Hard Rock International (HRI) on Friday received regulatory approval from the Nevada Gaming Commission for its acquisition of The Mirage Hotel & Casino from MGM Resorts International. HRI assumed operational control of the property on the morning of Monday, December 19th.
Under the terms of the transaction, HRI paid $1.075 billion in cash for the property’s operating assets. The company entered into a long-term lease agreement with VICI Properties Inc. for The Mirage real estate.
The 3,044-room casino resort will continue to operate as The Mirage Hotel & Casino until the property’s renovation and rebranding to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas is complete. The process is anticipated to take an extended period, but ultimately will dramatically reimagine all aspects of the resort and change the Las Vegas skyline with the addition of a Guitar-shaped hotel tower adjacent to Las Vegas Blvd.
“Today, we would like to officially welcome the 3,500 members of The Mirage team to the global Hard Rock family and express our gratitude to the Nevada Gaming Control Board and the Nevada Gaming Commission for approving the gaming license to operate The Mirage. Hotel & Casino,” said Jim Allen, President of Hard Rock International.
“We are excited to create an integrated resort on The Strip that will make this legendary entertainment community proud,” added Allen.
Day-to-day operations at the famed Las Vegas resort will continue under The Mirage brand for the coming months, and all room reservations and group reservations will be honored with no action required by guests or group organizers. The Mirage will continue to offer world-class dining and entertainment, including Cirque Du Soleil’s The Beatles™ LOVE™ through 2023. There are no plans to close The Mirage or lay off any of its staff members.
Casino players and guests will now enjoy Hard Rock’s Unity™ system, a global loyalty program unlike any other that allows customers to earn and redeem rewards at participating Hard Rock hotels, cafes and casinos around the world.
Prior to 2020, HRI had no operational involvement with the former Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. HRI acquired the licensing and naming rights to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas in May 2020 and has promised to bring the iconic brand to the Las Vegas Strip when the right opportunity presents itself.
Hard Rock expects to release details of the reimagined resort in late 2023, as well as its new features, attractions and a development schedule.
