Sofia Marchetti
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is set to open a smoke-free section of its casino floor under the name The Breeze: A Smoke-Free Experience By Hard Rock. The property's smoke-free information page gives Thursday, November 19 as the grand opening date.
The name was revealed in a newsroom release on October 1. According to that release, the space is meant for visitors who want to breathe clean air from the start of their visit to the end.
What Becomes Smoke-Free
The renovation takes in part of the casino floor running from the Elvis piano display to Cipresso, plus the hotel lobby and L Bar. The resort's page says those sections of the floor, the lobby and L Bar have been smoke-free since September 25. The work covers new carpet, seating, table felts and ceiling finishes.
The smoke-free experience reaches past the gaming floor. Valet arrival, lobby areas, restaurants, bars, the spa and the pool are all included. Restaurants on the list include Cipresso, Constant Grind, Council Oak Steaks & Seafood, Fresh Harvest Buffet, Hard Rock Cafe, Rise Kitchen & Deli, Rock 'N Raw, Sugar Factory and The Rez Grill. Among the bars and lounges are L Bar, Plum Lounge, Pool Bar & Grill and The Draper Room.
Temporary Casino In The Event Center
Gaming has not stopped during construction. Hard Rock Event Center now runs as a temporary smoke-free casino, open around the clock, with 682 new slot machines and 34 table games moved over from the main floor. It will operate while the resort builds a permanent smoke-free gaming area elsewhere on the property. The resort counts 6,185 slots across the property.
Every restaurant, bar, amenity and hotel room stays open during the work. Other smoke-free spots already in place include the Draper Room poker room, with 44 poker tables and 12 live table games, along with Rock Spa & Salon and the Mezzanine Casino.
The Operator's View
Resort president Travis Lunn said team members had a hand in choosing the name, and that The Breeze sums up the experience the property is building. The resort says guest feedback drove the changes and that more details will come closer to opening. The October release put the renovation's completion in November.
The resort's page now confirms November 19, but it does not explain how the temporary Event Center casino will be phased out once the permanent smoke-free space is ready. Guests who want a smoke-free visit can already use the Event Center, the Draper Room and the Mezzanine Casino, and the resort says all restaurants and amenities remain open throughout.
Smoke-free gaming has been a live issue across the US industry. We have looked at which casinos in the US ban smoking, and at operators such as Mohegan Pennsylvania, which opened a smoke-free gambling lounge.
The Tampa property is owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. It has more than 800 smoke-free guest rooms across two towers and employs nearly 4,300 team members, according to the resort.
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