For any casino to make its mark on the congested Las Vegas Strip, it must come with some sort of “wow factor,” a unique, awe-inspiring identity that makes it stand out from the rest. The Bellagio has its world famous fountain show, Caesars Palace has its “Fall of Atlantis” show, and the Mirage has its famous volcano eruption show.
The Mirage show, before last week, could be seen every half hour from dusk until about midnight, every night. Top brass at the Mirage has decided to reduce the number of shows to just two from Sunday through Thursday, at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., while Friday and Saturday will add a third show at 10 p.m.
A statement from MGM Resorts on the Mirage stated, “With the variety of offerings on the Las Vegas Strip today, in contrast to 25 years ago, it made sense to us to reduce the number of shows in a way that wouldn’t diminish the visitor experience.”
Company spokeswoman Mary Hynes said the company will analyze how much money the change will save, how much energy will be cut, and how visitors react to the changes. The free shows that can be seen from the outside have been cut left and right, like the free pirate show in front of Treasure Island a few years ago.
These free forms of entertainment outside of casinos have been replaced with retail, restaurants, and other ways for people to spend money instead of getting free entertainment. There is clearly a shift in what it takes to get people inside casinos, and this trend will more than likely continue in the near future.
