Las Vegas Strip resort casinos need to attract your attention.
On a 4.2-mile stretch of road that includes an Eiffel Tower, a shiny take on an Egyptian pyramid, a Statue of Liberty, a giant medieval castle, and so many other feats of architecture and design, that's not easy.
That's in addition to the fact that the Strip itself delivers sensory overload. You have women dressed as showgirls and men as shirtless police officers, mixed in with Mickey Mouse, Optimus Prime and other characters looking for photos.
Related: Closed Las Vegas Strip superstar residency may reopen in 2024
The Strip also requires you to be a bit wary because it smells strongly of marijuana, and not every person just wants to have a fun vacation. It's a safe place that's still a little bit dangerous, so you need to mind your wallet and purse.
One of the ways the major casino operators have gotten consumers to pay attention to their properties is by offering massive free shows. Bellagio has its famed fountains and for years Treasure Island had a pirate ship show.
But arguably the most famous free attraction, the Mirage Volcano, which has been operating since 1989, will soon erupt for the last time.
Before that happens, however, it will get a sendoff as part of what's arguably going to be the biggest Las Vegas Strip event ever.
Image source: Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Mirage is slowly becoming Hard Rock
Since Hard Rock International purchased Mirage from MGM Resorts International (MGM) -) in late 2022, the new owner has been somewhat cagey about its plans. It has shared that the main Mirage tower will be fully remodeled and given an even larger casino.
Hard Rock has also made clear that it will be renaming the property at some point, as it has the rights to the Mirage name for only three years. The new owner has slowly stripped away vestiges of the old property and what made Mirage unique.
Earlier this year the company quietly closed "Siegfried and Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat," removing one of the property's main attractions. And the famed Mirage Volcano is not part of its plans going forward.
What Hard Rock hasn't shared is any of its planned construction dates. The company is being vague with the main Mirage tower's construction schedule as it wants to continue booking guests even while the work gets done.
The new owners have said that the Volcano will close to make way for a version of its signature Guitar Hotel, and Clark County has approved plans for that building.
Mirage Volcano will live to see the Super Bowl
When Mirage Volcano closed for the Formula 1 race on the Las Vegas Strip in November, many people thought that might be the quiet end of a piece of Las Vegas history. The attraction did reopen, however, a few days after the race,
And while Hard Rock has not shared an end date for the Volcano, it's going to be used as part of a promotion during Super Bowl weekend. The Mirage Volcano, at least for four days beginning Feb. 8, will be transformed into Paramount Global's (PARA) -) famed mountain logo.
Paramount has streaming rights to Super Bowl LVIII.
"The four-day-long experience will begin on Thursday, Feb. 8, and will feature 10 different brands from the company’s portfolio, including CBS, Paramount+, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, and more," according to KLAS.
Paramount's takeover of the Volcano will be a sort of overlay plus additional adjacent experiences.
"Voyagers will board a gondola ride and ascend the mountain in a 'thrilling' simulation, complete with winds and heights," the website reported.
There will also be photo ops with famous Paramount characters who will also serve as guides to and from the mountain's peak.
"The block-long structure along the Strip will feature interactive fan experiences built around Paramount films and series, such as Transformers, Yellowstone, Star Trek, Dora the Explorer, Ghosts, and much more,” according to a news release.
As Hard Rock has already been approved to build its new Guitar Hotel, any day after the Super Bowl could be the last for the Volcano. The company has repeatedly declined to share a closure date for the iconic attraction.
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