According to recent leaks regarding the Hard Rock Las Vegas Guitar Hotel, it will now boast 675 rooms instead of the initially announced 596. This has sparked allegations that the company is cost-cutting and reducing the sizes of some rooms to make up for that number. Hard Rock has since then responded to the criticisms.
Hard Rock Las Vegas Criticized
Five Hundy By Midnight podcast co-host Tim Dressen recently obtained plans for the Guitar Hotel, which is currently under construction on the former Mirage site on the Las Vegas Strip. According to the alleged plans, the new venue will have significantly more rooms than initially advertised, as some of the suites have been reduced to single rooms. Meanwhile, the back-of-house areas, including the supply closets on each floor, are being removed.
In addition, the amount of casino space in the Guitar Hotel will be reduced from 48,234 square feet to 41,584 square feet, while the size of the structure’s spa has been cut in half, from 66,673 square feet to 32,958, which was accomplished by eliminating planned pools. A new restaurant was also added to the same level. The plans also show that the Guitar Hotel’s street level has increased in size from 96,668 square feet to 127,645, while the check-in and pool level has swelled from 156,534 square feet to 176,611.
Finally, the plans submitted in 2023 to the Clark County Commission showed two pedestrian bridges from the resort extending across Las Vegas Boulevard. However, the one on its south side has been eliminated, leaving only a crossing on the new resort’s north side, to the Venetian.
Hard Rock Responds to Criticisms
Following the highly publicized cost-cutting criticism, a Hard Rock Las Vegas spokesperson explained that the plan adjustments reflect the natural evolution of a large-scale development project. The spokesperson denies that the company is cutting costs.
According to an email from Jonathan Goldman of Golin, the New York-based publicity firm representing Hard Rock International, early permit filings are generally used as placeholders, with recent updates intended to refine details as the project progresses from concept to execution. Goldman explained that, regarding the room count, additional usable space was identified within the curvature of the structure during later design reviews. This allowed for the addition of 75 rooms without reducing the originally planned 600 suites. In fact, the total number of rooms has increased, and the article’s claim to the contrary was described as inaccurate.
He also clarified that the original spa layout included placeholder space spanning the entire Guitar Hotel floor. Since then, the plan has evolved into a detailed 30,000-square-foot spa design, tailored to actual needs and informed by Hard Rock’s extensive experience in operating integrated resorts, hotels, and casinos.