Hard Rock unveils details about Gary casino
The casino company Hard Rock International revealed that the Gary facility will be built in two phases.
US.- Hard Rock International revealed this week more details about the proposed casino in Gary. Hard Rock Casino Gary would be built in two phases: the casino would open in 2021, while the hotel and parking garage would open after the gambling facility.
The casino, which will become the second-largest in the territory, will have an attached hotel and parking garage. It will also feature a sportsbook, bars and restaurants. It will also include a Hard Rock Cafe and a music venue called Hard Rock Live.
Spectacle Entertainment officials told the Gary Plan Commission that the company expects to open the casino on December 31, 2020. The hotel and parking facility would follow within two to three years, NWI.com reveals.
“We originally envisioned to do that all in one fell swoop. Then along came Illinois and that sort of set us back on our heels a little bit. But we are serious about this project and committed to doing it in two phases,” said John Keeler, Spectacle vice president and general counsel.
Moreover, Keeler said that the partnership with Hard Rock happened because of Illinois, in reference to the recent gambling expansion bill approved in the state. “We felt if we were going to be able to compete in Gary and put out a first-class product — really attract people to our facility — we needed to partner with the gold standard, with the Rolls Royce if you will, in the casino gaming industry. And that’s why we’ve partnered with Hard Rock, who will manage and brand this casino.”
The design of the casino
Rich Zeigler, Spectacle vice president of development, revealed that Hard Rock is in charge of designing the exterior and interior. “Illinois changed things for us a bit. We’re still working through the design process of exactly how big it is and the amenities,” Zeigler said.
The casino will have 200k square feet with “all of the amenities that you would see in a state-of-the-art and top-of-the-line casino,” he said.
