Guitar Smash, High Energy Artist Michael Israel Highlight Grand Opening Of Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

Throngs of excited patrons rushed into the new Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, today, following grand opening ceremonies that included the traditional smashing of an acoustic guitar, Hard Rock-style, and a painting-to-music performance by high-energy artist Michael Israel. While loudspeakers blared Rock And Roll All Nite, the song made famous by the rock group Kiss, Israel created a vibrant canvas in tribute to Kiss leader Gene Simmons. Leaders of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, which owns the elaborate Seminole Hard Rock project, officially cut the grand opening ribbon to usher in a new dimension of entertainment excitement for South Florida.

A private, invitation-only performance by the legendary rock group Huey Lewis and the News capped the all-day celebration, following a poolside fireworks spectacular against the backdrop of Seminole Hard Rock hotel tower, bathed in purple lights.

Leading Entertainment Destination Built on 100 acres of the Seminole Hollywood Reservation on State Road 7 (U.S. 441) just north of Stirling Road, the hotel and casino are expected to quickly become the region's leading entertainment destination. It includes a 130,000-square-foot casino and an unmatched combination of retail shops, nightclubs and restaurants, including a Hard Rock Cafe and the Council Oak, a prestige steak and seafood restaurant. It also boasts the full-service European-style Contour Spa, as well as a 5-acre lagoon-style pool complex with a mountainous 182-foot water slide and lazy river.

In addition to the private, invitation-only performance by Huey Lewis and the News, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino has booked two public grand opening weekend concerts by Aaron Lewis of Staind. Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster for the Friday, May 14 and Saturday, May 15 acoustic guitar shows by Lewis, front man for the group Staind. All tickets are $50, seating is reserved.

Plus, Kenny Loggins is booked to perform at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Friday, June 4 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $40, seating is reserved. Tickets for both concerts are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com or charge by phone: 954/523-3309 in Broward, 305/358-5885 in Miami-Dade or 561/966-3309 in Palm Beach.

The concerts will take place in a multi-purpose space adjacent to the casino, and negotiations are underway with several more performers to bring shows there. The 5,600-seat Hard Rock Live venue will open later this year as part of the adjacent Seminole Paradise retail complex, where dozens of shops, restaurants and nightclubs will be available.

Giant Neon Guitar Guests arriving at the hotel and casino are greeted by the hotel's tropical landscaping and a 50-foot neon guitar modeled after one played by Jimi Hendrix. Drivers may choose between valet parking under a large covered porte cochere, or self-parking in the adjacent garage. A Hard Rock Store and a Seminole cultural retail store are located near the main entrance, adjacent to the guest registration lobby and reception desk.

In keeping with the Hard Rock theme, the hotel and casino showcase, one-of-a-kind pieces of music memorabilia, including many signed by the artists, plus a massive "Tower of Power" casino bar that includes a multi-media entertainment extravaganza. Hundreds of pieces of memorabilia at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood pay homage to several rock music genres, including the Originators of rock music, the British Invasion, Heavy Metal, Legends of Soul, and Southern Rock. The following are represented: Elvis, The Beatles, Madonna, Elton John, Aerosmith, The Who, the Rolling Stones, as well as South Florida's Gloria Estefan and the Bee Gees.

Rock music memorabilia has proven to be a major drawing card at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa, which opened March 11, 2004, and which has quickly become the center for entertainment activity in Tampa Bay.

Largest Casino in Florida At the heart of the new entertainment complex is Florida's largest and most elaborate casino, including 40 live action poker tables, lightning bingo and more than 2,000 of the latest electronic gaming machines, including Wheel of Fortune, Double Diamond, Red, White & Blue, and Five Times Pay. Open 24 hours every day, the new casino also features plush music-inspired carpeting with musical notes in swirls of gold on a maroon background.

The hotel includes 500 contemporary guestrooms and suites designed to meet 4-star, 4-diamond standards in a 12-story hotel tower that encircles the pool area. All Seminole Hard Rock Hotel guestrooms include unique extras like Tivoli stereo and CD systems, and ultra-luxury beds with linens of Egyptian cotton and European duvets. Typical guestrooms have natural daylight to the bathrooms, separate enclosures for tub and shower and fully-stocked mini bars, as well as hairdryers, personal safes, coffee makers, three telephones, T1 direct Internet access, bath robes and an iron and ironing board.

A 4-acre lagoon-style pool area of more than 19,000 square feet snakes around the pool bar, nestled in a rock mountain, which provides a dramatic backdrop to a 182-foot waterslide and elevated spa. The pool features waterfalls, a lazy river, hot tubs and a shallow pool with play features. Poolside cabanas are built into traditional Seminole "chickees," and come equipped with televisions and refrigerators. Landscaping creates a lush and tropical oasis, with dramatic tree plantings and colorful masses of flowers and shrubs.

Hard Rock Cafe, Council Oak Restaurants The twin focal points for dining and entertainment are the Hard Rock Cafe Hollywood and the Council Oak, a prestige steak and seafood restaurant named for the old oak tree where early members of the Seminole Tribal Council regularly met. The hotel also includes the Blue Plate, a restaurant for all-day dining. The 3,000-square-foot Pool Bar is the entertainment hub of the pool area.

The Casino Center Bar is elevated and surrounds a metal "Tower of Power" multimedia center, with 75 plasma screen monitors broadcasting music videos and more. A variety of food concepts and menu items are available at the 250-seat Food Court. Additional restaurants and nightclubs are included in the nearby retail and entertainment complex.

The Hard Rock Store incorporates a guitar motif and offers a wide range of gifts, souvenirs and sundries, from a $325 Hard Rock leather jacket to swimwear and casual clothing, bathrobes and beach towels, sunglasses and gift items. The store also features collectable Hard Rock pins in multiple styles, including several produced for the hotel's grand opening.

Meeting Options Abound More than 100,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space is available, including a 16,000-square-foot grand ballroom divisible into eight sections and several smaller rooms for breakouts or board meetings. A 7,000 square-foot poolside function area is also available. The complex also includes a multi-purpose space suitable for exhibitions, concerts and sporting events.

More than 4,000 parking spaces are available, including surface parking of more than 2,200 spaces and a parking garage for nearly 1,800 vehicles. Both valet and self-parking are available.

Easy access to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is available from Florida's Turnpike and I-95 to either Griffin Road or I-595, then south on State Road 7 (U.S. Highway 441) to the main entrance. It is 10 minutes from Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport and 15 minutes from Atlantic Ocean beaches. It is 15 minutes from downtown Fort Lauderdale and 30 minutes from downtown Miami and Miami International Airport.

Reservations Available, Hollywood and Tampa The telephone number for reservations at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood and the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa is 800/937-0010. Reservations may also be made on line at www.seminolehardrock.com.

The Seminole Tribe of Florida owns and operates the Seminole Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos in Hollywood and Tampa, according to terms of a licensing agreement with Hard Rock Cafe International. An elected Tribal Council, chaired by Mitchell Cypress, governs five reservations throughout Florida and provides education, healthcare, housing and other governmental services to more than 3,000 members. Other economic development activities include agriculture and cattle, as well as tourism and sports.

The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino was developed on behalf of the Tribe by the Cordish Company of Baltimore, Maryland. The complex was designed by the renowned architectural firm Klai Juba Architects of Las Vegas. It was constructed by a joint venture between The Perini Company and Suitt Construction. Perini is the largest contractor of hotel resort projects in the country. Suitt is one of the nation's leading builders in the hospitality industry. This is the third hotel-resort project the Perini/Suitt joint venture team has successfully completed in the past two years.

Hard Rock Cafe International Hard Rock Cafe International, one of the most globally recognized music, entertainment and dining brands, has a network of more than 100 Hard Rock Cafes in 44 countries and owns the world's largest collection of music memorabilia. Known for its collectible and fashion merchandise, live concerts, Hard Rock Live performance venues, hardrock.com and Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos, Hard Rock Cafe International, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of London-based The Rank Group Plc (Nasdaq: RANKY). Other Hard Rock Hotels operate in Orlando, Chicago, Bali and Thailand. For more information on Hard Rock, visit www.hardrock.com.

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