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Hard Rock Opens Its Guitar-Shaped Hotel In Hollywood

It's 450 feet of larger-than-life rock n' roll novelty. 

From the Florida Turnpike, the giant guitar building that lights up neon blue and green at night has been almost impossible to miss since construction broke ground in the summer of 2017.

Now, it's finally open to the public.

 

The new guitar-shaped hotel is part of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood's $1.5 billion dollar expansion, for more gaming, dining, places to stay and shopping. 

"We can't forget that we started with Hard Rock Cafe back in 1971," Jim Allen said. He's the CEO of Seminole Gaming and the chairman of The Hard Rock International brand.

"You know, we're coming up on our 50-year anniversary, so this becomes the new flagship."

Hard Rock is owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Allen said the tribe's Hollywood reservation made the most sense as the place to build the brand's first guitar-shaped hotel. 

"This is the reservation where they have all their council meetings and where central government is for the tribe, so this is kind of home base," Allen said.

The guitar may be the first of its kind in the world, but that won't be true for long. Hard Rock already has guitar-shaped hotels in the works in Mexico City and Barcelona. The brand is also trying to build one in Japan. 

The 'topping off' ceremony on the Guitar Hotel in Hollywood was held more than a year ago. Ever since, the more than 1,200 workers hired for the job have been adding the glass exterior and working on the more than 638 hotel rooms and multiple pools, and a lagoon water sports area. To stay, a room ranges from about $199 per night up to $599.

Read More: Seminole Hard Rock Hotel And Casino Expansion To Bring Jobs, Affect Housing And Workers

In addition to that, a second hotel, next to the guitar called The Oasis Tower boasts suites you can swim up to. There's also a completely new Hard Rock Live venue for entertainers that can seat up to 7,000 people for concerts and comedy shows.

"I remember when the original Hard Rock opened," Ina Lee said. 

Lee works in the tourism industry and chairs the marketing committee for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau. She's been very involved in the redevelopment of Fort Lauderdale since the 1980s, and owns TravelHost Media.  

"It really was something that changed our destination. And now this just obviously, is way beyond that....I love what the tribe has done. They took a risk...It adds to everything we already have."

Next to the guitar-shaped hotel there is a second new hotel with 168 rooms and swim-up suites.
Caitie Switalski / WLRN
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WLRN
Next to the guitar-shaped hotel there is a second new hotel with 168 rooms and swim-up suites.
In the Guitar Hotel's lobby, water and music are synced for hourly light shows.
Caitie Switalski / WLRN
/
WLRN
In the Guitar Hotel's lobby, water and music are synced for hourly light shows.
There is also a new shopping mall inside the guitar-shaped hotel.
Caitie Switalski / WLRN
/
WLRN
There is also a new shopping mall inside the guitar-shaped hotel.

Copyright 2019 WLRN 91.3 FM

Caitie Switalski is a rising senior at the University of Florida. She's worked for WFSU-FM in Tallahassee as an intern and reporter. When she's in Gainesville for school, Caitie is an anchor and producer for local Morning Edition content at WUFT-FM, as well as a digital editor for the station's website. Her favorite stories are politically driven, about how politicians, laws and policies effect local communities. Once she graduates with a dual degree in Journalism and English,Caitiehopes to make a career continuing to report and produce for NPR stations in the sunshine state. When she's not following what's happening with changing laws, you can catchCaitielounging in local coffee shops, at the beach, or watching Love Actually for the hundredth time.