Hard Rock Las Vegas starts demolition of its Cafe for 2020 rebranding

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas began Monday the demolition of its Hard Rock Cafe. Located on the corner of Paradise Road and Harmon Avenue, the restaurant is being flattened to make way for parking and ride-share space, though the actual hotel and casino will remain standing.

On February 3, 2020, the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino will close its doors and the majority of the year will be spent rebranding. It’s set to reopen in November 2020 as Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

“By 4 o’clock the day after the Super Bowl, the last guest will be leaving, and the construction fences will be going up, and the doors will be locked," said CEO Richard Bosworth, as reported by KTNV Las Vegas.

Bosworth said the public can look forward to 1,500 chambers and suites, a new 60,000 square foot casino, five acres of poolside space, plus 130,000 square feet of event and meeting space. He said restaurant and food vendor partnerships will be announced around the end of 2019.

There are 1,850 employees who have been offered positions at the new business. Bosworth said turnover has decreased every year at the Hard Rock, even after the rebranding was announced last year.

Marked by its 82-foot tall, guitar-shaped neon sign, the Hard Rock Cafe opened its doors in 1990. The cafe closed on Dec. 31, 2016. Inspired by Pete Townshend's No. 9 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe, the iconic guitar sign was moved to the Neon Museum for preservation earlier this year. As for the Walk of Stars laid out in front of the facility, they will be preserved, with some being returned to the artists.