American casino operator Hard Rock International has reportedly announced that it is planning to spend in the region of $70 million in order to add a new 300-room hotel to its Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati property.

According to a Saturday report from local television broadcaster WCPO-TV, the firm owned by the federally-recognized Seminole Tribe of Florida revealed that it is also hoping to bring a spa and fitness center as well as a number of luxury suites for VIP patrons to the downtown Cincinnati venue.

Destination desire:

Jon Lucas (pictured) serves as the Chief Operating Officer for Hard Rock International and he reportedly told the newspaper that the envisioned transformation is set to help the enterprise to become more attractive to gambling aficionados spread across the states of Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana. He moreover purportedly disclosed that the coming hotel is to be built either on the development’s expansive front lawn or north of its current parking garage in what is currently a surface lot.

Lucas reportedly stated…

“It’s critical to the continued success of this property as we grow the entertainment line-up. People can regionally come here, enjoy a show, gamble a little bit, eat some dinner and then they don’t have to drive back home. They can spend the night.”

Multiple monikers:

Opened as the Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati by Jack Entertainment in partnership with Caesars Entertainment Corporation in March of 2013, the two-story Hamilton County development with its 100,000 sq ft gaming floor was rebranded just three years later as the Jack Cincinnati Casino. Hard Rock International then paid $187 million in September of 2019 so as to take over the running of the Ohio facility in association with new landlord Vici Properties Incorporated.

Future focus:

WCPO-TV reported that Hard Rock International currently runs 13 casinos including the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood and even larger Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Atlantic City alongside a collection of 34 hotels and 238 cafes and rock shops. The tribal operator purportedly divulged that it has already spent roughly $40 million to upgrade the dining options and concert facilities at its Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati while simultaneously building a sportsbook in the event that Ohio legislators ever legalize retail sportsbetting.

Close competition:

The move from Hard Rock International reportedly comes at the same time as rival Churchill Downs Incorporated is spending $148 million to expand its own Turfway Park horseracing development, which is located just 13 miles away in the northern Kentucky city of Florence, so as to house up to 1,500 slot-like historical race wagering machines. Nevertheless, Lucas purportedly asserted that the timeline for the Cincinnati expansion is likely to ‘be pretty quick’ as his firm has already completed a feasibility study and ‘met with our partners.’

Lucas reportedly declared…

“What we do is we create a real entertainment facility that has a lot of non-gaming amenities. You can’t change that convenience play where somebody’s in the neighborhood and just wants to play for an hour or two but for the person that wants great food, great beverages, great entertainment or a show, we’ll get them coming here. That’s what I think our competition doesn’t have.”