By Walter Thomason
South Florida residents, winter visitors, and vacationers all have one thing in common: They can all enjoy the bounty and beauty of the Seminole Hard Rock Casino, Hollywood.
This major destination resort was created in 2003 through a partnership with the Seminole Indian Tribe of Florida and the International Hard Rock Corporation. The $250 million, AAA four star-rated facility located between Miami and Fort Lauderdale calls itself South Florida’s leading entertainment destination.
It features a hotel with 500 luxury guest rooms and suites, a casino with 145,000 square feet of gaming space, a 4.5 acre lagoon-style pool area, and nine major restaurants.
Lorraine Bracco of HBO’s Sopranos was at the Seminole Hard Rock to participate in the opening of the casino’s new Plum Lounge, an exclusive area for high-limit players.
An adjacent area, Seminole Paradise, is a 300,000 square feet outdoor entertainment complex with 22 retail shops and 17 restaurants, plus 11 bars and lounges. The complex also includes a Seminole museum and the Okalee Village tourist attraction. In all, “Hard Rock” occupies 100 acres, and is truly a sight to behold! Let’s take a quick tour of this mega-resort:
THE HOTEL – The 500 guest rooms offer all the amenities, including Tivoli stereo and CD systems, pillow-top beds with Egyptian linens, Roman tubs and showers, mini bars, hair dryers, coffee maker, iron and ironing board, bath robes, personal safe, direct internet access, and three telephones in each room. The hotel also has a special Fender guitar “room service,” which guests can use to check out one of 20 Fender electric guitars to play during their stay in the hotel (headphones are required, of course).
Wrestling personality Hulk Hogan was at the Seminole Hard Rock to attend festivities marking the introduction of Class III Vegas-style slots.
THE CASINO – South Florida’s largest game room features 135 table games, including 50 live action poker tables and 2,500 Vegas-style slots with all your favorites – Monopoly, Draw Poker, Wheel of Fortune, Blazin’ Sevens, Red White and Blue, and many more. The casino also offers video poker and video blackjack.
Smoking is allowed in the gaming machine areas, but the casino also offers a non-smoking game room with its own Player’s Club booth. Daily payouts on all of the machine games average $8.5 million, and the casino is open 24/7.
The poker room, which is entirely non-smoking, offers both ring games and Texas Hold ’em tournaments. Daily or twice-daily tournaments are offered, with buy-ins ranging from $100 to $1,100.
Table games offered include: Blackjack, mini-baccarat, three card poker, Pai Gow poker, let it ride, Spanish 21, casino war and more. While live non-card games are prohibited, the casino does offer electronic versions of roulette, craps and sic bo.
The back of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is home to the resort’s 4.5-acre lagoon-style pool area.
THE POOL COMPLEX – The Hardrock gives new meaning to the term, ‘‘hotel pool.” A 19,000 square foot pool meanders through a towering rock mountain, and includes a 182 foot waterslide and an elevated 12 person spa, along with waterfalls, hot tubs, and a shallow pool for the kids. Deluxe poolside cabanas, available at an extra charge, are equipped with TV’s, refrigerators, phones, ceiling fans, and teak lounge chairs.
ENTERTAINMENT – Hard Rock Live is a state-of-the-art arena seating 5,500 music lovers, sports fans, or conventioneers, and offers the hottest entertainers and world championship boxing. The nightclub area has nine clubs and lounges with DJ’s, live bands, dancers, comedians, and much more.
So whether you’re a “local,” a “snowbird,” or a week-long vacationer, the Seminole Hard Rock Casino is the rockin’ place to be!
The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Resort is located at One Seminole Way, in Hollywood, Florida just one mile south of Fort Lauderdale. For more information, call them toll-free at (866) 502-7529, or visit their web site at www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com
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