Under a lease agreement, the tribe ventures into these two projects with Hard Rock Café International Inc., the Orlando-based subsidiary of Rank Group and Cordish Cos., a commercial developer known for its work on Downtown renewal projects in major cities such as Baltimore and Houston. "These are some of the most prestigious people in the business," Seminole Chief Jim Billie tells GlobeSt.com. "We're honored to have them work with us."

Situated at the intersection of US 441 and Stirling Road between Interstate 95 and Florida's Turnpike, the planned Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood will offer 750 guest rooms, a gaming facility, a Hard Rock Café restaurant, a 1,000-seat Hard Rock Live entertainment facility and a host of other amenities. Located near the Ybor City entertainment district off Interstate 4, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tampa will offer 200 guestrooms, a Hard Rock Café or nightclub, a 24-hour restaurant and a gaming facility.

Under the tribe's present authority, Billie tells GlobeSt.com each of the casinos would operate with a Class 2 gaming license, which permits gaming such as bingo. Although Florida opposes it, the tribe is pursuing its rights under Federal legislation to operate a Class 3 license to allow gaming devices and games of chance. "We're in negotiations with the state," Billie says. "Right now, we're maintaining status with what we have."

The venture pairs the tribe with a company that wants to be known more than just a restaurant and entertainment company. Besides the two Florida projects, Hard Rock manages a full-service hotel in Bali and expects to open the Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando later this month.

"It's a true partnership in spirit and form," Scott Little, Hard Rock's chief financial officer and senior vice president of strategic planning, tells GlobeSt.com about the planned hotels in Hollywood and Tampa. "The three of us are working together as partners to design world-class facilities."

The deal builds on a relationship that Baltimore-based Cordish established with Hard Rock International during the company's redevelopment work at the old Albert Thomas Convention Center in Houston--a 150,000-sf project know as Bayou Place that has earned recognition for quality work by organizations such as the Urban Land Institute. "I would have to give credit on (the Seminole projects) to Joe Weinberg, one of the Cordish partners," Little tells GlobeSt.com.

Since the land is subject to tribal rules, neither project requires local planning or zoning approval from either county or city planning authorities. Plan designs, under the supervision of Las Vegas-based architectural design firm Klai-Juba, are completed. "To the credit of the development team, we're way down the road on design drawings and are looking to begin construction as soon as possible," Little says.

Instant Insights /

Seminoles, Hard Rock and Cordish Erecting Casino Hotels in Hollywood and Tampa

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