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Jul. 25, 2009
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490-room tower opens at Hard Rock Hotel

Executive says hotel near capacity for summer

By ARNOLD M. KNIGHTLY
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

The Paradise Tower, left, at the Hard Rock Hotel will add 490 rooms to the property. Most of the rooms in the tower will be open this weekend, a week ahead of the tower's official opening.
Photo by John Gurzinski

Forget the recession. Forget concerns that too many Las Vegas hotel rooms may soon be competing for too few customers.

The Hard Rock Hotel can't wait to open its new 490-room Paradise Tower.

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    • Most of the rooms in the Paradise Tower will be open for business this weekend, a week ahead of the new tower's official opening.

    And property executives say the off-Strip resort's 1,300-room inventory is sold out next weekend and is nearing capacity for the next several weekends.

    Throughout this month, Yale Rowe, the property's general manager of operations, said the property has been running at 95 percent occupancy, making the new rooms necessary.

    He credits the high occupancy levels to the resort's opening in April of a new concert venue, The Joint, and the addition of 60,000 square feet of convention and meeting space.

    Additionally, he said, the summer is a busy time for the property because of its beach club, Rehab.

    "It gives us the opportunity to have much bigger mass in on the weekend," Rowe said. "When the convention and meeting business comes through, it keeps you alive Sunday through Thursday."

    Rowe said the Paradise Tower was designed to attract a bigger business crowd to the Hard Rock. The resort's Harmon Tower, with 375 suites, will open in December and is aimed at casino customers.

    This weekend's soft opening of the Paradise Tower won't include 11 rooms that will not be ready until next month and 10 pool suites and the 3,500-square-foot penthouse suite, which are not completed yet.

    The Paradise Tower is part of a $760 million expansion and remodeling project.

    The tower is opening in one of the worst markets Las Vegas has ever experienced. Hotels are already cutting room rates drastically to attract customers who have cut back on their travel and spending in Las Vegas.

    Contact reporter Arnold M. Knightly at aknightly@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893.

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    GH wrote on July 26, 2009 04:57 AM: Dave wrote: " if it was so great, why did Morton sell it?"

    Maybe for the $750 million!

    Even with a very profitable casino that is a lot of money.

    It's the same reason Caesars Palace was sold, Mandalay Bay was sold, Bellagio was sold, etc, etc, etc... the question you should be asking is what would make someone pay top dollar to buy a casino, the answer... it makes money.

    BTW... give it a couple more months and check out the Hard Rock, they are expanding the Casino, Restaurants, Hotel, Pool, Convention Space (already done), the Joint (already done), Spa, Parking, and just about anything else you can imagine. It will still be small by Vegas standards but that is a big part of the reason the Hard Rock has always done so well.


    bebe wrote on July 25, 2009 05:06 PM: Well Dave, there are many things that you can't do at any hotels but here. Trust me, I work here:)


    Dave wrote on July 25, 2009 03:26 PM: I don't know Harry, if it was so great, why did Morton sell it? It wasn't doing good then in the heyday, it certainly can't be doing good now. The decision to build this tower was made before the economic collapse, so the timing couldn't be worse. I guess if they offer $90 rooms they can fill it. Their casino is SMALL too.


    Harry S wrote on July 25, 2009 12:35 PM: Dave: you just don't get it. The Hard Rock is one of the few cool places to go and have fun. It's theme is Rock N Roll which never goes out of style unlike some pyramid or pirate village. Plus, this place is just plain fun to be, has great service, great parking, and is easy to get to being off strip.

    Trust me, these guys are the future. I wish more casino's looked at how good they entertain their guests.

    And no, I don't work there but I do like being there. I just like what they do.

    I hope it works for them. LV needs more good places to bring in business.


    5150 Dave wrote on July 25, 2009 10:43 AM: Certain Hotels have what it takes to make it. When that UGLY MESS called City Center opens it will be interesting to see how many hotels close... It will happen as the economy is not going to improve for years.. and in fact will get worse.


    Dave wrote on July 25, 2009 10:42 AM: I really don't understand how Hard Rock gets anyone to go there. It is way off the strip. This tower will never pay for itself. Just another bonehead move by some corporate morons.


    Another Vegas Local wrote on July 25, 2009 09:26 AM: Play nice kids!


    informed vegas local ? wrote on July 25, 2009 07:54 AM: vegas loves people like harry who chime in just at the right time..... and are very up to date with vegas happenings


    cmc_carter2@hotmail.com wrote on July 25, 2009 06:35 AM: the original 'joint' was closed last year and moved to it's present location, hence "new".


    -the chad wrote on July 25, 2009 06:34 AM: The orginal 'The Joint' was closed, moved, and made bigger, better.


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