Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Staff ReportsMay 30, 2018

The first line of the press release says it all: “Florida’s biggest casino is getting even bigger.” The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa on Wednesday announced “a nearly $700 million expansion … with 5,000 slot machines and almost 200 gaming tables,” the release said. Work should be completed by mid-2019. “The expanded casino […]

Jim RosicaApril 24, 2018

Lawmakers have moved from informal talks to exchanging offers toward a Special Session on gambling, sources said late Monday. That’s despite an agreement announced last week between the state and the Seminole Tribe of Florida guaranteeing that the Tribe will keep sharing gaming revenue from its casinos at least till May 2019. The impetus behind the Special Session effort is a […]

Jim RosicaApril 18, 2018

It’s another happy day at Hard Rock. Gov. Rick Scott Wednesday announced an agreement between the state and the Seminole Tribe of Florida that “extends the Tribe’s current commitment to make (gambling) revenue sharing payments to the state through May 2019.” The tribe operates Hard Rock-branded and other casinos in Florida, including the flagship Hard […]

Jim RosicaMarch 9, 2018

The Florida Legislature’s last best chance to pass comprehensive legislation on gambling came up a bad beat on Friday, with a conference committee calling it quits. Senate President Joe Negron and House Speaker Richard Corcoran released a joint statement Friday night. “Despite the good faith efforts of both the House and Senate, a gaming bill […]

Jim RosicaMarch 9, 2018

The House’s turn to deal in talks toward an omnibus gambling bill produced an proposal for five new “limited gaming” licenses for either 500 slots or designated player games—but not both. And designated player games, a hybrid of poker and blackjack that’s proved lucrative to pari-mutuel cardrooms, would be banned everywhere else. And no new pari-mutuel, […]

Jim RosicaMarch 9, 2018

The House’s first stab on comprehensive gambling legislation this year includes a spartan offer to the Senate of only three new slot machine licenses for pari-mutuels in counties that OK’d slots in local referendums. The Conference Committee on Gaming met for the first time Thursday evening; Rep. Mike La Rosa was elected chair. The proposal […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 22, 2018

Danielle Babilino will become senior vice president of global sales and marketing for Seminole Tribe-controlled Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos, the company announced Thursday. Babilino was most recently executive vice president of sales and marketing for Alon Las Vegas, the proposed luxury hotel and casino on the Strip. She now will have “overall responsibility for the […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 2, 2018

A lawyer for the Seminole Tribe of Florida on Friday said his client is offended over gambling that violates its exclusive agreement with the state and won’t agree to a new deal unless “the games end.” Barry Richard, the Tribe’s outside counsel, and tribal leaders met with Sen. Bill Galvano and Rep. Jose Oliva this week […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 17, 2018

The Senate on Wednesday began moving its omnibus gambling bill for 2018 without addressing one looming issue sure to cause headaches: Sports betting. And there’s a reason it’s not in this year’s legislation (SB 840), according to Sen. Travis Hutson, chair of the Regulated Industries Committee: To avoid a meltdown with the Seminole Tribe of […]

Staff ReportsJune 21, 2017

Screen-Shot-2017-06-21-at-2.43.08-PM.png

Hard Rock International, controlled by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Wednesday announced three new top executives. Jon Lucas will be the company’s new chief operating officer and “will oversee key company departments, in addition to brand operations,” according to a press release. He will report directly to Chairman and CEO Jim Allen. He was previously executive vice president of hotel […]

Tag: Hard Rock

Seminole Tribe announces $700M expansion at Hard Rock Tampa

Lawmakers swapping deals toward Special Session on gambling

Deal ’em: Rick Scott, Seminole Tribe agree on gambling money

Snake eyes: Gambling bill dies for 2018

House strikes back on gambling: Five ‘limited gaming’ licenses

House makes modest offer toward gambling compromise

Personnel note: Danielle Babilino joins Hard Rock in Florida

Seminole Tribe ‘insulted,’ doesn’t need gambling deal, lawyer says

The big thing that’s not in the Senate’s gambling bill

Hard Rock names four new top executives