LAS VEGAS, Nev. (KTNV) — Hard Rock International officially began operating The Mirage Hotel & Casino on Monday.
Hard Rock International paid $1.075 billion in cash for operating assets of The Mirage and entered into a long-term lease agreement with VICI Properties Inc., which owns the real estate the casino sits on.
The resort will operate as The Mirage until renovation and rebranding is complete, the company stated.
"The process is anticipated to take an extended period, but ultimately will dramatically reimagine every aspect of the resort and change the Las Vegas skyline with the addition of a guitar-shaped hotel tower adjacent to Las Vegas Blvd.," Hard Rock officials noted.
The company's plans for renovating The Mirage were revealed, along with a first look at the giant, guitar-shaped hotel, before the Nevada Gaming Control Board earlier this month.
One of the first mega-resorts on the Las Vegas Strip, The Mirage was opened in 1989 by casino mogul Steve Wynn. It's been home to some of the Strip's most popular shows and attractions, including Cirque du Soleil's The Beatle's tribute show, "Love," and tiger-taming magicians Siegfried & Roy.
Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat will close, Hard Rock announced previously. The company said the animals would be relocated and pledged that "the health, safety, and well-being of the animals is our top priority."
This story was originally reported on ktnv.com.
