LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Happy birthday, Mirage! Tuesday marks 33 years since Steve Wynn opened the Mirage on Nov. 22, 1989.
The opening ushered in an era of mega-resorts on the Las Vegas Strip. Over the past three decades, the Mirage has been home to iconic acts — most recently, Cirque du Soleil's "Love," a tribute to The Beatles. Perhaps most famously, magicians Siegfried and Roy opened their show at the hotel-casino in 1990.
"It was probably the most expensive show in the history of the world at the time it was built," Kenneth Feld, CEO of Feld Entertainment, told ABC's "20/20."
Among many tourists and locals, the resort may be best-known for its landmark volcano.
"Just walking by, waiting for the volcano, and seeing the lights. That's why we came back, so we can see it again," Zee Kallab, a visitor from Dallas, told KTNV on Tuesday. "We get to experience it with the kids again."
The Mirage's 33rd birthday will likely be one of its last. Hard Rock International, owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, purchased the property in December of 2021.
Earlier this year, Hard Rock announced plans to re-brand the resort and build a new, guitar-shaped hotel in 2025. It would be the first tribal-owned casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
The fate of the resort's famous Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat was announced Tuesday, after months of uncertainty.
Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat will close permanently, officials with MGM and Hard Rock International announced. The animals will be relocated as Hard Rock takes over operations of the hotel.
Both companies said they remain committed to making sure the animals will continue to be trained and cared for.
