Before major music headliners like Adele, Katy Perry, and Garth Brooks decided that Las Vegas residencies weren't just for schmaltzy nostalgia acts, the Strip's biggest headliners were mostly magicians.
David Copperfield had a major presence, as did Penn & Teller, who have continued to remain relevant even as tastes have changed.
Magic may seem cheesy for some, but these performers went way beyond the traditional "pull a rabbit from a hat" or "saw a woman in half" tricks.
The idea of traditional magicians -- even ones with a lot of flair -- may seem outdated, but the best Las Vegas acts elevated the art form.
DON'T MISS: New Las Vegas Strip Project Means the End of an Era
From 1990 to 2003, the biggest magic act may well have been Siegfried & Roy, a flamboyant over-the-top duo who headlined at Mirage. The pair were not just the signature performers at Mirage, which was then owned by MGM Resorts International (MGM). The property was largely built around their act.
Siegfried & Roy were famous, then infamous, for performing with an array of animals, including elephants, lions, tigers, cheetahs, and sharp-beaked macaws, Those animals were housed at Mirage, adding an attraction beyond the show itself.
Even after Roy in October 2003 was mauled by one of his beloved white tigers, Mirage remained a sanctuary/zoo for the pair's animals.
When Hard Rock International in December 2022 acquired Mirage from MGM, however, it quickly became clear that the new owner was not interested in preserving the legacy of Siegfried & Roy.
It has been slow in making changes, but now the last vestiges of the famed magicians -- the last two white tigers -- have been removed from the property.
Image source: Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Changes Are Coming at Las Vegas's Mirage
Aside from, perhaps, the Cirque Du Soleil "Beatles: Love" production, which has been extended through 2024, Mirage's new owner has shown little interest in preserving the history of the property.
Hard Rock has closed Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, and it plans to shut down the famed Mirage Volcano to make way for a new Guitar Hotel on the property.
Now, the last vestige of Siegfried & Roy, aside from a street named after the magic duo, will be moving to a new home. The remaining big cats that were part of the pair's famed act have found a new home.
"The Mirage announced Monday that two sanctuaries — WildCat Ridge Sanctuary in Scotts Mills, Ore., and In-Sync Exotics in Wylie, Texas — have been selected as the new forever homes for approximately a dozen big cats from the iconic duo, according to a Mirage spokesperson," the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
Tigers were a major part of Siegfried & Roy's act until a tiger mauled Roy on stage. That ended their performing days, but the duo was very protective of the animals and did not blame them for the incident.
Guitar Hotel Coming to the Mirage Site
While Siegfried & Roy's presence has largely been eliminated from Mirage, the iconic Volcano remains -- for now. That may not last too much longer as the company plans to build a version of its famous Guitar Hotel on that property.
HRI has been cagey about its construction schedule. While the company is not closing the main Mirage tower, it plans to overhaul the property. But since it does not know exactly when that work will begin, it does not want to lose reservations.
Work at the Volcano site appears imminent, but no start date has been announced.
HRI will build a 600-room, 660-foot-tall Guitar Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip on the current site of the much-loved Mirage Volcano. The rest of the property will be modernized and themed to match the Guitar Hotel.
July 4th Sale! Get investment guidance from trusted portfolio managers without the management fees. Sign up for Action Alerts PLUS now for 75% off.
