It’s hard to believe that a casino few have heard about is actually one of the most successful in the United States.
The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa has more available gaming positions for customers and a virtual monopoly on the west coast of Florida. To keep the property up to date, however, the Seminoles have constantly added to and renovated the facility. In May, the latest $100 million renovation was revealed.
Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International and chief executive officer of Seminole Gaming, says the designers went the extra mile with this project.
“Frankly, the intricacy and high level of finishes in this design rival anything, not just here in the state of Florida, but in Las Vegas and even the new casinos in Macau and Singapore,” he says.
The Art Deco-inspired mezzanine-level casino covers more than 26,000 square feet and offers 500 of the newest slot machines as well as 15 live-action table games. The new space contains approximately 14,000 square feet of Italian marble, which provides a luxurious backdrop for all the action.
For guests who don’t partake in tobacco, the smoke-free casino has doubled in size, with a dedicated smoke-free entrance, smoke-free bar with video poker, dedicated cage and player’s club. Additionally, it contains over 20 big-screen TVs for sports enthusiasts. Memorabilia items include a jacket from Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones and a leather shirt from the Who’s John Entwistle.
The new 700-space Orient Road Garage has a walkway where guests can take a self-guided memorabilia “Rock Walk” tour showcasing more than 100 of Seminole Hard Rock Tampa’s prized memorabilia pieces, including new items from artists such as Beyoncé, Carrie Underwood, Stevie Nicks, Bon Jovi, Nicki Minaj and many more. The opening of the Orient Road Garage also reopens 700 spots on a surface lot, giving Hard Rock Tampa more than 5,000 parking spaces.
The opening of the new spaces is only Phase I of an ambitious program that will add another hotel tower, more non-gaming amenities, and more jobs for central Florida.
Owner: Seminole Tribe of Florida
Architect: Friedmutter Group
General Contractor: Turner
Investment: $100 million
