When chef Julian Serrano opened Picasso in 1998, he was one of a handful of stewards ushering in a new era of fine dining on the Las Vegas Strip. Now, 25 years later, Serrano has announced his upcoming retirement, stepping away from Lago and closing the storied Picasso restaurant this summer.

The Las Vegas Strip hotel that ushered in the era of megaresorts is closing permanently on July 17. The Mirage is slated to become the Hard Rock Las Vegas when it reopens after extensive renovations.

Developed by former casino mogul Steve Wynn, the Mirage opened with a tropical theme as the Strip's first megaresort in 1989, spurring a building boom on the famous boulevard through the 1990s. The name was intended to spotlight the hotel as an oasis in the desert.