TAMPA, Fla. (December 9, 2015) – Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa, along with EventFest, Inc. and Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, announced today that Chief Warrant Officer Romulo “Romy” Camargo will be the Grand Marshal for the 2016 Seminole Hard Rock Gasparilla Pirate Fest and the Gasparilla Parade of the Pirates.

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is in the midst of a three-year run as title sponsor of the Gasparilla Pirate Fest, which is scheduled for January 29-30, 2016. The event will feature the Gasparilla Invasion and Parade of the Pirates, presented by Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, as well as the Gasparilla Pirate Fest Street Festival.

Camargo was an Army Special Forces officer who was shot in the neck and paralyzed from the shoulders down during an ambush in Afghanistan in 2008. This past spring, after 20 years in the service, he retired.

Along with his wife, Gaby, Camargo now runs the Tampa-based “Stay in Step,” which is a non-profit spinal cord injury recovery center that provides rehab programs and equipment and allows for quadriplegics and paraplegics the ability to stand and exercise.

“It’s an honor to announce that Chief Warrant Officer Camargo will be the Grand Marshal for the 2016 Seminole Hard Rock Gasparilla Pirate Fest and Gasparilla Parade of the Pirates,” said Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa President John Fontana. “Chief Warrant Officer Camargo is a true American hero and someone we should all look up to with utmost respect for his service to our country.

About Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is the premier entertainment destination of Central Florida and the place where celebrities love to stay and play. Owned and operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, this electrifying casino destination is one of the most successful and largest casinos in the world and is located in Tampa, Florida off of I-4 at North Orient Road and Hillsborough Avenue, between I-75 and I-275, about 10 minutes east of downtown Tampa. Featuring high stakes table games along with thousands of the hottest slot machines, the rock star amenities at this AAA Four Diamond rated hotel and casino range from seven award-winning Zagat-rated restaurants, a newly renovated Rock Spa® and VIP services galore. The casino offers a valet service or free, self-parking. For more information, please call 866-502-PLAY or visit us online and via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

About Hard Rock International

With a total of 204 venues in 64 countries, including 157 cafes, 22 hotels and 11 casinos, Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world’s greatest collection of music memorabilia, which is displayed at its locations around the globe. Hard Rock is also known for its collectible fashion and music-related merchandise, Hard Rock Live performance venues and an award-winning website. HRI owns the global trademark for all Hard Rock brands. The company owns, operates and franchises Cafes in iconic cities including London, New York, San Francisco, Sydney and Dubai. HRI also owns, licenses and/or manages hotel/casino properties worldwide. Destinations include the company’s two most successful Hotel and Casino properties in Tampa and Hollywood, Fl., both owned and operated by HRI parent company The Seminole Tribe of Florida, as well as other exciting locations including Bali, Chicago, Cancun, Ibiza, Las Vegas, Macau and San Diego. Upcoming new Hard Rock Cafe locations include San Juan, Lagos and Gran Canaria, Spain. New Hard Rock Hotel projects include Daytona Beach, Dubai, Los Cabos, Tenerife, Abu Dhabi, and Shenzhen and Haikou in China. For more information on Hard Rock International, visit www.hardrock.com.

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CONTACTS:
Nikki Yourison, Seminole Hard Rock Tampa, (813) 627-7623, [email protected]
Chris Dirato, Bitner Goodman, (954) 703-7938, [email protected]