Russia-themed Red Square restaurant on Las Vegas Strip to close

Red Square restaurant inside the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino is shown Friday, July 6, 2007, in Las Vegas. (Ronda Churchill/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
RONDA CHURCHILL/REVIEW-JOUNAL
Red Square restaurant is shown at Mandalay Bay Friday, July 6, 2007.

The headless, paint-splattered statue of Lenin at Red Square. phhoto by jeff scheid

The bar area at Red Square restaurant inside the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino is shown Friday, July 6, 2007, in Las Vegas. (Ronda Churchill/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Vodka host Kelly Reid, center, pours shots of ZYR vodka to a fur-clad group from Atlanta, Ga., in the Vodka Locker at Red Square inside the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino Friday, June 22, 2007, in Las Vegas. (Jane Kalinowsky/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Mandalay Bay’s Russian-themed vodka bar and restaurant Red Square is preparing to close after over 20 years of operation.
The staff was informed Wednesday that Nov. 17 would be its last day of operation.
Red Square was one of Mandalay Bay’s premiere attractions when the resort opened its doors in 1999.
Its house-infused vodkas, iced bar top and frigid vodka vault in which VIPs consumed the spirit in fur hats and coats quickly made it a tourist attraction in the days before visitors thought in terms of Instagram-able moments.
Over the years, countless visitors posed for photos with the headless statue of Vladimir Lenin covered in faux pigeon droppings that stands near its entrance.
There’s no word yet on what may go into the space Red Square currently occupies.
Contact Al Mancini at amancini@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlManciniVegas on Twitter.