LAKE TAHOE-
No regular ribbon-cutting would do for an international brand making a Lake Tahoe- size splash on a corner that’s been struggling.
Instead property owners smashed an ice guitar to loud cheers as they welcomed the community to gaming and staying – ‘Hard Rock’ style.
“I think it’s amazing. I’m going to have to see more of it,” said Kevin Mattice, one of the first people through the doors as the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino opened to the public for the first time at 8 p.m. Wednesday night.
“We’re amazed. It’s totally fun. This is the biggest event that’s happened in Lake Tahoe in a long, long time,” said Janna Genovese of South Lake Tahoe.
A project seven months in the making at the old Horizon Resort site, this music-infused makeover was never going to be – new verse same chorus – everything about this place has changed.
When you wander up to your room you’ll find it marked with a guitar pick.
Standard room prices FOX40 found on-line started at $319 for a Saturday night stay.
And none of those rooms were available until the end of February.
Room rates vary and any day of the week the ones on the ninth floor in Sunset Tower will cost you more.
There king-size beds are offered and guests will have a lake view from the sleeping area or balcony.
The most beautiful view may be of what the development is doing for the area’s bottom line.
“We spent $60 million over this period of time and we’ve had 700 construction workers full time…most of those people are from the Sacramento and Reno areas so the boost to the economy was really unbelievable,” said Don Marrandino of Warner Hospitality which is managing the property.
Thanks to a telecommunications contract some of that boost came right down the mountain to capitol city company Rex Moore Electric.
“Low voltage systems, data communications and we did all the cameras….it means a lot,” said Rex Moore employee David Caballero.
The re-do also means a lot to the strip, which saw a recession-stalled convention center sit idle for years.
Now it’s opening, and that’s not all.
“It will give us another thing to promote in terms of…. come to the south shore and visit. And it will also motivate and incentivize other businesses to make enhancements and improvements to the other businesses – elevate the level of the entire community,” said B. Gorman, CEO and President of the Tahoe Chamber.
Speaking of elevation, the ‘Hard Rock’ brand is known for its music memorabilia.
Wednesday afternoon Michael Jackson’s sequined glove was installed near the facility’s ‘Vinyl’ nightclub.
Jackson unveiled that glove back in May of 1983 when he introduced the world to a little thing called the ‘moonwalk.’
Now, no more introductions needed at 50 Highway 50, Stateline, Nevada – Hard Rock and Lake Tahoe are officially old friends.
