Hard Rock International Details Plans For Arkansas Casino Resort Property

The state of Arkansas has approved the development of a casino resort facility which is a job fit for only the most esteemed and capable organizations in the business – and so far, five of them have submitted their respective application for it. Among them is industry leviathan, Hard Rock International.

Among the competitors, besides the Florida-based giant, are Tri-Peaks Entertainment Group, The Gulfside Casino partnership, the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and Robert and Ruth Kehl and the Chocktaw Nation. They are battling it out for a license for a casino property that is to be built in Pope County.

Plans to Restructure the Entire Scene

Last year, Arkansas Racing Commission after receiving an application for Jefferson Country casino from Downstream Development Authority. All six applications will be considered during a hearing scheduled for June 13th.

Further jurisdictional amendments have allowed for four casino licenses: two of them are for gaming operations at Hot Spring’s Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort and West Memphis’ Southland Casino Racing. The other two are intended for the development of new properties in the two said counties.

A Scheme Worth $230 Million

Hard Rock Int’l is partnering with Warner Gaming for the purpose of Pope County resort development. The companies, who have a long history of partnership (Warner is managing the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Vegas) and opened a Sioux City venue five years ago), are plotting a Hard Rock-branded property here.

The first phase of construction is slated to cost $230 million…

…which is a money to be invested in a resort with a 300-room hotel, 44,500 square foot casino with 1,150 gaming machines, 28 table games, a poker room, sports betting facility and mobile betting.

Besides that, it would feature a 20-acre sports facility named after Bo Jackson, specially intended to invest in youth sports. There will also be an RV park, 26,000 square feet of convention space and an 8,000 person outdoor amphitheater.

What the Community Needs

Warner’s president and CEO, Bill Warner, said of this venture:

“Our team is excited to bring this amenity to the local community as part of our overall resort destination proposal for Hard Rock Arkansas. We believe it will be a place for families to enjoy sports, be active, and spend time together and are proud to be able to provide the community what it wants.”

It appears, therefore, that the Pope County project is still alive and well, despite previous reports from January of it being in hot water after outgoing judge signed off on plans for the construction of the casino.

Somewhat apocalyptic statements were given at the time by critics of the judge’s act, saying that “to have a lame duck official act in total disregard to the express wishes of the residents of Pope County is appalling and a complete affront to our representative democracy.”

Sacramento Property Gets New Executives

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain, which will be opened in fall 2019, has got its executives. The president will be Mark Birtha, vice president of finance is Christopher Balaban, while the Human Resources team will be led by Ryan Flieger. The vice president of marketing position will be filled by Anika Gaskins.

President of the venue, Birtha, said: “Some are new to the brand and some are seasoned veterans, but most important is that we have an enthusiastic executive team with over 150 years of collective experience working together to develop and operate what will become a top gaming, entertainment and hospitality venue that provides ‘authentic experiences that rock’ in Northern California.”

Source:

“Hard Rock details Arkansas development plans”, casinobeats.com, June 3, 2019.