Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (Las Vegas)
The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino was a resort located near the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, United States. It now operates as Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. The resort is located on 16.7 acres (6.8 ha)[1] on the corner of Harmon Avenue and Paradise Road, about a mile east of the Las Vegas Strip.[2] At the time of its closure, the Hard Rock included 1,506 rooms across several hotel towers, a 61,704-square-foot (5,732.5 m2) casino, and a music venue known as The Joint. It had also hosted a weekly pool party event known as Rehab.
For the upcoming resort known as Hard Rock Las Vegas, see The Mirage.
Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Paradise, Nevada 89169
4455 Paradise Road
March 10, 1995
February 3, 2020
339 (1995)
670 (1999)
1,506 (after 2009)
61,704 square feet (5,732.5 m2)
Land-based
- Harveys (1994–97)
- Peter Morton (1994–2007)
- Morgans Hotel Group and DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (2007–2011)
- Brookfield Asset Management (2011–18)
- Virgin Hotels and others (2018–present)
- Harveys (1995–97)
- Peter Morton (1997–2007)
- Golden Gaming (2007–08)
- Morgans Hotel Group (2008–2011)
- Warner Gaming (2011–2020)
1998–99, 2000–01, 2007–2010, 2012, 2015–16
Plans for a Hard Rock hotel were announced in 1991, and the resort opened on March 10, 1995, as the world's first rock and roll-themed hotel. The Hard Rock Hotel began as a joint venture between Hard Rock Cafe founder Peter Morton and Harveys. Following disagreements, Morton bought out Harveys' share of the resort in 1997. A new 11-story hotel tower was added in 1999, as part of a $100 million renovation.
The Hard Rock was featured in various media, including television shows and music videos. It was also a frequent source of controversy and legal problems. In the 2000s, drugs and sexual conduct were common issues at the resort's nightclubs and pool area. The Hard Rock was also criticized for its advertising. The resort catered to a younger demographic, and it began using risqué advertising to compete against the Palms resort, which opened in 2001. However, such advertising led to a complaint from the Nevada Gaming Control Board in 2004. The board alleged that the Hard Rock ads promoted casino cheating and drug use, and a battle ensued over the resort's free-speech rights. The complaint was eventually settled.
In 2004, Morton announced plans to add a $1 billion condo hotel, but this was canceled after he received purchase offers on the Hard Rock. Morgans Hotel Group and DLJ Merchant Banking Partners bought the resort in 2007, and Morgans handled operations. A $750 million renovation and expansion project began in 2007, and was completed three years later. The project added two additional hotel towers, as well as new restaurants and nightclubs.
Morgans ended its involvement with the resort in 2011, when it was sold to Brookfield Asset Management with Warner Gaming as the operator. Virgin Hotels and a group of investors purchased the Hard Rock in 2018 and announced plans to renovate and rebrand it as a Virgin hotel. The Hard Rock closed on February 3, 2020, for renovations. Virgin Hotels Las Vegas opened on March 25, 2021.
Appearances in media[edit]
The guitar sign at the Hard Rock Cafe is featured in the 1992 film Honey, I Blew Up the Kid.[324] The Hard Rock Hotel is featured in the 1997 film Con Air, in which a plane crashes through the hotel's Fender Stratocaster guitar sign.[325] The film inaccurately portrays the hotel as being on the Las Vegas Strip.[326] The Hard Rock's Joint hosted the world premiere of Con Air on June 2, 1997.[327][328][329] In 2000, scenes were shot at the Hard Rock for the film Tomcats.[330][331][332] The Hard Rock was also featured in the April 2001 "Girls of the Hard Rock" issue of Playboy.[333][334]
The 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas features numerous fictional casinos based on real ones, such as the V-Rock Hotel, inspired by the Hard Rock.[335] In 2004, scenes were shot at the pool and a penthouse suite for a first season episode of The O.C.[336][337] A 2006 episode of Entourage titled "Vegas Baby, Vegas!" was shot at the Hard Rock as well.[338][339] Scenes were also filmed there for the 2008 film 21.[340]
Rehab and its security, bartending, and waitressing staffs are the subject of a reality television series titled Rehab: Party at the Hard Rock Hotel, which aired for three seasons from 2008 to 2010.[341] The 25th season of The Real World, which premiered in 2011, was filmed partially in a suite at the Hard Rock's Casino Tower, which served as the living quarters for the show's participants.[342] The suite was redesigned to accommodate filming, and it was reopened to hotel guests after production concluded.[343]
On a few occasions, VH1 and MTV used the resort to host music video countdowns such as Total Request Live.[344][345] Canadian hard rock group My Darkest Days filmed their video for "Porn Star Dancing" at the Vanity nightclub in 2010.[346] The music video for Sean Paul's 2011 song "Got 2 Luv U" was also filmed partially at the hotel and Vanity.[347]
