Comedian Brad Garrett (second from right) led a ceremonial guitar smash to celebrate the opening of a new state-of-the-art poker room at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa. Joining Garrett (left to right) were Larry Frank, General Manager, Seminole Hard Rock Poker; Paul Mollo, Vice President of Table Games; Thomas Bates, Director of Poker; and Joe Lupo, President, Seminole Hard Rock Tampa.

TAMPA, Fla.  (January 13, 2017) – Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa unveiled its new state-of-the-art poker room on Thursday.

The 46-table, non-smoking poker room features Wi-Fi throughout and has the sports fan in mind (the room offers 40 TV’s, including six 75-inch TV’s and four 65-inch TV’s). High-stakes players now have a new high-limit lounge featuring two VIP tables.

Amongst the other offerings are a bar with seating to accommodate 15, as well as a “hidden gem” of a snack bar with seating for more than 20, and as an added convenience an outdoor covered area for smoking.

To celebrate the opening of the new poker room, comedian Brad Garrett, best known for having played the role of Robert Barone in the hit CBS series Everybody Loves Raymond, performed a ceremonial guitar smash before the new venue opened to the public. He also played the first hand, which will included the presentation of a commemorative chip.

Following the ceremonies, Seminole Hard Rock Tampa presented to Garrett a $10,000 check for the charity of his choice, Maximum Hope Foundation, which offers urgent financial relief to families caring for a child with a life-limiting illness.

The casino also raised $3,000 for Julie Weintraub’s Hands Across the Bay charity via a media poker tournament, which was won by Ronnie Lane from 620 WDAE. Garrett also donated $500 to Hands Across the Bay as did celebrity poker player and Seminole Hard Rock Tampa ambassador, John Racener.

About Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is the premier entertainment destination of Central Florida. Owned and operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the property is one of the most successful and largest casinos in the world. Located off I-4 at North Orient Road and Hillsborough Avenue, about 10 minutes east of downtown Tampa, the casino features high stakes table games, thousands of the hottest slot machines as well as a smoke free slots area offering 250 popular games. Additionally, there is a new state-of-the-art Poker Room featuring 46 tables. The hotel is AAA Four Diamond rated and offers six award-winning Zagat-rated restaurants, including the fine dining venue Council Oak Steaks & Seafood. The only place to rock one’s body and soul, Rock Spa® is also available along with a plethora of VIP services. For more information, please call 866-502-PLAY or visit us online and via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

About Hard Rock International
With venues in 74 countries, including 175 cafes, 24 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 Valencia, Innsbruck, Yangon and Chengdu. New Hard Rock Hotel projects include Abu Dhabi, Atlanta, Berlin, Dubai, London, Los Cabos, New York City, and Shenzhen, Dalian 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 Group, (954) 703-7938, [email protected]