After spending $720 million on an expansion project, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa decided to introduce their changes with a ton of fanfare. The casino started with the smashing of guitars, followed by high-wire daredevils and a star-studded celebration party.

Going All Out:

To celebrate the grand opening of the large expansion project, the Hard Rock Casino went all out. The amazing skywalker, Nik Wallenda, and his mother Delilah took to the skies and walked a high wire between the old and new towers of the property. Guitars were also smashed along with a dance troupe performance by Light Balance.

Several celebrities were on hand during the event as well, walking a red carpet set up on site. Big names attending include Keith Urban, Nicole Kidman and Christie Brinkley. Performances continued into the night with Big Boi and DJ Jazzy Jeff in attendance.

According to Tampabay.com…

Seminole Tribe vice chairman, Mitchell Cypress, commented on the changes by stating: “We started off with a chickee and one alligator in a pen and look where we’re at.”

Today, the Tampa location is the flagship of the Hard Rock International brand. The property generates around $1 billion a year in revenues. The Hard Rock brand has over 45,000 employees spread throughout the world at 254 different properties. When it comes to profitability, the casino in Tampa is the most success in North America.

Expansion Details:

The expansion to the Tampa property took two and a half years to complete. In the process, it created 2,000 construction jobs and added an additional 2,000 jobs to the property. The casino now includes 245,000 square feet of space devoted to gaming. There are close to 5,000 slot games and around 200 table gaming options including poker, baccarat, blackjack and poker, among other games.

The expansion includes a new hotel that is 14 stories in size, featuring 562 guest rooms. New restaurants were added along with shopping areas, a salon and spa, plus so much more.