Paul Szydelko
The Mirage volcano's days are numbered as the property transitions into Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. But it's anyone's guess what that number is.
After being out of action in the ramp-up to the inaugural Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix last month, the volcano is set to go off nightly, as it has since 1989. But it will transform into "Paramount Mountain" for four days during Super Bowl weekend, Feb. 8 to 11, according to Paramount Global, the broadcasting and streaming home of the NFL's big game.
"We expect the volcano to operate through January and are working on the current timeline now regarding the Paramount activation and how that affects the volcano display," Mirage president Joe Lupo said in a statement to Travel Weekly. Paramount officials did not indicate when preparation for Paramount Mountain would begin.
The blocklong structure along the Strip will feature interactive fan experiences built around popular Paramount films and series such as "Transformers," "Yellowstone," "Star Trek," "Dora the Explorer," "Ghosts" and "Sistas."
Guests will be able to reach the mountain's peak in the FUNicular Experience, what's billed as a "hyper-realistic gondola ride and ascend in a thrilling simulation, accentuated by frigid winds and harrowing heights, with their favorite Paramount characters and brands to guide them."
The Paramount+ Lodge will include "various realms that embody Paramount's flagship streaming service" and sneak peeks of Paramount Pictures' films.
"Paramount's 'Mountain of Entertainment' in Las Vegas is an exciting, fan-focused physical manifestation of the expansive and popular content from across our portfolio of brands," said Josh Line, executive vice president and chief brand officer for Paramount Global. The brand includes CBS, CBS Sports, Paramount+, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Pluto TV and Paramount Home Entertainment.
Hard Rock International took control of the Mirage in December 2022 after completing its $1.1 billion acquisition from MGM Resorts International. A 660-foot-tall, guitar-shaped tower with 600 rooms is expected to rise from the site of the volcano, which prompted an online petition to save it earlier that year.
Hard Rock representative Jennifer Lazovich told Clark County Commissioners that the company plans to "modernize and theme" the rest of the property to match the guitar tower. The tower will resemble back-to-back guitars with brightly lit strings and floor-to-ceiling glass panes. It will include 48,000 square feet of gaming area and 96,000 square feet of retail and restaurants at ground level, according to planning documents.
Like its counterpart the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., lasers are expected to shoot from the roof, and an LED show will be projected on the facade.
But until then the volcano remains.
While the timeline for its permanent deactivation is still unclear, another Vegas institution will continue for another year: Cirque du Soleil confirmed in June that "The Beatles Love" will be staged at least through 2024 in partnership with Hard Rock.