Demolition Starts on the Hard Rock Cafe to Make Way for Virgin Hotel

Say so long to one of the iconic landmarks of Las Vegas. The Hard Rock Hotel start demolition of the Hard Rock Cafe at the front of the resort as the property gets ready to become Virgin Hotel.

The Hard Rock Cafe originally opened in 1990 with an 82-foot neon guitar lit up out front. The guitar, inspired by Pete Townshend’s No. 9 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe, now sits at The Neon Museum. The restaurant closed on December 31, 2016.

Demolition of the restaurant starts on Monday, November 18. The entire resort closes on February 3, 2020, right after to the Super Bowl, to begin changing into Virgin Hotels, opening in fall of 2020.

MB Steak, Pizza Forte, plus 20-year Hard Rock veteran Nobu are all scheduled to return when the Virgin-branded resort debuts. The Nobu bar area will reopen at twice its current size and the steakhouse will add to the dining room and its own bar footprint.

Elsewhere on property, Virgin paperwork now confirms the Commons Club lounge and restaurant ss a prominent tenant, moving into an open-plan space, close to the main entrance.

• Virgin Hotel Keeps Some Restaurants After the Remodel, Adds Hugh Jackman to the Mix [ELV]

• Virgin Hotel Now Has Its First Restaurant and Lounge Planned [ELV]

• All Coverage of the Hard Rock Hotel [ELV]