Hard Rock Las Vegas is building a 201 meter tall guitar-shaped hotel and casino tower on the Strip, with completion targeted for 2027 and a planned 3,700 rooms across the expanded resort
The volcano at The Mirage is gone for good. Now, steel and glass are taking its place. Hard Rock Las Vegas has started building a 201-meter guitar-shaped hotel tower, aiming to put a new stamp on the Strip. The project is set to finish in 2027. This isn’t just another addition. It’s a major change for the city’s skyline and the way Las Vegas does hospitality.
Hard Rock International acquired The Mirage from MGM Resorts in 2022 for $1.1 billion, closing the resort in July 2024 to begin the transformation into the new Hard Rock Las Vegas complex.
Engineering a new icon
This tower isn’t like the boxy high-rises in New York or Chicago. Every one of its 42 floors is a different shape and size. That means custom work and no room for error. Two concrete cores anchor the building—one for elevators, one for stairs. The floor plates twist and curve to match the guitar’s outline. Reinforced concrete columns and post-tensioned slabs hold up the odd shapes. Underneath, flyer columns support the podium and handle the tricky weight shifts.
The playful look hides a tough build. When finished, the tower will be the third tallest on the Strip. Its LED skin will act as a giant billboard, replacing the old street signs that once drew crowds. Nevada Real Estate Group points to recent independent reports showing the timeline has moved. Now, the tower is expected to open by late 2027 or early 2028. By summer 2026, crews were still working on the main frame and roof. The job is massive.
What happens to The Mirage
The Mirage opened in 1989. Back then, it was the world’s most expensive hotel-casino. It’s not vanishing. The volcano is gone, but the original three-wing building stays. Workers are gutting and rebuilding it for Hard Rock Las Vegas. The new complex will have one of the city’s biggest casinos and new entertainment spaces. The whole project will offer about 3,700 rooms. Not all will be in the new tower. The old Mirage isn’t being torn down. It’s being stripped and rebuilt inside, not started from scratch. Nevada Real Estate Group confirms this is a deep overhaul, not a full demolition.
The new Hard Rock project is described as the largest construction site currently on the Las Vegas Strip. In addition to the nearly 700-foot tower with approximately 600 rooms, the development will feature a 2,000-seat theater, a karaoke venue, and a guitar-shaped pool, expanding the project well beyond a single building.
Changing visitor demographics and resort economics
Las Vegas isn’t the same as it was in the 1990s. In 2024, 64% of visitors made $100,000 or more a year. By the next year, 44% reported incomes of at least $150,000. Cheap hotels and quirky shows are fading. The numbers tell the story. Gaming now brings in just 26% of total casino revenue on the Strip. In 1990, it was more than double that, according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
Modern resorts are built for more than gambling. They mix hotels, casinos, spas, and concert halls to pull in money from every angle. Older hotels, built before these trends, can’t keep up. For many owners, it’s easier and more profitable to tear down and rebuild than to renovate. Land prices keep rising. That’s the driver.
What the guitar tower means for Las Vegas
This guitar-shaped tower is more than a flashy design. It marks a shift. Las Vegas is moving away from themed escapes and toward pure spectacle and size. The city is willing to erase its own icons and build bigger. That’s its edge—and its gamble. The Hard Rock Las Vegas project shows the Strip’s hunger for change hasn’t slowed. Visitor expectations and the business model keep shifting. For now, the world’s biggest guitar is about to become Las Vegas’s new symbol. One thing is certain. The city will keep changing the rules.
