One of Las Vegas’ mane attractions will soon be no more. The iconic lion habitat at the MGM Grand Casino will permanently close its doors at the end of January, according to a report in the Las Vegas Sun.

Opened in 1999, the free attraction wowed visitors arriving on flights to Las Vegas for more than a decade, showcasing a rotating “lion-up” of 20 beautiful cats trained and cared for by local resident Keith Evans.

However, the casino recently decided to close the habitat as part of a property-wide re-design. All of the cats will return to Evans’ property in February where they will be forced into early retirement.

Evans, who was surprised to hear the news, is hoping the hiatus is more of a cat nap than a deep slumber. If the MGM Grand decides not to bring the cats back, he may open up his property to tour groups.

CC Flickr photo credit: brx0