For a city that embraces nostalgia, Las Vegas has very little for its own institutions.
Over the years, some of the biggest names on the Las Vegas Strip have gone away -- sometimes with a spectacular implosion and in other cases with a name change.
The Strip recently saw Caesars Entertainment (CZR) take the Bally's name off one of its properties, rebranding it under its Horseshoe banner. That move may soon be followed by the actual Bally's Corp. (BALY), owner of the Tropicana, dropping that legendary name to bring a new Bally's Resort Casino to the Strip.
DON'T MISS: Las Vegas Strip Gets Some Surprising Bad News
Soon, another legendary name, the Mirage, will be taken down on the Strip after Hard Rock International earlier this year purchased it from MGM Resorts International (MGM). That rebrand will also see the end of the iconic Mirage Volcano: That free tourist attraction, which has entertained millions, will soon be shut down to make way for Hard Rock's iconic Guitar Hotel.
And it's not just megaresorts that change hands and names on the Strip. Over the past 12 months, we've also seen the loss of the Hawaiian Marketplace, the PBR Grill in the Miracle Mile Shops, and Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habit at Mirage among other closures.
Now, another Las Vegas icon will soon fall, and its replacement has already been named.
Image source: George Rose/Getty Images
Las Vegas Losing a Legendary Cocktail Lounge
Las Vegas has a lot of bars and cocktail lounges, but few of them actually stand out.
The Dorsey, located inside the Venetian, has been a leader in the Vegas cocktail scene since it opened in 2016. Given its proximity to the Venetian Convention and Expo Center, it can be a challenge to get a seat at the Dorsey's elegant bar or the surrounding lounge area.
The space, which looks a bit like a library, offers a selection of custom drinks that have it at or near the top of the Las Vegas Strip mixology scene. Now, the Dorsey will be closing, to be replaced by a new spin on the same concept, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Fans of the current concept still have a chance to visit for a farewell cocktail as the Dorsey won't be closing until June 25. The famed bar will be "replaced later this summer by Juliet Cocktail Room, the Review-Journal has exclusively learned," the paper reported.
"The new bar takes its name from the Juliet Rose, highly coveted for its lavish petaling, rosy peach color, and delicate fragrance. David Austin, the late British rose breeder, reportedly sold the original cultivar for several million pounds. A multimillion-dollar flower? Perfect for Vegas," the paper's Jonathan L. Wright wrote.
Juliet Rose will offer dueling grand pianos and its own mix of mixologist-inspired beverages.
In Las Vegas Nothing Is Forever
As we saw with the abrupt and unexpected end of Siegfried & Roy's Las Vegas Strip show, sometimes the end comes quickly on the Las Vegas Strip. That's true for cocktail lounges as well as casinos, restaurants, attractions, and pretty much any other Strip icon.
Bars, however, have to rebrand more often than other types of businesses and that may be even truer on the Las Vegas Strip, where something new and better is always available.
It's about building a brand that connects with consumers, according to "Bar Rescue" host and bar-industry expert Jon Taffer.
“At the end of the day, a brand is as emotional as it gets. A brand has attributes that a consumer connects with. It’s about how someone feels about it — it’s not factual, it’s abstract and based on human reactions,” he told The Boss Magazine.
Taffer also believes in bars switching up their menus and staying on top of trends.
"Switch it up often, find out what your customers love, and what they don’t. Offer interesting specials, not just whatever you ordered too much of," he told The Daily Beast in 2015.
