Treasure Island was among several family-oriented resorts to open in Las Vegas during the 1990s, taking advantage of the growing tourist demographic.

Treasure Island's pirate theme was scaled back during a 2003 project aimed at attracting a more mature audience, in contrast to the family trend of the 1990s.

In 1986, casino owner Steve Wynn purchased property on the Las Vegas Strip extending north to Spring Mountain Road.

Like other new resorts in Las Vegas, Treasure Island was planned as a family-oriented property, taking advantage of the growing tourist demographic.

[8] Employees and their families stayed at Treasure Island a couple days before the opening to put the resort through a trial run.

[10][11] Wynn's other Strip resort, the shuttered Dunes, was imploded the following night in a grand ceremony which incorporated the pirate show.

The suit alleged that Wynn violated trademark law by using the "Treasure Island" name for his own casino resort.

[25][26] In April 2003, Treasure Island announced a major revamp to transform the resort into a more sophisticated property aimed primarily at adults,[25][27][28] although children would still be welcomed.

[29] Describing the resort's transformation, Treasure Island president Scott Sibella said, "We've seen a return of Las Vegas to its roots as an adult destination.

[31] MGM struggled financially during the Great Recession, and businessman Phil Ruffin made an offer to buy Treasure Island.

[36][39][40] The hotel rooms were left untouched, as MGM had conducted a $92 million renovation of them shortly before selling the resort to Ruffin.

[40] A rooftop swamp cooler caught fire in July 2012, sending smoke through hallways of the upper hotel floors, which were evacuated.

Trump has held several campaign rallies at Treasure Island,[43][44] including one in 2016 during which an audience member attempted to assassinate him.

[49] State casinos were temporarily closed in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Nevada, and the closure allowed planned renovations across the resort to accelerate.

[61][62] Fashion designer Christian Audigier opened an eponymous nightclub at Treasure Island in 2008, in partnership with Pure Management Group.

[66][67] Ruffin's other changes included a $3 million makeover of the spa, with renovations overseen by his wife Oleksandra Nikolayenko.

[51] In 2013, the resort announced plans to build a three-story mall, replacing the northern portion of the pirate lagoon area.

Bergman designed the Treasure Island tower with a floorplan that branched out three ways in a Y-shape, with elevators in the center.

[3] Jerde's assistants traveled across Europe, India and Nepal searching for historic objects such as doors and columns, which were then replicated for Buccaneer Bay.

[78] According to interior designer Roger Thomas, "We thought it would be great fun to create a pirate village with sinking ships and pyrotechnics.

[83] Executives realized that the resort's heavy pirate theme did not appeal to people interested in a weekend getaway.

[84] Mirage conducted focus group testing to determine upcoming renovation plans for Treasure Island.

[87][88] The resort initially included a roadside sign featuring an 8,000-pound pirate skull,[89] made of fiberglass and measuring 27 1/2 feet.

[94][56] Treasure Island opened with several restaurants, including Buccaneer Bay Club, which overlooked the lagoon and its pirate shows.

[99][84][100] The arcade was replaced in 2001 by a tropical-themed restaurant and bar named Kahunaville, part of efforts to appeal to a more-adult demographic.

[39] Ruffin also replaced Social House with his own Asian restaurant, Khotan, featuring jade and ivory antiques from his personal collection.

[116] Treasure Island opened with the free Battle of Buccaneer Bay pirate show, performed in the lagoon along the Strip.

[70][117] Treasure Island is home to Cirque du Soleil's Mystère, which introduced the entertainment style of Franco Dragone.

It opened on December 25, 1993,[128][129][130] and has been voted nine times as the best production show in the city by the Las Vegas Review-Journal reader's poll.

[138][139] The program received low viewership ratings, and was considered an infomercial by critics, who lambasted NBC for not labeling it as such.