Hard Rock To Purchase The Mirage Las Vegas Hotel and Casino

Above, The Mirage Hotel and Casino. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It appears that The Mirage Hotel and Casino will soon be a thing of Las Vegas history. Say goodbye to the volcano.

From Travel Agent Central:

Hard Rock International (HRI) on Monday, December 13, announced its agreement to acquire the operations of The Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas from MGM Resorts International, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. Through the acquisition, Hard Rock plans to build a guitar-shaped hotel, which will be located on the Las Vegas Strip. When it opens, the hotel will be named Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas and will cover an 80-acre plot.

According to a press announcement, Hard Rock International will pay $1.075 billion in cash for the operating assets of The Mirage Hotel and Casino, subject to customary working capital adjustments. The hospitality and entertainment brand will enter into a long-term lease agreement with VICI Properties Inc. for the real estate property of The Mirage.

I've stayed at The Mirage once and attended "The Beatles LOVE" show. The hotel is noted for the volcano in front that erupts periodically.

To read more, go here.

From USA Today:

Hard Rock said it plans to build a 1,000-room guitar-shaped hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, but chairman Jim Allen would not confirm whether that means the company would demolish the Mirage or add new construction.

 

Above, yours truly in front of The Mirage in 2015.

Circus Circus and Bellagio To Be Sold

Above, The Beast at Circus Circus RV Park in 2015. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

MGM Resorts has agreed to sell two of its Las Vegas properties: Circus Circus and Bellagio.

TravelPulse reported:

MGM Resorts International announced Tuesday it had reached an agreement to sell Circus Circus Las Vegas for $825 million to an affiliate of Treasure Island owner Phil Ruffin. 

The deal includes $662.5 million paid in cash and a $162.5 million note due 2024. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2019.

MGM Resorts originally acquired Circus Circus Las Vegas in 2005 and the property features 2,300 employees, a five-acre Adventuredome indoor amusement park, a 10-acre RV park and a 37-acre festival grounds. 

In another deal announced Tuesday, MGM Resorts revealed an agreement with Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust that values the real estate of Bellagio at $4.25 billion, which represents a purchase price multiple of 17.3 times rent.

The joint venture will acquire the Bellagio real estate and lease it back to a subsidiary of MGM Resorts for an initial annual rent of $245 million.

The only questions I have concerning Circus Circus are: Will it be renovated (it looked a bit "long in the tooth" the last time I was there in 2015)? Will it be torn down? Will the RV park remain?

To read more, go here. 

Last Day In Las Vegas

Above, the MGM Grand Hotel during our drive to the Wynn. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

My last day in Las Vegas was spent just doing stuff on whims.

First, we had breakfast at a Blueberry Hill Family Restaurant. For good food at reasonable prices, this is the place to go to.

Above, inside the Wynn. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Then, we decided to go over to the Wynn hotel. It is one of the more exclusive hotels in Las Vegas and it is rather opulent in decor and casino (in regard to minimum bets). We wandered around for a while and then decided to head to downtown again to the Fremont Experience.

Above, the Wynn's casino. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Things were a little more mellow at Fremont Experience during the day. There wasn't as many wacky or scantily clad people there.

Above, Max and Mitch at the Wynn. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

We walked around a bit and then sat at the outdoor tables at Starbucks and just people-watched. While there, I decided to get my boots shined inside the next-door Golden Nugget.

Above, Christmas decorations at the Wynn. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The shoe-shine guy told me he has worked there since 1961. He did a good job and while I was sitting there, a couple of people heading to the men's room gave me "Nice boots!" compliments.

Above, the Wynn's waterfall. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After a while, I had to get over to the airport to catch my flight to Albuquerque (via Los Angeles). The days went by fast, but I had a good time.

Above, my boots after the shine. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I did manage to lose $70 gambling (roulette). But I am not complaining. I sat at the table for about an hour and had fun (minimum bets were $5). I started with $100 and left with $30. I even got a complimentary cocktail while there. One thing I learned ages ago: Don't gamble more than what one can afford to lose.

Above, Mitch clowning at Starbucks. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

MGM Eyeballing Tsukiji Fish Market Site For Future Casino

Above, an inside view of the current Tsukiji Fish Market. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo is currently planning to relocate its operations in 2016. As of now, no decision has been made on the 57 acres of land the fish market now occupies.

Several buyers have expressed interest in buying the location. One potential company has its eyes on the site: MGM Resorts International is looking at the site for a potential casino.

The Japanese legislature is expected to pass a casino-legalization bill during this year's fall session.

According to Casino.org:

MGM Resorts International, like most of their competitors, would love to build a casino in Japan. 

And if you’re going to build there, then the most lucrative city for a casino would have to be Tokyo. 

The only disadvantage to placing a casino in the nation’s largest city is the cost of building there, as finding available space is difficult and expensive. 

But it looks like MGM might have found a potential site that could become available in the near future. 

According to Bloomberg News, two sources familiar with MGM’s plans in Japan say that the company has scouted the Tsukiji fish market as a potential home for a casino resort in Tokyo.

Tokyo officials have been looking at Odaiba as a more suitable location for a casino resort.

Read more: http://www.casino.org/news/mgm-tokyo-fish-market-site#ixzz3BILgCn8f