Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa has announced new positions for two integral team members in the Food & Beverage department. James Manuel, formerly General Manager at The Rez Grill, has been promoted to Director of Fine Dining. Christopher Lynn, formerly Assistant Manager at The Rez Grill, has been promoted to General Manager at The Rez Grill.

Originally from South Africa, Manuel served as General Manager at The Rez Grill, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa’s premiere restaurant, since its opening in 2017. During his tenure, The Rez Grill was named to the Top 50 Restaurants in Tampa Bay by the Tampa Bay Times. The chef-driven menu and craft cocktail spirits program quickly became a favorite among guests of the property. Previous to his time in Tampa, Manuel joined Seminole Gaming in 2014 as Banquet Manager at the Coconut Creek property, where he grew the team to over 40 staff members.

In his new role, Manuel will oversee the daily operations of all fine dining establishments at the property, including Council Oak Steaks & Seafood, The Rez Grill, in-room dining, the Plum Lounge, and the new Italian dining option slated to open later in 2019. He will also oversee the mixology and wine departments.  Manuel is dedicated to, and has a passion for, excellence in hospitality and fine dining, making him the ideal choice to lead the developing fine dining food and beverage lineup at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa.

Christopher Lynn joined the Seminole Gaming family in 2016, where he served both in the banquets department and, later, as Assistant General Manager at NYY Steak in Coconut Creek. Previous to his time at Seminole Gaming, Lynn worked as Banquet Manager at the prestigious Woodfield Country Club in Boca Raton.

In his new role, Lynn will oversee the daily operations at The Rez Grill. With more than 15 years of experience in the hospitality in both Europe and the United States, Lynn is committed to maintaining high-quality service to create memorable dining experiences for guests.

For more information about Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa, visit SeminoleHardRockTampa.com.

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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 new smoke free slots area offering more than 850 popular games. Additionally, there is a state-of-the-art Poker Room featuring 46 tables and an art deco-inspired Mezzanine Level Casino with more than 500 premium and high limit slots. The hotel is AAA Four Diamond rated and the property proudly offers seven award-winning restaurants, including the upscale dining venues Council Oak Steaks & Seafood and The Rez Grill. The only place to rock one’s body and soul, Rock Spa® & Salon, 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 76 countries, including 184 cafes, 27 hotels and 12 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 most valuable 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 available in Rock Shops and online at https://shop.hardrock.com. HRI owns the global trademark for all Hard Rock brands including Hard Rock Live performance venues. 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 entity The Seminole Tribe of Florida, as well as other exciting locations including Atlantic City, Bali, Cancun, Daytona Beach, Desaru Coast, Ibiza, Orlando, Shenzhen and San Diego. Upcoming new Hard Rock Cafe locations include Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Street in the United Kingdom, Djerba, Tunisia, Gran Canaria, Spain and Chandigarh, India. New Hard Rock Hotel, Casino or Hotel & Casino projects include Amsterdam, Berlin, Budapest, Dublin, London, Los Cabos, Madrid, Maldives, New York City, Ottawa, Sacramento, Dalian and Haikou in China. In 2018, Hard Rock International was recognized as a Forbes Magazine Top Employer for Women and Land Operator of the Year at the Global Gaming Awards. For more information on Hard Rock International visit www.hardrock.com.