Treasure Island Pirate Show - Sirens (2024)

Last Updated on July 31, 2023

Battle of Buccaneer Bay

The original pirate show at Treasure Island was called the Battle of Buccaneer Bay. The first show came with Treasure Island’s opening in October of 1993 and ran for a decade, calling it quits in 2003.

The original pirate show was known for being this massive, family-friendly free attraction with hundreds of spectators gathered, their high-tech camcorders in hand, for each of the several nightly shows. The sheer size and majesty of the show, plus the theatrics and the show’s pirate pyrotechnics, wowed the audience every time for thousands of shows.

The plot of the show features British sailors in a battle against renegade pirates. The theatrical shenanigans as the British prepare for battle against the pirate was a scene to behold. Cannons blasted, ships sunk, and British Captain Mark Steelsmith went down for the count each and every time – only to be cheered by the crowd when he reappeared for the next show.

This famous free show with a pirate theme came to an end in 2003.

Sirens of TI

Right on the tail of the Battle of Buccaneer Bay came the second rendition of the pirate-themed TI show, which was called Sirens of TI.

The still-free performance at Las Vegas Treasure Island featured a different pirate theme – this time a little more silly and frisky, which brought the dismay of some who lamented the performance wasn’t as family-friendly as it used to be.

Now, instead of battling the British Navy, the pirate show featured a duel between the pirates and the sexy sirens of Sirens Cove. The story begins when the leader of the Sirens shouts out a declaration of how the Sirens and their power rule the sea.

Immediately after, Eros makes his way onto the Siren Ship (called the Song). Of course, he is discovered, and the siren cast members tie him to the ship’s mast.

When the pirates finally realize that the Sirens have Eros, they sail into Siren’s Cove, and a battle ensues. It’s worth noting that Eros did tell his pirate friends that he was quite happy with his current situation, but the pirates decide to shoot off their cannons at the Song anyway. The Sirens, being the powerful creatures that they are, sink the pirate ship with little effort.

By this time, the Sirens force Eros to walk the plank, but this happens just as the pirates climb aboard the Song, ready for a second battle. With the pirates aboard the ship and a duel taking place, the pirates finally realize they don’t have what it takes to take down the Sexy Sirens of Treasure Island.

What happens next? Well, the ship becomes pretty lit up, and the Song turns into a modern-day party with lights, music, and dancing.

Some who loved to watch the original free performance on Las Vegas Boulevard didn’t care for the fact that a cool, theatrical pirate-themed show that everyone could enjoy replaced the British Navy with scantily clad Sirens and that the new ending seemed a little “too” Las Vegas. Some critical reviews weren’t much better – stating that the choreography was boring, calling it a miss, and not worth the visit.

Still, the show persisted, earning some accolades. However, none quite matched what the original received.

The pirate shows, while free to the public, were quite expensive to produce and maintain. It’s estimated that the production cost was $5 million a year. There were insane amounts of propane and electricity used for each show – which played several times a night, every night of the week.

Additionally, several cast members incurred injuries during the show, which was also a liability.

The show was originally put on a temporary hiatus in 2013, as it closed to accommodate the development of a new shopping mall. However, the show never reopened. The shopping mall reduced the size of Sirens Cove by approximately one-third. Today, the cove still stands, and you can see the ship and a few artifacts there, but don’t expect any street performances or for the ship to spring to life. There are now fountains in the bay, and it has become a spot for Insta-worthy pics to be taken by those walking by.

The pirate show sign was dismantled so that a multi-colored TI logo sign could be placed. The street that leads to the front entrance of Treasure Island Las Vegas is now named Sirens Cove Blvd.

While you can no longer watch this once-famous show on the Las Vegas Strip, you can still see signs that it once existed.

• There were two versions of the pirate show at Treasure Island – The Battle of Buccaneer Bay and Sirens of TI.
• The original pirate show ran from 1993 until 2003
• The second pirate show ran from 2003 until 2013
• The show closed to make way for a new shopping mall
• Some fixtures, including the ship, remain at Treasure Island – although they no longer work
• If you want to see some great images of the show, look up the articles in the Las Vegas Review Journal