{"id":1712329,"date":"2022-05-27T08:26:17","date_gmt":"2022-05-27T12:26:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?p=215198"},"modified":"2022-05-27T08:26:17","modified_gmt":"2022-05-27T12:26:17","slug":"mirage-volcano-preservation-effort-is-about-saving-las-vegas-strip-memories","status":"publish","type":"station","link":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/plato-data\/mirage-volcano-preservation-effort-is-about-saving-las-vegas-strip-memories\/","title":{"rendered":"Mirage Volcano Preservation Effort Is About Saving Las Vegas Strip Memories"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>This Memorial Day weekend could be one of the last holidays to watch the faux volcano explode in front of The Mirage. The Las Vegas Strip iconic attraction could soon be dismantled. Memories tied with it may fade, too, unless preservations succeed in their effort.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_215203\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-215203\" data-style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-215203 lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/mirage-volcano-preservation-effort-is-about-saving-las-vegas-strip-memories.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/mirage-volcano-preservation-effort-is-about-saving-las-vegas-strip-memories.jpg\" alt=\"The artificial volcano in front of The Mirage\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/mirage-volcano-preservation-effort-is-about-saving-las-vegas-strip-memories.jpg 142w, https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/mirage-volcano-preservation-effort-is-about-saving-las-vegas-strip-memories-1.jpg 720w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/> <noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-215203\" src=\"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/mirage-volcano-preservation-effort-is-about-saving-las-vegas-strip-memories.jpg\" alt=\"The artificial volcano in front of The Mirage\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" srcset=\"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/mirage-volcano-preservation-effort-is-about-saving-las-vegas-strip-memories.jpg 142w, https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/mirage-volcano-preservation-effort-is-about-saving-las-vegas-strip-memories-1.jpg 720w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-215203\"class=\"text-description\">The artificial volcano in front of The Mirage, pictured above. Signatures continue to add up on a petition which tries to save the iconic attraction on the Las Vegas Strip. (Image: Change.org)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>So far, 6,343 people who support keeping the volcano in place, have signed an online petition on <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.change.org\/p\/hard-rock-international-ceo-jim-allen-do-not-demolish-the-mirage-volcano-savethevolcano-instead\">Change.org<\/a>. They expect to present the signatures to Hard Rock International. That company will take over operations of The Mirage from MGM Resorts International later this year.<\/p>\n<p>Alan M. Feldman, a former MGM executive now a Distinguished Fellow, Responsible Gaming at UNLV, said it is comforting that people care enough about the volcano to want to keep it in place.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI feel a great kinship to everyone who signed the petition,\u201d Feldman recently told <em>Casino.org<\/em>. \u201cThe volcano has great meaning in their lives just as it did in my own.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"main-blockquote\">\n<p><strong>I don&#8217;t doubt that there are people who have important memories linked to that volcano &#8212; being on a date, their first trip to Las Vegas, etc.,\u201d agreed Michael Green, a UNLV history professor, in a statement to <em>Casino.org<\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>But there are practical reasons it could be dismantled.<\/p>\n<h2>Would Look Silly<\/h2>\n<p>The artificial volcano does not fit with Hard Rock\u2019s typical theme of having a guitar outside of their gaming venues.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUnfortunately, it would look silly in front of a different hotel, out of place in a new age of design and architecture,\u201d Feldman said.<\/p>\n<p>He recommended it is better to look forward to when MGM Resorts &#8212; which retained ownership of the name &#8212; builds a new Mirage someplace else.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere, a new and upgraded volcano, can properly serve the purpose of spectacularly welcoming guests and setting the tone for their memorable experiences,\u201d Feldman said.<\/p>\n<p>He explained the history of the Las Vegas Strip is \u201call about change.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"main-blockquote\">\n<p><strong>We replace, when they no longer have the relevance of their earliest days. In their place, come ever-more spectacular attractions,\u201d Feldman said. The new attractions provide excitement for the younger generations, he adds.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The volcano has been outside of the South Pacific-themed Mirage Las Vegas since 1989.<\/p>\n<p>In the mid-1980s, former casino mogul <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/las-vegas-mirage-volcano-days-numbered-online-petition-wants-landmark-spared\/\">Steve Wynn<\/a> said that Las Vegas did not need another new casino, but it sure needed an attraction, Green recalled. Elaine Wynn, his then-wife, apparently came up with the idea for the volcano.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe opening of The Mirage in 1989 triggered a boom on the Strip, figuratively in terms of the money that was made and the structures that were built, and literally in terms of the implosions of older hotels,\u201d Green said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"callout\">\n<p>The Mirage did a lot to change perceptions of Las Vegas, too. When it opened, most of the revenue on the Strip came from gambling &#8212; about two-thirds. Now, one-third comes from gambling, the rest from attractions, Green said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cThe volcano is a free attraction, but it is part of the evolution of the tourism experience in Las Vegas,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n<p>Looking back, Feldman said the volcano is symbolic of a time in Las Vegas when casinos were transforming into integrated resorts. Everything was \u201cin costume\u201d with a theme, so the volcano was a \u201cperfect way\u201d of announcing The Mirage, he added.<\/p>\n<h2>Volcano Linked to Photos, Videos<\/h2>\n<p>People have come to Las Vegas to create memories, too, Feldman said. Many took photos and videos in front of the volcano.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"main-blockquote\">\n<p><strong>These can be deeply personal or of personal significance, so it\u2019s no wonder that there are many who would rather the volcano not go away,\u201d Feldman said.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>For instance, one frequent visitor to Las Vegas, Frank McNeff, posted on <em>Casino.org<\/em>, \u201cI rather look at [The] Mirage volcano\u201d than a \u201cgaudy guitar.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"arve-wrapper\" data-mode=\"normal\" data-provider=\"youtube\" id=\"arve-DBU0mIMI8gk-2\" style=\"max-width:640px;\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/VideoObject\">\n<div class=\"arve-embed-container\" style=\"padding-bottom:56.250000%\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen class=\"arve-iframe fitvidsignore\" frameborder=\"0\" name sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-presentation allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/DBU0mIMI8gk?iv_load_policy=3&#038;modestbranding=1&#038;rel=0&#038;autohide=1&#038;playsinline=1&#038;autoplay=0\" width=\"480\" height=\"270\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The petition on Change.org says the volcano is among the \u201cmost unique forms of art and entertainment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Tourists and locals have turned out nightly between 8 and 11 pm to wait for the shows. Over six years ago, MGM cut back on the number of shows, apparently to save money.<\/p>\n<p>Still, it continues to rumble several times nightly, followed by the flow of simulated lava. Flames jump many feet into the air during the presentation. The show also features the aroma of pina colada. The eruption additionally includes a soundtrack composed by Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart and composer Zakir Hussain.<\/p>\n<h2>Hard Rock, VICI Deal<\/h2>\n<p>When Hard Rock takes over, a guitar-shaped hotel tower is expected to replace the volcano, according to initial architectural designs. Hard Rock will pay $1.075 billion in cash for the operating assets of The Mirage, according to a company statement.<\/p>\n<p>The real estate assets of The Mirage were owned by MGM Growth Properties. The entity was acquired by <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/vici-seals-17-2-billion-purchase-of-mgm-growth-properties\/\">VICI Properties<\/a> for $17.2 billion. The deal makes the firm the largest casino landlord on the Las Vegas Strip.<\/p>\n<p>The post <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/mirage-volcano-preservation-effort-is-about-saving-las-vegas-strip-memories\/\">Mirage Volcano Preservation Effort Is About Saving Las Vegas Strip Memories<\/a> appeared first on <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\">Casino.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"plato-article-bottom-links\">\n<li><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.coinsmart.com\/europe\/?irclickid=yCMxLCU1uxyLWzG0Rw0UrUzuUkEV0C2N%3ATwq0A0&#038;irgwc=1\" class=\"plato-coinsmart-gid\">Coinsmart. Europe&#8217;s Best Bitcoin and Crypto Exchange.<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/platoblockchain.com\" class=\"plato-blockchain-gid\">Platoblockchain. Web3 Metaverse Intelligence. Knowledge Amplified. FREE ACCESS.<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/app.cryptohawk.ai\/signup?via=Platodata&#038;_ga=2.197340463.1063417679.1638720459-1786082276.1633102604\" class=\"plato-cryptohawk-gid\">CryptoHawk. Altcoin Radar. Free Trial.<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/mirage-volcano-preservation-effort-is-about-saving-las-vegas-strip-memories\/\">Source: https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/mirage-volcano-preservation-effort-is-about-saving-las-vegas-strip-memories\/<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1712330,"template":"","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","type":"","auto_type":false,"post":"","stream":"","stream_url":"","waveform_data":[],"duration":0,"bpm":0,"downloadable":false,"download_url":"","purchase_title":"","purchase_url":"","post-count-all":0,"like_count":0,"download_count":0,"editor_note":"","copyright":"","captions":[]},"genre":[102],"artist":[106],"mood":[],"activity":[],"station_tag":[5646,3618,12801,5253,11419,12802,13667,7830,5804,6345,13769,3788,7834,6480,3792,5387,5559,3766,13015,3632,5592,6048,13280,13075,5456,5457,3799,5561,5600,12547,12557,5730,5400,13966,5401,5402,3636,5791,13211,3637,7335,3807,3638,5461,5404,3808,3810,13941,5464,177,5611,7294,3820,12642,3821,5899,5409,10369,3643,3823,3715,5667,5470,3646,5945,5614,6352,13347,3654,8913,12395,7392,8194,3830,13354,3755,12962,5425,3833,13653,13287,10548,5426,3664,9574,6837,5798,13768,13004,6354,6134,11020,13927,6992,5437,5245,3836,5743,12636,5957,6962,3841,3681,12964,7355,5443,6358,3684,3690,7468,3692,9788,7956,3847,12640,6475,5700,3872,5641,3852,5279,3703,3874],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/station\/1712329"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/station"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/station"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1712330"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1712329"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"genre","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/genre?post=1712329"},{"taxonomy":"artist","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/artist?post=1712329"},{"taxonomy":"mood","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mood?post=1712329"},{"taxonomy":"activity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/activity?post=1712329"},{"taxonomy":"station_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platogaming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/station_tag?post=1712329"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}