Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Sets Opening Date for New Smoke-Free Casino

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa will soon open a larger non-smoking gaming space, as the destination accommodates a growing number of guests who wish to play in an environment clear of secondhand smoke.

In June, the casino owned and operated by Hard Rock International, a fully owned subsidiary of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, announced plans to expand smoke-free gaming. The goal is to include more than 40% of Hard Rock Tampa’s slot machines in smoke-free areas.

Ahead of casino floor renovations that are set to begin in October, Hard Rock says it has converted the Hard Rock Event Center into a temporary smoke-free casino to maintain uninterrupted gaming. The Event Center will open its casino operation next month.

Smoke-Free Casino Demand

Seminole Hard Rock Tampa has offered a smoke-free gaming area just off the primary casino floor adjacent to the Draper Place Garage for many years. The casino additionally features smoke-free gaming and high-limit slots on the mezzanine level.

Hard Rock officials say the decision to add more smoke-free gaming to the casino was based on customer feedback.

“We are committed to providing our guests with more choices, greater comfort, and even more ways to play,” said Travis Lunn, president of Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa. “The temporary casino inside Hard Rock Event Center will allow guests to continue enjoying a wide variety of gaming options while this incredible transformation takes place.”

The Hard Rock Event Center casino will feature 682 all-new slot machines, including Lightning 10 Year Storm, Dragon Link, Phoenix Link, Railroad Riches, Monopoly, and Thunder Empire. The temporary casino will additionally feature 34 smoke-free live dealer table games, with blackjack, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Three Card Poker, Mississippi Stud, and roulette.

The Hard Rock Event Center casino will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Casino Plan

Lunn detailed that the casino area stretching from the Elvis piano display to the Cipresso restaurant, along with the hotel lobby and L Bar, will be converted into a permanent smoke-free casino environment while the Event Center operates temporarily.

The existing machines in the space, which is separated from the larger casino area and Center Bar, will undergo deep cleaning. All carpets, chairs, gaming table felts, and ceiling treatments will be replaced.

Smoking rates continue to decline in the U.S. In April, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health reported that the domestic smoking rate has hit an all-time low, with less than 10% of adults regularly smoking cigarettes.

At the peak of cigarette consumption in the mid-1960s, nearly half of adults smoked.