Press Releases
Hard Rock Hotel Tulsa
November 12, 2008
Hard Rock Hotel Holdings, Llc and Hrhh Ip, Llc Sign License Agreement With Cherokee Nation Enterprises to Brand Expanded Facility as Hard Rock Casino Tulsa
Las Vegas, NV, November 12, 2008 – Hard Rock Hotel Holdings, LLC and HRHH IP, LLC today entered into a license agreement with Cherokee Nation Enterprises, LLC that, pending review of the National Indian Gaming Commission, will enable Cherokee Nation Enterprises to brand its expanded hotel and casino near Tulsa, Oklahoma under the Hard Rock Casino name.
The Hard Rock Casino Tulsa is the first Hard Rock-branded property in the Midwest. The new property will bring its own version of the Hard Rock experience to Oklahoma with influences from Cherokee heritage, Oklahoma’s rich history of musical artists and a blend of the property’s current and future amenities and entertainment.
“We are excited about bringing the Hard Rock experience to Tulsa. Hard Rock is a nationally and internationally known brand, and bringing it here allows us to make it uniquely Oklahoma,” said David Stewart, CEO, Cherokee Nation Enterprises. “Being part of the Hard Rock brand, combined with our current expansion, will set us apart from any other entertainment option in the region.”
“What should be clear is that the Cherokee Nation retains full ownership and management of all of our facilities. This is a marketing mechanism to share the Cherokee hospitality that we are known for,” said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. “The Hard Rock brand is another tool that we are using to create a diversified, growing economy in northeastern Oklahoma.”
“In today’s ever-changing and boundaryless business world, the leaders of the Cherokee Nation see an opportunity with Hard Rock to expand the ability to attract customers from around the world,” said Meredith Frailey, Speaker of the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council
“We are extremely pleased to have reached this agreement with Cherokee Nation Enterprises and expand the Hard Rock brand in to the Midwest,” said President of Morgans Hotel Group Las Vegas and Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Randy Kwasniewski. “Cherokee Nation Enterprises’ expertise in the hotel and gaming sector make them the ideal partner for Hard Rock Hotel Holdings, LLC and the city of Tulsa.”
As part of the Hard Rock brand, the new resort will include the décor, memorabilia and merchandise that have made the Hard Rock brand famous around the world.
The Hard Rock Casino Tulsa’s current expansion is estimated at $155 million, with the new gaming floor opening in December and the newly branded hotel welcoming its first guests in the spring of 2009.
