Hard Rock Announces 'Rocksino' Concept for Ohio Casino
The Northfield Park Racetrack in Northfield, Ohio is partnering with Hard Rock International to construct a roughly $300 million casino on the property, located not far from Cleveland. Now a name for the casino has been announced – it will be known officially as Hard Rock Rocksino.
The news that construction was getting underway on the project broke earlier this month, with Northfield Park’s owner Brock Milstein remarking that, “We are excited to work with the dynamic, world-renowned Hard Rock brand on this project and are certain the Rocksino will enhance the Northfield Park racetrack experience for our visitors.”
“We are also excited to report that construction is underway and on schedule. We look forward to holding a job fair in late 2013 offering great jobs for all skill sets, and ultimately, generating more than 600 new permanent jobs upon the Rocksino’s opening,” said Milstein.
This is the first property that will use the “Rocksino” brand, according to the company. The name is fitting with the image of Hard Rock, whose properties tend to be marketed toward a younger, rock-n-roll set and proves to be a departure from the usual “racino” branding of properties that contain both casino and racetrack facilities.
Chairman of Hard Rock International, Jim Allen, expressed excitement at the new Rocksino concept, saying, “We want to bring something special to a region so rich in music history and are proud this location will launch the ‘Rocksino’ brand.”
“Hard Rock is committed to building the premier entertainment and gaming destination in the area. The Rocksino is sure to become a the premiere entertainment and gaming destination in the Midwest,” Allen went on to say.
As we reported last week, the expansion of casinos in the state of Ohio has sent its neighbor to the west, Indiana, into a bit of a panic. Indiana was one of the first states to allow for the construction of casinos, having done so back in 1995.
Since that time, the state has taken in around $10 billion in gambling-derived tax revenue. The money the state garners from taxing casinos presently accounts for about five percent of Indiana’s general fund, according to the New York Times.
Facing mounting pressure as its neighbors, including the states of Illinois and Kentucky in addition to Ohio, begin to move toward expanded gambling, Indiana lawmakers are now pursuing the expansion of gambling into inland areas of the state in the hopes to reducing what they expect to be a potentially devastating reduction in revenue.
This is a story that is echoed in many states across the nation as the ongoing poor economy wreaks havoc on state and local budgets. Be sure to check back with us for continued updates on gambling regulation and casino news in the United States.
