Mirage Volcano
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The Mirage Volcano was a free attraction at the former Mirage resort, located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It was built along with the hotel in 1989 to go along with the resort's Polynesian theme and covered 4.5-acre (1.8 ha).[1]
History
[edit]Lighting designer David Hersey proposed that the volcano erupt rather than be dormant, leading to the developers of the property to construct a steel inner skeleton and a concrete exterior.[2] A system of gas jets that shoot fire and water are launched into the air synchronized to music. In 2005, the owner of the Mirage, Steve Wynn, wanted to attract an audience to the volcano and hired WET Design, known for constructing the Bellagio Fountains.[3] The entire original volcano was stripped of its exterior and a new framework was constructed in early 2008 at a cost of $25 million. They made the fire and water more intense and extended the length of the show when it reopened in December 2008.[4] Steve Wynn, came up with the idea for the volcano in 1989. It was originally constructed as a fountain and stood 54 feet tall and over 100 feet wide.[5] In 2024, the entire Mirage resort closed to rebrand to the Hard Rock Las Vegas. Its final show was on July 17, 2024.[6][7]
Show
[edit]The show features choreography to a Polynesian drum beat by Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart and Indian tabla player Zakir Hussain.[8] Gas pipes are ignited at various points and whitewater is launched out of the volcano with a red and orange lights pointed on it to make it look like fire.[9]
In popular culture
[edit]It is estimated that 50,000 people watched the volcano every day.[10] It has been compared to the Bellagio Fountains since both are free attractions and feature water shows.
Gallery
[edit]-
Volcano in 1995 as a fountain -
Example of gas nozzle used in fire effects -
Volcano at sunset -
Fire at the finale -
Combination of lighting, whitewater, and fire -
Example of fire from gas pipes at the top -
Lake in 1995 before the new show -
Volcano during the day
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See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Wynn unveils his $630M Mirage Siegfried and Roy have $58M contract". Associated Press. November 23, 1989. Retrieved April 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Schwartz, David G. (April 30, 2014). "Without Compromise". Vegas Seven. pp. 26–31. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
- ^ Robison, Jennifer (August 2, 2005). "Major renovation slated for Mirage: New restaurants, more fiery volcano planned". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on December 17, 2005.
- ^ "Mirage volcano to erupt in December after facelift". Las Vegas Sun. September 10, 2008. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
- ^ Lovat, Oliver (November 20, 2019). "Botanic, Volcanic, Dynamic, Historic: The Mirage Turns 30". Global Gaming Business Magazine. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
- ^ "Las Vegas locals, tourists gather to watch The Mirage Volcano erupt one last time". WBOY.com. 2024-07-18. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ Lochhead, Colton (February 7, 2022). "The Mirage's iconic volcano will soon erupt no more". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
- ^ "Grateful Dead Mickey Hart Provides Back Beat For Las Vegas Spectacular". Grateful Dead. 2008-09-17. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ Lawrence, Christopher (20 June 2022). "Lost Vegas: Remembering attractions inspired by the Mirage volcano". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
- ^ "The Mirage volcano ready to erupt for the last time". Channel 13 Las Vegas News KTNV. 2024-07-17. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
External links
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