassador Inn was sold to new owners, and received a $ 1 million renovation a year later. In June 1982, the Ambassador Casino filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy . The hotel

7140-455: Was the intention". He was partly inspired by the 1958 film South Pacific . The volcano and waterfall features were added as a contrast to the city's usual neon lights. Wynn said, "I'm burned out on neon. I think it's cheap. To me, neon is yesterday Las Vegas". Upon its opening, the exterior included 10 acres of landscaped lawns and pools, featuring 1,000 palm trees and 40,000 scrubs. Other plant life included pine trees and ferns. The Mirage had

7225-401: Was unaffected, as it was owned by a separate company. The Ambassador Casino closed at 6:00 a.m. on September 7, 1982, because of financial problems caused by a lack of tourism and a poor local economy. At that time, the casino had 80 employees, six blackjack tables, one craps table, and 140 slot machines. The 315-room hotel, bar and restaurant were also closed, but were expected to reopen in

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