Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (Biloxi)

The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Biloxi is a casino and resort in Biloxi, Mississippi, owned and operated by Bally's Corporation. It opened in 2007.

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Location Biloxi, Mississippi
Address 777 Beach Boulevard
Opening dateJune 30, 2007
ThemeRock and roll
No. of rooms318
Total gaming space50,000 sq ft (4,600 m2)
Signature attractionsHard Rock Live
Notable restaurantsHard Rock Cafe, Ruth's Chris
Casino typeBeachfront
OwnerBally's Corporation
Websitehrhcbiloxi.com

History

The resort was constructed in 2005 and originally scheduled to open on September 1 of that year.[1] However, days before the scheduled grand opening, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, destroying the casino and damaging the resort.[2]

Reconstruction and reopening of the property was in limbo for a time because of a legal dispute between owner Premier Entertainment and the trustee for bondholders on the property. Premier later began architectural work on a newly rebuilt facility, awaiting resolution of the dispute, prior to workers securing the property for the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season.

Rebuilding of the facility was completed, and the casino opened to the public on June 30, 2007.[3]

3 Doors Down opened the hotel on July 5, 2007.[4] Other concert performances in the first month of business included Kid Rock,[5] Poison, Ratt, and Cheap Trick.[6]

In 2014, Twin River Worldwide Holdings (later Bally's Corporation) bought the property from Leucadia National for $250 million.[7][8] Twin River had sought to diversify itself geographically because its Rhode Island casino faced an increase in competition from casinos to be built in Massachusetts.[9]

Features
The casino's exterior at night

The newly restored facility is built on "more storm resistant" cement pilings rather than the former floating barge as originally mandated by Mississippi law, and features seven restaurants, including a Hard Rock Cafe, Ruth's Chris Steak House, Half Shell Oysters House, close to 500 hotel rooms and suites, a full service spa, a nightclub, over 1400 slot machines, 56 table games, outdoor beach themed pool with cabanas and swim-up bar, and a Hard Rock Live performance arena. (The poker room was closes Labor Day Weekend, 2016.) The height of the hotel is 128 feet (39 m) Steelman Partners was the architect, and interior designers and shop12 was the lighting designers

The guitar sign on the property is a replica of a Peavey HP Signature and is 112 feet (34 m) tall - at the time of its construction, it was the tallest Hard Rock sign in the world. It survived the wrath of Hurricane Katrina largely intact, and was restored and repaired during the property's reconstruction.

Memorabilia

Among other memorabilia that was found by local residents and returned to the Hard Rock after Katrina was Elvis Presley's Army uniform , found on a mannequin floating in the Mississippi Sound. Also on display are B.B. King's original guitar "Lucille" returned as well along with guitars from Earl Thomas Conley, Dimebag Darrell, Johnny Cash, and Kiss, as well as clothing from Steven Tyler and Elton John, along with a composite hunting bow of Ted Nugent.

Some of the rock artifacts are in pristine condition, but others are part of a Katrina memorial collage.

Notes
  1. "Hard Rock Cafe International Breaks Ground On Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Biloxi". Hard Rock Corporate Press. Archived from the original on 2007-06-09. Retrieved 2007-07-11.
  2. Mary Perez (2007-07-08). "Smashing good time at Hard Rock". Sun Herald. Retrieved 2007-07-11.
  3. Mary Perez (2007-07-29). "Hard Rock Will Open a Week Early". Sun Herald. Archived from the original on 2007-07-01. Retrieved 2007-07-11.
  4. Mary Perez (2007-07-08). "Smashing good time at Hard Rock". Sun Herald. Retrieved 2007-07-11.
  5. Pete Tattersall (2007-07-07). "Hard Rock Heard from 3 Doors Down". Sun Herald. Retrieved 2007-07-11.
  6. Hard Rock International (2007-07-07). "Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi Announces Grand Opening". PR Newswire. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-07-11.
  7. Paul Grimaldi (July 10, 2014). "Twin River completes purchase of Mississippi casino". Providence Journal. Retrieved 2019-04-01.
  8. Richard Salit (December 15, 2013). "Twin River agrees to buy Hard Rock Casino in Biloxi, Miss". Providence Journal. Retrieved 2019-04-01.
  9. "Purchase of Biloxi Hard Rock Casino 'important piece of puzzle' for Twin River". The Press-Register. Mobile, AL. AP. February 17, 2014. Retrieved 2019-04-01.

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