LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Mirage, which opened in 1989 and is known for its iconic volcano show, will shut its doors on July 17.
This means more than 3,000 employees will be let go. Many of them tell Channel 13 there is uncertainty about what's next.
RELATED STORY: Mirage employees celebrate its legacy before it closes
Gabriel Fuentes worked as a full-time Starbucks barista inside The Mirage for about two and a half years.
He said thankfully his severance package will keep him stay afloat for about two months but afterwards he hopes to secure another unionized job.
"If I go to a non-union job, I would take a very severe pay cut and I wouldn't be able to survive with all the bills I have," Fuentes said.
He said the job market is competitive right now and it is especially tough for him because he is trying to get a job along with other union members.
"You have about 2,800 other union employees looking for a job," said Fuentes. "They're looking for other union jobs because of the good benefits and the good pay."
The closure of The Mirage also comes with the closure of Tropicana in April when another 500 union workers were laid off.
We wanted to see how many union job openings there are on the Strip. We looked at the job portals for Caesars Entertainment and MGM Grand, two of the largest resort companies.
On Caesars' website, there were about 80 openings for food and beverage, and four for housekeeping.
MGM had about 160 openings for food and beverage and 80 for hotel operations.
Some employees at The Mirage said they're taking this opportunity to retire or go on a break.
RELATED STORY: End of an Era: Looking back at The Mirage's impact on the Las Vegas Strip
Yolanda Niego, who worked as a housekeeper for 10 years on the property, is one of them.
"I have things to do like going to see family," Niego said.
But she said when she plans to enter the job market in a few months there is concern.
"Maybe it's not easy," said Neigo. "Because a lot of people are looking for a job."
There is job fair Wednesday at the Boulevard Mall where over 60 employers including Caesars Entertainment will be in attendance. You can click here for more details.
Local News
