Now that the Mirage has shuttered on the Strip, Hard Rock International wasted little time moving bulldozers onto the site later on Wednesday. Major demolition starts next week to begin the long process of redeveloping the property into a Hard Rock casino resort.
Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International and CEO of Seminole Gaming under the Seminole Tribe of Florida, said little about the plans for the property when he spoke to reporters prior to the closing ceremonies. How much will be demolished or remodeled hasn’t been disclosed and Allen said more will be announced at a later date.
The Atrium just inside the Las Vegas Strip entrance will be taken down. He previously said the volcano will be eliminated, replaced by the 700-foot guitar-shaped hotel tower that’s iconic of the Hard Rock brand.
“Bulldozers and construction people will be here tomorrow,” Allen said Wednesday. “We’ve been slowly mobilizing the past five to six months, but by this time next week, we will be in major demolition.”
During the closing ceremony, Allen talked about the project costing $4 billion to $5 billion.
“We will save certain things,” Allen said. “The number-one question I get is what’s happening with the atrium and the villas. The atrium will not be in the future. The villas are safe. We know they’re a part of the amazing legacy of this building. We will certainly update the interiors, but when we thought about the iconic individuals — celebrities and politicians and influencers — that have stayed in the legendary villas, we thought it was very important to keep this heritage.”
Beyond that, Allen wouldn’t detail how much of the property’s footprint will remain. “We’re not going into the specifics of the new project. This is about the legacy of The Mirage. Certainly, we’re really excited about presenting the project the proper way in the future.”
Allen started in gaming in 1979 and said he first saw the Mirage in the early 1990s when he worked for Donald Trump, helping to open the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. Allen talked about purchasing the Hard Rock brand in 2006 and how he and his team looked at a lot of vacant land and existing properties in Las Vegas over the years.
“I don’t think anyone can dispute that this is the best piece of real estate on the Las Vegas Strip,” Allen said. “It’s truly the 50-yard line. A site that’s almost 80 acres gives us the ability to look at massive expansion when the business hits its performance.”
As for what of the Mirage experience will carry over to the new property, Allen mentioned “a special little area where people will come to see the legacy of the property,” but went on to say that the design and decor will change.
It’s important for Las Vegas and the industry to create a destination that’s not based solely on slot machines and gaming tables, Allen said of the plans, a business model followed by Hard Rock for years. Globally, Hard Rock has been successful with free-standing hotels and restaurants and marrying that with sports and entertainment is important.
“Right now in Las Vegas, there’s a tremendous emphasis on sports — F1, basketball, football, hockey, and baseball. But you still have the integrated-resort concept, which is meeting and group, amazing food and beverage, and the world’s greatest entertainment.”
Asked about the guitar and how some people don’t like the concept on the Strip, Allen said it fits Las Vegas perfectly.
“We always yield to the local population or governing country we’re in, but in the case of Las Vegas, if there’s ever a city about wow, certainly Las Vegas would be that city. In south Florida, the structure is 450 feet, while this building will approach 700 feet. It will become a true icon, and that’s something that creates international tourism, not just for Hard Rock, but frankly for Las Vegas.”
What’s great about Las Vegas is it always has the ability to reinvent itself, Allen said. The next era for gaming in general and not just Las Vegas, however, has to be cognizant of what’s happening with igaming, sports betting, and the utilization of the smartphone for the purpose of entertainment. Anyone who’s not focused on that in the industry should be cautious.
“To the tune of many billions we’re going to invest in Las Vegas, we’re 100 percent on a long-term mindset of a place of entertainment,” Allen said.
