Hard Rock Pulls Mirage Mermaid Statues From Auction for Best Possible Reason

By Scott Roeben, on September 18 2025
3 min read 0 comments
Las Vegas

Las Vegas fanatics were giddy when the Mirage mermaids went up for auction. Bids exceeded $30,000 each for the iconic statues that provided good luck for guests of Mirage for decades.

The statues were abruptly removed from the auction Web site and we’ve now learned why, exclusively, and it’s awesome.

Rather than the statues ending up in private hands, they’ll be on display at Hard Rock Las Vegas when it opens in 2027. It’s not like you were going to blow 30 grand on one of these “sirens,” so get onboard with how cool this news is.

Sorry, she’s off the market.

We were tipped off to the removal of the mermaid statues from the Mirage auction by eagle-eyed Twitter follower @CarlDon.

We reached out to Joe Lupo, President of Hard Rock Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, to determine the reason for our crushing disappointment, and he responded quickly.

Lupo said, “We have decided to remove from the online auction of Mirage art the two statues of the sirens that adorned the main entrance of the Mirage. We did so as we reconsidered how best to pay homage to the Mirage within the Hard Rock Las Vegas Hotel & Casino when it opens in 2027 and thought that these statues, which are the most recognizable art associated with the Mirage, would be best to display as a tribute to the historical significance of The Mirage to Las Vegas. Our visitors will undoubtedly appreciate this opportunity to reminisce while they are visiting the next iconic on the Strip that we are currently developing.”

Translation: Let the boob-rubbing continue!

See, that’s why they’re good luck. In case you’ve been living under a rock.

Your delicate sensibilities have no place in Las Vegas. Luck is luck. Gamblers need all the help they can get.

There are a lot of objects being rubbed for good luck in Las Vegas. Yes, we have chronicled these things. We chronicle everything. We are a world-class chronicler, mostly because chronicling is easier than doing an actual job.

Hard Rock hasn’t said where the mermaid statues will be on display, but we’re very happy these monuments to eternal optimism will be within the reach of visitors again.

It made no sense to auction off the mermaids in the first place. They could bring in upwards of $50,000 each once the gavel falls, but that’s pocket change for the Seminoles, owners of Hard Rock. Honoring history for posterity is priceless.

We would share details of the importance and legacy of Mirage, but we are very busy making dopey images with A.I., so you’re on your own. Let’s just say Mirage is considered one of the most important resorts in the history of Las Vegas, mainly due to its extensive collection of mermaid boobies. Also, something about ushering in the era of megaresorts or whatever.

The auction of Mirage artwork and decor happens Sep. 20, 2025.

The Chihuly blown glass sculpture has the highest bid in the auction at $42,000.

See, this A.I. version of the Chihuly sculpture is smiling because it’s blown glass.

Bids for Mirage’s dolphin statues currently sit at $9,500 and $8,500.

For the record, we called “dibs” on these. Apparently, “dibs” is not legally binding in Nevada.

Construction of the Hard Rock guitar tower is moving along at a brisk pace, with windows already being installed.

Las Vegas is on the verge of getting yet another eye-popping resort to show the world Vegas is not only not “dead” or even dormant, it’s erupting with lava-hot new experiences.

Yeah, we made it awkward. Do you know this blog at all?