 | The Mirage--the first of the mega-resorts that transformed the Las Vegas Strip-- opening in November, 1989 by Steve Wynn at a cost of $630 million. The Mirage is located on the former site of the Castaway's Casino. Here, the Mirage is seen with its newly renovated erupting volcano which re-opened in December, 2008. |
 | A view of the Mirage from the Strip with the old volcano. |
 | The lobby of the Mirage (note the aquarium behind the check-in desk). |
 | The 20,000 gallon salt water aquarium located behind the check-in desk. The aquarium is 53-feet long and the acrylic windows are 4-inches thick! Marine life from the Sea of Cortez, the Red Sea, Fiji, Australia, the Caribbean and Hawaii live in the tank, including puffer fish, angel fish and other creatures. |
 | One of two bronze mermaids created by artist Arlin Robins located at the entrance of the Mirage--this one is named Sea Dreams; her sister is called Wave Borne. Sadly, both mermaid statues were removed in 2008 but reappeared in April, 2011. |
 | Another view of Sea Dreams. |
 | "Waveborne"--picture taken with ISO 400 film on 05/31/2006. |
 | The hotel entrance on October 13, 2010 without the mermaids. The entrance was mermaid-less for almost three years. |
 | The Mirage casino. Remember Clark Griswold's philosophy: "They always put the machines that pay the most in front." |
 | The beautiful atrium near the entrance of the Mirage. |
 | Kokomo's near the entrance and across from the check-in desks. |
 | The casino near the atrium. |
 | Japonais, found in New York City and Chicago, has a third incarnation at the Mirage and offers contemporary Japanese cuisine. Dress is casual. |
 | Next door to Japonais, the Stack offers American Bistro cuisine; dress is casual. |
 | Deep inside the Mirage casino approaching the Beatle's Lounge. |
 | The Beatles Revolution Lounge opened in December, 2006--six months after the debut of Cirque du Soleil's "The Beatles Love" show. |
 | The Revolution is an ultra lounge featuring the innovation of Cirque du Soleil for a unique nightlife experience. |
 | Among the several icons of the Mirage--dolphins. These statues are seen near the Strip. |
 | One of the tenants of the Dolphin Habitat. |
 | The old Mirage logo with the five colored palm trees--painted on the filtration tanks of the Dolphin Habitat. The palm tree is another icon of the resort. |
 | The Mirage as seen from one of the dolphin pools. |
 | Here are the signature palms of the Mirage on the glass doors of the main entrance. |
 | The lagoon along the Strip. |
 | When to see the volcano erupt: The renovated volcano features music with the sounds of actual volcano eruptions; pina colada fragrance is added to the natural gas to make the eruption a more pleasant experience for visitors watching along the sidewalk. |
 | A view of the remodeled volcano while dormant. |
 | The elevated tram that connects the Mirage with Treasure Island. Here, the tracks are available from the front of the tram. |
 | The tram as it pulls into the station at the Mirage. |
 | The Mirage with the moon overhead. At the time the Mirage was built, Vegas had been suffering a tourism decline which stretched back from the 1970s (particularly so when gambling became legalized in Atlantic City, NJ). The Mirage was the beginning of the remaking of Vegas--making it a more fashionable vacation destination. |
 | The Mirage at sundown as seen from the Venetian. (Note: Comedian Danny Gans--seen on the Mirage marquee--was one of the headliners for the Mirage from 2004 to 2009; he moved to the Wynn in February 2009. It was a shock when Gans suddenly passed away on May 1, 2009). |
 | A monument to magicians Siegfried and Roy and their white tigers (as seen from the Strip). Siegfried and Roy performed at the Mirage from 1990 to 2003; the show closed after Roy Horn was mauled by one of the white tigers. |
 | The entrance to the Secret Garden from the dolphin area. |
 | The white tiger, Vishnu, getting a drink of water. |
 | A white tiger cub being fed. |
 | The glamorous Mirage at night. As like most of the casinos on the Strip, the Mirage is not in the city of Las Vegas--but is located in Paradise, NV. |
 | One final view of the newly re-modeled erupting volcano (with lava pouring through a crevice). |