Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood grand opening attended by A-list celebrities

The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood held its grand opening festivities for the 36-storey electric guitar-shaped hotel in Florida Thursday night with a star-studded event to celebrate the $1.5 billion renovation project.

“We look at this as an adult-integrated resort,” Hard Rock International CEO Jim Allen said. “It is truly a destination that’s not just a casino. We’re really excited the facility is done on time, on budget, just like we said it would be.”

The 450-foot guitar-shaped building opened with a ceremonial guitar smashing ceremony rather than a ribbon-cutting, and the grand opening was attended by several A-list celebrities.

“I think it’s beautiful. I mean, it’s surreal,” actor Johnny Depp said, as reported by 7News. Morgan Freeman, boxing legend Evander Holyfield, actress Bella Thorne, Sofia Richie and Khloe Kardashian were also among the celebrities that attended the opening.

ITS OFFICIAL! #DiscoverYourRhythm #GuitarHotel pic.twitter.com/RPektqrayc

— Seminole Hard Rock (@HardRockHolly) October 25, 2019

Boasting a 7,000-seat casino floor, 1,200 hotel rooms and more than 3,000 slot machines and gaming tables, the soaring blue glass venue is a major investment for the pioneering and wealthy Native American Seminole tribe.

The Guitar Hotel had its grand opening on the tribe's land in Hollywood, once only a trailer park and some smoke shops. It's the latest step in the Seminole Hard Rock empire, which includes naming rights on the Miami-area stadium where the 2020 Super Bowl will be played.

Marcellus Osceola, council chairman of the Seminole in Florida, said: “We're very thankful and we're blessed to be in a position that we can provide the general welfare and the help and assistance that tribe members need. The dollars that we make here will make life a little bit easier for our members when they have health care issues or when they are trying to buy a car to transport themselves with their families,” DailyMail reports.

The building was constructed with 13,000 tons of steel, 36,000 cubic yards of concrete and over 10 million man hours. There are 638 hotel rooms inside of the guitar-shaped hotel, and according to staff, all of the rooms were booked. Guests attending the opening were treated to a light show that encompassed the building. “There are three tractor-trailers for the Savoy crystal that’s coming in,” Allen said.

HISTORIC! #DiscoverYourRhythm #GuitarHotel pic.twitter.com/bTtUMW4QvY

— Seminole Hard Rock (@HardRockHolly) October 25, 2019

Hard Rock Live is now a large theater that can hold 7,000 people at once, with its clam-shell seating. “If you look around the room, you look at the distance, and the furthest distance of any seat to what we call ‘center mic’ is 168 feet,” Allen added. “In fact, there’s nothing like it in the United States.” The new theater can be home to concerts, Broadway musicals, boxing and live TV shows, starting with Maroon 5 on Friday and continuing with artists such as Sting and Billy Joel.

“There’s no echo in this room whatsoever. There is absolutely none,” said Allen. “Every ceiling, every wall is all treated. You can see all the acoustical panels. They are not just decorations. They are specifically designed for the highest quality of sound.”

Visitors will get to see at one of the many new entrances a fountain that’s equipped with lasers, and will have a show about every 40 minutes. It was brought by the designers who helped create the Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Thank you for the kind words, Jim Allen. 🙌🏼 #DiscoverYourRhythm #GuitarHotel pic.twitter.com/D5TtZLFhf9

— Seminole Hard Rock (@HardRockHolly) October 25, 2019

Just this month, it opened another Hard Rock hotel and casino in the city of Tampa, on the west coast of Florida. “The overall Hard Rock business on a global basis does in excess of $6billion in revenue in 75 countries around the world,” Allen told AFP.

Outside of the Guitar Hotel is a seven-story, 168-guest room Oasis Tower that overlooks a lagoon. The spa, casino gaming floor and retail space have also been reimagined.

“This has taken the business and the tribe, and frankly, the Hard Rock brand to a level that rivals anything in the world,” said Allen.