Hard Rock International plans to start construction in July 2012 on a music-themed casino in Atlantic City, N.J., CEO Jim Allen told the New Jersey Casino Control Commission this month, according to local newspaper
The Press of Atlantic City.
Although rumors of a new Hard Rock property in Atlantic City have persisted for months, details so far have been scarce. According to Allen, the project will include two phases, the first of which will include a 200-room casino hotel that's scheduled to open in spring 2014. The second, meanwhile, will add a 650-room hotel tower that will open within two years of phase one's completion.
Located at the southern end of the boardwalk, the property also will include an outdoor pool on the beach, fire pits, a barbecue and live entertainment, as well as a Hard Rock Cafe overlooking the ocean and a museum stocked with memorabilia from Hard Rock's rock-and-roll collection.
"When you look at the history of Atlantic City and its contribution to music, we felt this could be another reason for people to come to Atlantic City," Allen said, according to The Press, noting that the project still must secure financing and regulatory approvals before it can proceed.