Sioux City to inaugurate Hard Rock Casino August 1st

The Hard Rock developer, SCE Partners, had previously been vague about the opening date, other than to say it would be sometime during late summer.

Mark Monson, president of Missouri River Historical Development, the local nonprofit gaming group that holds the Hard Rock's state gaming license, also spoke. He hailed the vision of lead developer Bill Warner, whom Monson said delivered on his promise of a land-based casino with multiple amenities in just under a year's time.

The news conference gave Hard Rock officials a chance to show off the latest progress on the 30,000-square-foot casino floor. Carpet imported from Ireland is being laid, and the first of 835 slot machines have arrived on site.

The carpet's cheetah-like pattern, which mixes Hard Rock's trademark purple and gold colors with a dark brown, evokes fun and excitement, Hard Rock advertising manager Megan Leuders said.

Other elements of the decor also were on display Wednesday, including the neck of an oversized guitar that runs the length of the casino floor, which also will include 26 table games.

The newly built 58,000-square-foot structure that houses the casino floor is connected to the renovated Battery Building at Third and Water streets. Built in 1906, the historic four-story warehouse with a signature clock tower has been extensively renovated, with two restaurants, offices and other non-public uses on the first floor, as well as 54 hotel rooms on the top two levels.

Moyer said Hard Rock expects to start taking hotel reservations in early July.
At 10 a.m. Saturday, tickets will go on sale for the 20 concerts that Hard Rock will host in the first few months of operation. The only way to buy the tickets online will be through Hard Rock's website, hardrockcasinosiouxcity.com .

Artists will perform at either Hard Rock's 800-seat indoor venue, called the Anthem, just off the casino floor, or outdoors on a large grassy area north of the Battery Building. The latter, known as the Backyard, can hold up to 3,000 people.

The casino and hotel will employ about 500 people when it opens. With less than three dozen positions filled so far, the majority of the hiring will occur over the next two months. A job fair is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 4 and 5 at the Stoney Creek Inn, 300 Third St.

Around 130 candidates for table game jobs are being trained at a Hard Rock-sponsored dealer school that began Tuesday.