1995-2009 The venue, originally named the Joint, opened along with the
Hard Rock Hotel on the night of March 10, 1995. The venue had capacity for up to 1,400 people. Numerous musicians performed on opening night, and the concert was filmed and subsequently broadcast on
MTV the following night. This new showroom provided audience members with an intimate setting that allowed them an up-close view of performers, some of whom normally would have played in large stadiums. Although the Joint was built as a music venue, it hosted other events as well, such as the world premiere of
Con Air on June 2, 1997. In November 2003, it hosted a fundraiser screening of
The Big Empty. The screening was part of an effort by the Hard Rock to compete against its rival, the Palms, which had hosted several film and television premiere screenings. In late 2003,
Jeff Beacher began hosting a
variety show at the Joint, which continued its run for the next four years. In September 2006, the Joint hosted "Imagine: The Artwork of John Lennon", a collection of more than 100 art pieces created by
John Lennon, including drawings,
serigraphs, and
lithographs. Andrew Hewitt, the Joint's original concert promoter, announced his impending departure in late 2006, after 11 years.
AEG Live took over booking for the Joint, and events occurred less frequently there following Hewitt's departure. The original Joint closed on February 7, 2009, with its final performance being
Mötley Crüe. The facility had held more than 1,000 concerts since its opening.
2009–2020 The new Joint cost $60 million. The furthest seat from the stage was 155 feet. The new Joint opened on the night of April 17, 2009, with a performance by
the Killers. This was followed over the next two nights with performances by
Avenged Sevenfold and
Paul McCartney. In addition to its primary function as a music venue, the new Joint also hosted private events and comedy acts, as well as boxing and mixed martial arts fights. In May 2009, the Hard Rock announced that
Rogue Pictures had purchased the naming rights to the venue, which would now be known as The Joint by Rogue. For 2009,
Pollstar named the Joint as the Best New Major Concert Venue of the year. Within its first 10 years, the new facility had won 22 local and national awards. In 2010 and 2011 it hosted the
Dew Tour Championships as the venue for Skateboard Street. As of 2014, the new Joint had sold more than a million tickets to 380 different events.
Present In March 2018, the Hard Rock was sold to a group of companies that included
Virgin Hotels, and plans were announced to renovate and rebrand the resort as
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. but this idea was scrapped because of an issue with naming rights. The venue is tentatively known as The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, while the new ownership decides on a permanent name. Virgin Hotels Las Vegas opened on March 25, 2021,
Christina Aguilera performed in the new theater on June 10, 2021, as part of an official grand opening celebration for the resort, following the end of most COVID-19 health restrictions. The theater includes seating for 4,500 people. Regular performances began on September 11, 2021, with a concert by
Gary Clark Jr. AEG continues to book and operate the venue, which was renovated at a cost of $6.5 million. On March 11, 2023, the
UFC held its first event at the theater for
UFC Fight Night: Yan vs. Dvalishvili. In April 2023 the
Professional Fighters League held the first three events of its 2023 season at the theater starting with
PFL 1. ==Notable performances==