HOLLYWOOD – Hard Rock International’s guitar-shaped hotel could be coming to the Las Vegas Strip.

In a massive deal announced Monday evening, MGM Resorts International said it has agreed to sell the operations of the Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas to HRI for $1.075 billion in cash.

In addition to acquiring the operations, HRI plans to build a guitar-shaped hotel. A rendering of the hotel provided by HRI shows its prominent presence on the Strip. The rendering also shows the Hard Rock name on the current Mirage. HRI’s first guitar-shaped hotel – known as The Guitar Hotel – debuted in October of 2019 on the Hollywood Reservation of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, its parent entity.

“We are honored to welcome The Mirage’s 3,500 team members to the Hard Rock family,” Jim Allen, Chairman of Hard Rock International and CEO of Seminole Gaming, said in a statement. “When complete, Hard Rock Las Vegas will be a fully integrated resort welcoming meetings, groups, tourists and casino guests from around the world to its nearly 80-acre center-Strip location.”

The Mirage features more than 3,000 hotel rooms, an entertainment venue that currently features “The Beatles Love” by Cirque du Soleil, casino, sportsbook and lagoon-style pool. It also includes a volcano eruption show and dolphin habitat.

“This transaction is a significant milestone for MGM Resorts, and for Las Vegas,” Bill Hornbuckle, CEO & President, MGM Resorts International, said in a statement. “As part of the team that opened The Mirage in 1989, I know firsthand how special it is, and what a great opportunity it presents to the Hard Rock team. I want to thank all of our Mirage employees who have consistently delivered world-class gaming and entertainment experiences to our guests for more than three decades.”

According to MGM Resorts, the transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2022 and will be subject to regulatory approvals and other closing conditions.

The Mirage opened in 1989 and was acquired by MGM Resorts in 2000.

HRI said it plans to enter into a long-term lease agreement with VICI Properties for the real estate property of The Mirage.

HRI venues, including cafes, casinos, and hotels, are in 67 countries. A Hard Rock Hotel & Casino opened in Las Vegas in 1995, however, HRI was not associated with the venue until 2020 when HRI purchased the licensing and naming rights to Hard Rock in the city from Juniper Capital. The former Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is now Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.