Two Way Hard Three | Las Vegas Casino & Design Blog

Fascinating. I'm reassured by the fact MGM selected WET Design to redo the volcano. It should be spectacular, but I'm not sure I'd like a room overlooking the volcano; might be a little noisy:

"The result, a true union of the senses, will rattle your bones, just like a real volcano."

Very Cool. I think its important for Las Vegas to remember, its things like this that got Las Vegas to where it is today.

Posted by mike_ch

Uh, I'm pretty sure they did the last volcano renovation, too.

I'm mixed on this. It looks like they're doing a lot more fire and I'm kind of sad for what that means for the waterfowl. I've met plenty of Momma Ducks walking past the Mirage (apparently Sheldy extra-chlorinates the canals of Venice to keep birds away.)

I am not sure everything needs to be bigger and better -- and I really don't think the Mirage volcano was "broken", so why fix it? It was a huge draw just the way it was. I am sure it will be even more impressive, but is it really necessary? As long as it keeps the tourists coming to Vegas, that's a good thing, though. Of course, thinking about reinventing the wheel: the old pirate show at TI was better!

WET did indeed do the last 'upgrade', though that was just a minor thing - this is clearly a re-build of the entire feature.

I too worry a bit about the ducks. We covered the Venetian thing with the chlorine way back when.

Newer isn't always better but fortunately they didn't add 'lava babes' or anything super lame like that. How can you not like fireballs? I mean COME ON.

Wow Mirages updated website looks more "tropical themed" I have not seen MGM Mirage going around de-themeing things.

Sheldon sometimes extra-chlorinates his swimming pools, too. The Palazzo pool was briefly shut down because of it.

Posted by mike_ch

If the loooong video at the homepage is anything to go by, this basically could be the Adventureland version of the Bellagio fountains. Flames spewing around to and fro and bursting in patterns to percussion/tribal style music.

Seems neat. I'll feel bad when a duck inevitably is roasted, but obviously any ducks left when they drained it and after nearly six months of being a dry hot and ugly spot of concrete, they won't be coming back too soon.

mike,

They've kept a small section of the pool to the north of the volcano filled, although the construction fencing made it tough for any ducks that were living there to mooch crumbs from tourists.

I think it's pretty neat they commissioned musicians of the caliber of Mickey Hart and Zakir Hussain to do the show music. I might actually take the time to check it out sometime.

The Mirage contributes to global warming. Volcano will heat the air 11 degrees.
http://inbusinesslasvegas.com/2008/09/19/tourgame.html