Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Las Vegas closes, set for a rebranded opening by November

After hosting one "Last Great Party Weekend,” the off-Strip Hard Rock Hotel and Casino property locked its doors Monday evening, bringing an end to the hotel-casino's 30 years in Las Vegas. The property will undergo renovations and rebranding to become Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. Executives say they expect it to reopen later this year, by November.

Richard Bosworth, CEO of the property, called it a "surreal day" as he watched guests and employees leave. He thanked the community for coming out to Hard Rock's final weekend, which included the Super Bowl. He said he hoped the resort would live on through other Las Vegas properties' features, like live performances on the casino floor.

"I hope [people] say that every single other casino-resort that they walked into carries the DNA of the Hard Rock," Bosworth said, as reported by KSNV.

At the Hard Rock at a farewell party Saturday night, Raul Leal, CEO of Virgin Hotels, shared some of the plans for the resort space. “There’s a legacy here,” Leal said, according to Las Vegas Sun. “I’ve been in this hotel many times and I love this hotel. I’m a little sad, but I’m glad we’re the next brand in line to keep it going and continue to make it relevant. I think we’re the right brand to follow this up because our legacy will be music and entertainment as well.”

When the revamped property opens again, the theme will be a “modern desert resort oasis.” “Everything will be transformed,” Leal said. “From the rooms to the casino to the pool, everything will be different. It will have a totally different feel. It’s a contemporary theme. It’ll be bright, airy and keeping with today’s customer. It’ll cater to the female traveler, which we do a lot.”

During a farewell address Saturday night to past and current employees and onlookers, Bosworth said some of the Hard Rock’s memorabilia will transfer to the new property, though much of it won’t. He said there hasn’t been a decision made yet on what will happen with a portion of the items. While the property won’t look the same, Leal said it’s a priority for the new space to be a leader within the Las Vegas live entertainment scene. “Expect a revival of the entertainment piece of it to a huge degree,” Leal said. “Hopefully, it will be revered again as the top hotel in the market for entertainment.”

25 years of unforgettable experiences with unforgettable people - thank you to all of our guests who have made the Hard Rock a home. We love you and can't wait to share updates with you as we transition to Virgin Hotels! ❤️🤘 pic.twitter.com/ZI0Lulm01f

— Hard Rock Hotel LV (@HardRockHotelLV) February 4, 2020

About 92% of the Hard Rock’s 1,800 employees stayed on until the property went dark Monday. Those employees have the option to return, according to a Hard Rock spokeswoman. “We have a strong alumni base,” Bosworth said. “There have been 14,000 people over the years to work at this property. Thousands of employees came back over the course of the weekend.”

JC Hospitality sold the casino and hotel to Virgin Hotels and a number of investors in 2018. Bosworth is expected to remain with the property.