Hard Rock Casino Tampa Reveals $65 Million Refresh
The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa, Florida's biggest gaming establishment, revealed $65 million in upgrades, featuring major expansions to its slots section.
Certain enhancements have already been announced, such as the comeback of the Fresh Harvest Buffet and the introduction of a new gaming section that was formerly the food court, the latter of which launched on Thursday. The new gaming area features 350 brand new machines with payouts ranging from one cent to $5, and maximum bets of $100. The return of the buffet is deemed important as well.
"The reopening of Fresh Harvest Buffet is a significant milestone for Seminole Hard Rock Tampa, creating 200 new jobs and bringing the total number of team members at the casino resort to an impressive 4,293,” according to a statement. “As one of Tampa Bay’s largest employers, the casino resort continues to play a vital role in the local community.”
During the coronavirus pandemic, numerous casinos throughout the nation closed their buffets and opted not to reinstate that dining choice when they reopened, as operators found more lucrative uses for the area. Before COVID-19, buffets commonly operated as loss leaders in numerous casinos.
Hard Rock Casino Tampa Emphasizing Slots in Renovation
Another notable theme observed after the pandemic has been the growing acceptance of gaming machines by operators, which offer higher profit margins and require less overhead compared to table games managed by humans.
The fresh upscale gaming section at Hard Rock Tampa embraces that theme while enhancing other recent improvements at the casino, such as live craps, roulette, and sports betting, introduced just more than a year ago.
“Some of the popular games that will be available in the new area include Aristocrat’s Phoenix Link, Lightning Dollar Link and Dragon Link; Light & Wonder’s Huff N’ Even More Puff Hard Hat Edition, Huff ‘N Puff Money Mansion, Journey To Planet Moolah, Coin Trio Royal and Big Hot Flaming Pots; IGT’s Money Mania; and Sega Sammy’s Railroad Riches,” said the operator in the press release. “Dragon Link slot machines have been especially lucky, with 10 jackpots of $1 million or more hit in 2024 alone.”
Hard Rock International, which runs the namesake location in Tampa, serves as the gaming division of the Seminole Tribe. That organization is the leading casino operator in Florida and one of the largest tribal gaming organizations in the United States.
Hard Rock Tampa to Include Non-Smoking Area
With growing apprehension regarding the health results for both guests and staff, there has been a surge of backing for more gaming companies to contemplate establishing smoke-free casinos. It's a difficult journey since some operators think it will negatively impact their profits, yet some are discovering middle ground.
Hard Rock International announced that over a quarter of the 802 rooms at its Tampa location, which will be available for reservations by the end of this month, will be smoke-free.
“Among the offerings are newly renovated smoke-free accommodations in the West Tower, where 240 rooms, including Deluxe Rooms, Junior Suites, and the lavish Gold Suite, have been meticulously updated to elevate the guest experience, proudly maintaining Seminole Hard Rock Tampa’s AAA Diamond rating,” said the operator.
