"The power of the Hard Rock brand continues to prove its value throughout the world"

Can we have your year-end assessment for Hard Rock, especially regarding its gaming and entertainment businesses, openings and projects? 

2019 has been an amazing year for Hard Rock with grand openings of the expansions of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos in Tampa and Hollywood, Florida, where early results for the new Guitar Hotel complex are surpassing our wildest expectations. We also opened the new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain and saw the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City quickly jump to second place among casinos in that market. The power of the Hard Rock brand continues to prove its value throughout the world.

What are your goals, expectations and plans for 2020, both in the markets where you currently have operations, and in emerging markets such as U.S. sports betting, Japan, Latin America? 

We have seen tremendous growth since the Seminole Tribe of Florida purchased Hard Rock in 2007, expanding from 133 venues in 45 countries to more than 260 venues in 76 countries. The hotel division has also seen strong growth, from seven to 31 hotels with another 30 in the pipeline. We were selected by Barcelona to be the sole integrated resort in Tarragona. In early 2020, we hope to get through all the steps required to start construction there. We are currently competing in Greece and Japan for integrated resorts.

How are your strategies evolving to draw and engage new generations of players to your entertainment venues, and to keep and strengthen the Hard Rock brand all around the world?

Our Hard Rock team is very focused on the incorporation of artificial intelligence capabilities into our global guest recognition and marketing programs.

Hard Rock Hollywood Florida - Opening