HARD ROCK INTERNATIONAL® TO DONATE VARIOUS MIRAGE HOTEL AND CASINO ARTIFACTS TO THE NEON MUSEUM
In Collaboration with The PENTA Building Group and The PENTA CARES Foundation, Las Vegas Non-Profit to Receive Historic Pieces such as Siegfried & Roy Statue, Hotel Arch Sign and More
To honor the legacy of The Mirage Hotel and Casino, Hard Rock International® has announced that it will donate several artifacts from the storied property to TThe Mirage Hotel and Casino, Hard Rock International. In collaboration with The PENTA Building Group, the general contractor currently scoped for most of the demolition of The Mirage and the majority of the ongoing construction of Hard Rock International Hotel & Casino, and The PENTA CARES Foundation, the preservation of the iconic hotel will live on within the Las Vegas non-profit’s collection, including a beloved gold-painted sculpture depicting legendary magicians Siegfried & Roy, The Mirage’s hotel arch sign and more.
“Hard Rock is very pleased to contribute The Mirage artifacts to The Neon Museum,” said Joe Lupo, President of Mirage Hotel and Casino. “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, “At PENTA, we’ve had the privilege of building some of the most legendary structures on the Las Vegas Strip and beyond. We are honored to be a part of this project and partner with iconic brands like The Mirage and Hard Rock International. Through our PENTA CARES Foundation, these historic pieces from the world-famous Mirage will be carefully preserved and safely housed at The Neon Museum.”
This joint effort between Hard Rock®, PENTA and PENTA CARES and The Neon Museum will allow for the preservation of the property through visual efforts after its recent closure. The Neon Museum will receive the following artifacts:
- A 17-foot-tall sculpture of Siegfried & Roy with a giant white tiger, which was dedicated on October 27, 1993 from then-owner and hotel founder Steve Wynn.
- The 30-foot-tall Mirage hotel entrance arch sign, which has welcomed guests in from Las Vegas Boulevard for the past 34 years.
- The 27-foot-long Mirage neon sign that sat in The Mirage’s Volcano Lagoon. The Volcano entertained visitors four times nightly while the volcano blasted 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, “In July of 2023, The Neon Museum first met with Hard Rock® leadership to begin the preservation conversation. Over the course of a year, we 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. 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.”
Elaine Wynn said, “I am thrilled to know pieces of The Mirage will live on in The Neon Museum’s permanent collection. 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 Mirage opened its doors on November 22, 1989, and housed special features such 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 Las Vegas Strip. It was known as a venue where tourists could see Sigfried & Roy taming white tigers or a Cirque du Soleil act set to a Beatles song.
Hard Rock® took over operations of The Mirage in December of 2022, where it was later released that the property would close on July 17, 2024 to undergo renovations. The updated resort plans to open in 2027.
The Neon Museum is open daily and includes an outdoor exhibition space known as the Neon Boneyard, filled with some of Las Vegas’ most iconic neon signs; the North Gallery, home to the immersive audiovisual experience “Brilliant! Jackpot” which uses technology to re-illuminate more than 40 non- operational signs; the Boulevard Gallery outdoor exhibit and event space; and its visitors’ center inside the former La Concha Motel lobby.
About Hard Rock®
Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies with venues in over 70 countries spanning 309 locations that include owned/licensed or managed Hotels, Casinos, Rock Shops®, Live Performance Venues and Cafes. HRI also launched a joint venture named Hard Rock Digital in 2020, an online sportsbook, retail sportsbook and internet gaming platform. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world’s largest and most valuable collection of authentic music memorabilia at more than 88,000 pieces, which are displayed at its locations around the globe. Hard Rock Hotels has been honored by J.D. Power’s North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study as the number one brand in Outstanding Guest Satisfaction for two consecutive years, and among the top Upper Upscale Hotels for four consecutive years. HRI became the first privately-owned gaming company designated a U.S. Best Managed Company by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal in 2021 and has since been honored threefold. Hard Rock was also honored by Forbes among the World’s Best Employers, as well as Best Employers for Women, Diversity and New Grads and a Top Large Employer in the Travel & Leisure, Gaming and Entertainment Industry. In the 2022 Global Gaming Awards, Hard Rock was named Land-Based Operator of the Year for the second time in four years. Hard Rock International currently holds investment grades from primary investment-grade rating agencies: S&P Global Ratings (BBB) and Fitch Ratings (BBB). For more information on Hard Rock International, visit www.hardrock.com or shop.hardrock.com.
About The PENTA Building Group
The PENTA Building Group is a nationally recognized commercial contractor with offices in Nevada, Arizona, and Southern California. As a general contractor, construction manager, and design-build partner, the company collaborates with every member of the development, design, and construction team to build a variety of projects ranging in size and scope. PENTA’s accolades include being named by the National Contractors Association (NCA) as the 2023 Safest Contractor of the Year, and the 2022 General Contractor of the Year. PENTA is continually ranked annually among ENR’s top 400 national general contracting firms and top 100 Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) firms. For more information, visit www.pentabldggroup.com or connect on X (@PentaBG), Facebook and/or LinkedIn.
About The PENTA CARES Foundation
Founded by The PENTA Building Group, The PENTA CARES Foundation is a 501(c)(3) that aims to amplify the impact of employees, families, and friends within their local communities. The Foundation fosters relationships and reinforces a culture of compassion and support. Through corporate donations and personal volunteerism, PENTA CARES has made a significant difference in the communities it works in and beyond, contributing to hundreds of nonprofit organizations, engaging in hands-on activities, and donating in-kind building services. It has been recognized with various awards, including Vegas Inc.’s Angel Awards for Philanthropic Business of the Year. For more information about the Foundation, visit pentacares.org.
About The Neon Museum
Founded in 1996, The Neon Museum is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, studying, and exhibiting iconic Las Vegas signs for educational, historic, arts and cultural enrichment. In 2021, The Neon Museum achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition bestowed to museums in the United States. On its 2.27-acre campus, The Neon Museum has an outdoor exhibition space known as the Neon Boneyard (“boneyard” is traditionally the name for an area where items no longer in use are stored); the North Gallery, home to the immersive audiovisual experience “Brilliant!” which uses technology to re-illuminate more than 40 non-operational signs; and its visitors’ center inside the former La Concha Motel lobby. The museum collection also includes fourteen restored signs installed as public art in downtown Las Vegas. Public education, outreach, research, and historic preservation represent a selection of the museum’s ongoing projects. For more information, including tour schedules and tickets, visit www.neonmuseum.org. Also follow @NeonMuseum on Facebook and Twitter and @theneonmuseumlasvegas on Instagram.