The Mirage Hotel Casino has decided to give their iconic volcano a facelift, at a cost of $25 million. The volcano, a part of their building on the Las Vegas Strip, was built in 1989, and can regularly be seen 'erupting' with a spray of water lit with a red light to make it look like lava.
The volcano was one of the first flashy casino spectacles, and is still a favourite among visitors, but the casino believes that it could look even better.
The re-vamp will include 120 new fireball throwing devices that will be timed to erupt in synch with a drum score composed by Mickey Hart, who was once the drummer for the Grateful Dead. The project is expected to be completed later this year.
As part of the attraction, gas flames will be spurted 12 feet in the air, 'lava', will flow down the volcano's crevices, and flames will burst out at carefully calculated close, but safe, distances from passers by. Jim Doyle, director of technologies at WET, the Sun Valley, California design firm responsible for the new look of the volcano, said "It looks dangerous, but in reality it's not. We just want people to stand back on their heels."
Doyle spent two years designing a fire-shooting device that could be hidden in the lagoon surrounding the volcano during the day, and be brought out at night for the hourly shows. The miniature robots controlling the fireballs can be choreographed, and may be made to dance to Mickey Hart's score.
The revamp of the volcano is the final part of an overhaul of the resort. MGM Mirage Inc. have spent $110 million upgrading the Mirage resort, and have revamped the rooms and suites, added a new nightclub, and also added several restaurants.
Scott Sibella, the Mirage President, has said that he wished the volcano, which is the property's signature feature, was a little closer to the new indoor attractions. Since the first eruption of the volcano, casinos have learned that it is better to put such features inside the casinos. "It does draw thousands of people for every eruption", said Scott, "but the challenge is getting them inside the property."
Email this page
Print this page
Bookmark with del.icio.us
