Zona de Azar USA – Hard Rock Donates Mirage Artifacts to Neon Museum

USA.- July 23, 2024 www.zonadeazar.com Hard Rock International will donate various artifacts from the Mirage Hotel and Casino to the Neon Museum in Las Vegas.

The donation is in collaboration with the PENTA Building Group, the general contractor selected to do most of the demolition of the iconic Strip resort that closed Wednesday.

Penta will also handle the majority of construction, scheduled for completion in 2027.

Hard Rock’s announcement said the preservation of the hotel will live on within the Las Vegas non-profit’ museum’s collection, including a gold-painted sculpture depicting legendary magicians Siegfried & Roy, the Mirage’s hotel arch sign, and other collectibles.

“Hard Rock is pleased to contribute Mirage artifacts to The Neon Museum,” said Joe Lupo, president of the Mirage. “This iconic property that transformed the Las Vegas Strip can be remembered forever and we appreciate them preserving one of our city’s greatest treasures.”

John Cannito, president and CEO of the PENTA Building Group, said the company has had the privilege of building some of the most legendary structures on the Strip and appreciated the work they are to do in transforming The Mirage into a Hard Rock property.

“We are honored to be a part of this project and partner with iconic brands like the Mirage and Hard Rock International,” Cannito said. “Through our PENTA CARES Foundation, these historic pieces from the world-famous Mirage will be carefully preserved and safely housed at the Neon Museum.”

The Neon Museum will receive:

• A 17-foot-tall sculpture of Siegfried & Roy with a giant white tiger, which was dedicated on October 27, 1993, by then-owner and developer Steve Wynn.
• The 30-foot-tall Mirage hotel entrance arch sign, which welcomed guests from Las Vegas Boulevard for 34 years.
• The 27-foot-long Mirage neon sign that sat in the Mirage’s Volcano Lagoon. The volcano entertained visitors four times nightly, blasting fire, smoke, water, and light.
• Various additional statues and pieces will be donated to the Neon Museum after the completion of the Mirage’s public-art auction in September.

Aaron Berger, Executive Director of The Neon Museum, said the Neon Museum met with Hard Rock leadership to begin the preservation conversation. Over the course of a year, they worked together to identify the most iconic and historically significant pieces.

“Due to the generosity and collaborative spirit of Hard Rock and PENTA & PENTA CARES, these tremendous artifacts representing the Mirage and Siegfried & Roy will be protected and live on in the Museum’s collection,” Berger said. “Future generations will be able to learn about ‘the oasis in the desert’ and how it changed hospitality design in Las Vegas and the world.”

The Mirage opened its doors on November 22, 1989, and housed such features as the Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat. The hotel was decked out in a Polynesian theme and its volcano fountain was one of the first sidewalk attractions on the Strip. Hard Rock International, owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, took over operations of the Mirage in December of 2022 from MGM Resorts International.

“I am thrilled to know pieces of The Mirage will live on in The Neon Museum’s permanent collection,” said Elaine Wynn, who worked with and opened the property with her former husband. “As important as the artifacts are, the stories of those who created the appeal of the Mirage are even more precious. I look forward to the museum collecting the stories of those who built, designed, and worked at the property. It’s the stories that will give these historical objects life.”

The Neon Museum includes an outdoor exhibition space known as the Neon Boneyard and is filled with some of Las Vegas’ most iconic neon signs.

Edited by: @MaiaDigital www.zonadeazar.com