The Mirage casino in Las Vegas is closing down, and Nevada’s Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) has said it will help employees who will lose their jobs to get new ones or start businesses. The famous casino run by Hard Rock International is to be shut on July 17 for major remodeling that will see it turned into a different brand.

DETR Launches Rapid Response Program for 3,350 Mirage Employees

Aiming to offer maximum assistance to the 3,350 staff that were affected by the shutdown, DETR is rolling out its Rapid Response Program. The initiative seeks to ensure that those who are laid off or have their places of work closed down can easily access different kinds of services and resources during this period of change.

Director of DETR, Christopher Sewell, noted that the department is dedicated to customizing support for Mirage workers and said that the goal is to help the employees as much as possible during these difficult times. DETR is planning on carrying out various workshops, job fairs, and information sessions so that employees can get equipped with the necessary skills for finding new jobs.

The Rapid Response team from DETR will provide a package which includes among other things budget planning help, advice on health cover alternatives, and vocational training courses. The materials shall be offered physically and virtually too in order to cater to the different needs of those affected.

Gov. Lombardo Applauds DETR’s Initiative

In his response, Gov. Joe Lombardo expressed his appreciation of how DETR has worked together with The Mirage proactively and pointed out their joint efforts in ensuring smooth handover processes for outgoing workers. The department is also connecting them with potential employers while at the same time organizing job fair events within Las Vegas Valley together with other companies.

If qualified union and non-union laborers stay until the scheduled closing date for The Mirage, they will get good separation pay that amounts to about $80 million in total. This is meant to help employees financially as they move on with their careers.

The shutdown of The Mirage means the end of an epoch for the famous Las Vegas Strip landmark. it has been instrumental in making this city become a leading luxurious holiday destination. The Mirage, founded by Steve Wynn in 1989, was the first megaresort on the Las Vegas Strip. Its success prompted the development of other properties. The complex boasts over 3,000 luxurious rooms and suites, a vast casino floor, world-class entertainment, diverse dining options, vibrant nightlife, and a tropical pool complex.

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The iconic Mirage hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip will shut its doors this summer, marking the end of an era for a property that played a pivotal role in transforming Sin City into a premier luxury resort destination.

The closure on July 17 will pave the way for extensive renovations and new construction on the 80-acre (32-hectare) property. In 2027, the site will reopen as the Hard Rock Las Vegas featuring a hotel tower shaped like a guitar, rising nearly 700 feet (about 210 meters) above the Strip.

“We’d like to thank the Las Vegas community and team members for warmly welcoming Hard Rock after enjoying 34 years at The Mirage,” Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International, said in a statement on Wednesday.

This will be the second casino on the Strip to close this year. The Tropicana Las Vegas ceased operations in April after 67 years to make way for a $1.5 billion baseball stadium, planned as the future home of the Oakland A’s, who are relocating.

From Polynesian Themes to Mega Resorts

The Mirage, developed by former casino mogul Steve Wynn, opened its doors in 1989 with a Polynesian theme, becoming the Strip’s first megaresort. This milestone spurred a building boom on the famous boulevard throughout the 1990s. The Mirage’s volcano fountain was among the first of the Las Vegas Strip’s sidewalk attractions, setting a trend that would later include the Venetian’s canals and the Bellagio’s dancing fountains.

For years, tourists flocked to the Mirage to witness Siegfried and Roy taming white tigers or to enjoy a Cirque du Soleil performance set to Beatles music. The final performance of the Beatles-themed show, which brought Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr back together for public appearances during its 18-year run, will also be in July.

Employee Transition and Future Plans

Hard Rock International announced that more than 3,000 employees will be laid off, with an expected $80 million in severance payouts. The Culinary Workers Union, representing about 1,700 Mirage employees since its opening, stated that last year’s contract ensures laid-off workers will receive $2,000 for each year of service. Additionally, the contract offers these workers the option to be called back to work and retain their seniority when the hotel reopens.

“Culinary Union will continue to ensure workers are protected and centered in the property’s future,” the union stated.

The Mirage made history in 2022 as the first Strip property to be run by a Native American tribe. Hard Rock International, owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, purchased the Mirage from MGM Resorts in a cash deal worth nearly $1.1 billion. At the time, Hard Rock assured that the property would remain operational under the Mirage brand while renovation plans were finalized.

The Mirage is currently accepting no bookings beyond July 14, with all reservations past that date to be canceled and refunded.

Source: “Mirage, a landmark Strip resort, prepares to vanish”. May 15, 2024.

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Guardian Media Group has moved to prohibit any forms of gambling advertising from appearing on its online and print outlets, The Guardian, Observer, and Guardian Weekly, with immediate effect.

Gambling Advertising Facilitates Addiction

The media group outlined ethical concerns behind its decision to ban gambling advertising, including promotions for sports betting, online casinos and scratch cards, refusing to make money out of services that can lead to “addiction and financial ruin.”

Commenting on the decision, Guardian Media Group’s chief executive officer, Anna Bateson, outlined that gambling advertising plays a significant role in leading gamblers into addictive cycles, thus facilitating financial stress, mental health issues and other social problems.

“Guardian journalists have reported on the devastating impact of the gambling industry in the UK and Australia, helping to shift the dial and ensure the issue remains high on the public agenda,” Bateson said, pointing to studies revealing “a clear correlation between exposure to gambling advertising and increased intentions to engage in regular gambling.”

Bateson was in particular concerned about the way online advertising from bookmakers was designed to lure back individual gamblers, determined to make sure the business fulfills its “primary obligation” and “do the right thing” for its readers, while utilizing “other ways to generate revenue.”

Lotteries Excluded from the Ban

The ban applies worldwide to all of the company’s online and print outlets. Gambling advertising for lotteries was excluded from the ban as the media recognized the lotteries’ social contribution in terms of raising money for good causes, as well as the “non-instantaneous” nature of lottery draws.

“We understand and respect that millions of our readers, including our reporters and staff, are passionate sports fans who may occasionally choose to engage in gambling as part of their sporting experience,” Bateson continued.

Highlighting that the media fully supports “the enjoyment of sports” and respects “individuals’ choices to participate in occasional gambling on football, horse racing, or any other sport,” she pointed out that “the pervasive nature of retargeted digital advertisements” and their potential to trap some of the sports fans in an addictive cycle was the media’s main concern.

Bateson also noted the independent ownership structure of Guardian Media Group allowed the media to make these types of decisions. The media relies on direct contributions from its readers, rather than advertising, for its income.

The Guardian’s decision to ban gambling advertising on its online and print pages comes during times when the Gambling Act Review in the UK produced the much-awaited White Paper, while countries like Canada and Australia consider further tightening their gambling regimes.

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