Hard Rock Casino Tampa Reveals $65 Million Refresh
The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa, Florida's biggest gaming establishment, revealed $65 million in upgrades, featuring major expansions to its slots section.
Certain upgrades have already been announced, such as the reinstatement of the Fresh Harvest Buffet and the launch of a new gaming section that used to be the food court, with the latter opening on Thursday. The updated gaming section features 350 new gaming machines with denominations ranging from a penny to $5, and maximum bets of $100. The return of the buffet is regarded as noteworthy.
"The reopening of Fresh Harvest Buffet is a significant milestone for Seminole Hard Rock Tampa, creating 200 new jobs and bringing the total number of team members at the casino resort to an impressive 4,293,” according to a statement. “As one of Tampa Bay’s largest employers, the casino resort continues to play a vital role in the local community.”
During the coronavirus pandemic, numerous casinos nationwide closed their buffets and chose not to reinstate that dining option upon reopening, as operators found more lucrative alternatives for that area. Before COVID-19, buffets often served as loss leaders at various casinos.
Hard Rock Casino Tampa Focusing on Slots in Renovation
Another significant theme emerging post-pandemic is the operators' greater acceptance of gaming machines, which offer higher profit margins and require less overhead than dealer-managed table games.
The recently introduced premium gaming section at Hard Rock Tampa embraces that theme while enhancing other new features at the casino, such as live craps, roulette, and sports betting, which were incorporated a little more than a year ago.
“Some of the popular games that will be available in the new area include Aristocrat’s Phoenix Link, Lightning Dollar Link and Dragon Link; Light & Wonder’s Huff N’ Even More Puff Hard Hat Edition, Huff ‘N Puff Money Mansion, Journey To Planet Moolah, Coin Trio Royal and Big Hot Flaming Pots; IGT’s Money Mania; and Sega Sammy’s Railroad Riches,” said the operator in the press release. “Dragon Link slot machines have been especially lucky, with 10 jackpots of $1 million or more hit in 2024 alone.”
Hard Rock International, which manages the venue of the same name in Tampa, serves as the gaming division of the Seminole Tribe. That organization is the leading casino operator in Florida and one of the largest tribal gaming organizations in the United States.
Hard Rock Tampa will Include Non-Smoking Area
With growing worries about the health effects on guests and staff, there has been a significant push for additional gaming companies to explore the option of making casinos smoke-free. It’s a difficult path to navigate since several operators think it will negatively impact their profits, yet some are discovering compromises.
Hard Rock International announced that over a quarter of the 802 rooms at its Tampa location set to open for bookings by the end of this month will be designated as non-smoking.
“Among the offerings are newly renovated smoke-free accommodations in the West Tower, where 240 rooms, including Deluxe Rooms, Junior Suites, and the lavish Gold Suite, have been meticulously updated to elevate the guest experience, proudly maintaining Seminole Hard Rock Tampa’s AAA Diamond rating,” said the operator.
