Hard Rock 'Ups The Ante' With Vegas' Premier Poker Lounge

LAS VEGAS, Aug. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- A private bar, bottle service, certified masseuses, music, plush couches, and video poker machines ... sounds more like a nightclub than a traditional poker room. The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino has created a decadent atmosphere designed with the player's comfort in mind to attract the world's top poker players, as well as high-end bachelor parties, and private events, with Las Vegas' first Poker Lounge.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080826/AQTU056)

The new 7,000-square foot, first of its kind, Poker Lounge is a full service poker room, with an inviting, lounge feel, and the newest addition in the property's $800 million expansion and renovation. The $30 million designed space features 18 poker tables including five private, high limit tables that have already turned the heads of some biggest names in the poker world, as well as Hollywood, and professional athletes.

The trendsetting Poker Lounge will unveil a number of "firsts" when it celebrates its grand opening later this month including a full bar inside the venue and bottle service available for all poker players. Also exclusive to the Hard Rock Poker Lounge will be:

    -- Full menu of food options for players available 24-hours a day
    -- Complete kiosk for sports betting inside the Lounge
    -- Certified RockSpa masseuses available to players
    -- All-female VIP host staff educated in poker and always on-call
    -- High-limit slot and video poker machines inside the Lounge
    -- Private rooms with large-screen televisions and private iPod docs for
       personalized music or movies available for bachelor parties, private
       events and tournaments
    -- In line with the party and player-oriented themes, men's and women's
       bathrooms inside the Lounge
    -- Safety deposit boxes for players
    -- First to offer team poker for local groups (i.e. firefighters, lawyers,
       etc.)
    -- Special Poker Lounge comps including concert tickets and backstage
       passes for exclusive performances at The Joint, Hard Rock's concert
       venue, as well as poolside cabanas for Hard Rock's signature Sunday
       daylife pool-party, Rehab.

Utilizing the most up-to-date technology, the Hard Rock Poker Lounge will feature the Genesis Reservation System, a completely automated reservation system that will text message players anywhere on property when their name is called. The Genesis system is the ultimate in high-end service and is not offered at any other poker room in Las Vegas.

"We have brought in world-renown poker managers, dealers and players in the industry including Houston Waldie, Steve Cyr, Jimmy Miller, Steven Braverman and Blaine Goodwin to kick off the only Poker Lounge in the city," said Steve Cyr, Hard Rock's Poker Lounge marketing manager. "Hard Rock likes to push the envelope when it comes to entertainment, so the Lounge will be no different."

The overarching theme of the Hard Rock Poker Lounge will be to offer any game, any limit, at any time however, the lounge will also feature limit and no-limit hold'em cash games on an ongoing basis. The game stakes offered will include $2-$4, $4-$8, and $8-$16 limit hold'em with a kill or no kill, and no-limit hold'em with $1-$2 blinds ($200 minimum-no cap buy-in), $5-$10 blinds ($500 minimum-no cap buy-in), and $25-$50 blinds ($2,500 minimum-no cap buy-in). The lounge will also run three daily $100 buy-in no-limit hold'em tournaments, as well as around-the-clock sit-and-go tournaments with a variety of buy-ins.

The new Poker Lounge at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is located across from Pink Taco restaurant and will be open 24-hours a day. For more information and images of the Poker Lounge please visit http://www.hardrockhotel.com/las-vegas/casino/poker-lounge/.

About Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, newly owned and operated under Morgans Hotel Group and equity partner, DLJ Merchant Banking Partners, is a premier destination entertainment resort located on 16.7 acres situated strategically on Harmon Avenue, one of Las Vegas' fastest growing entertainment corridors. Built in 1995 and expanded in 1999, the property is currently undergoing another expansion set for completion in early 2010 more than tripling its current size. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino offers an energetic entertainment and gaming experience with the services and amenities associated with a boutique luxury resort hotel. The property is known for its innovative nightlife and music scene where such acts as the Rolling Stones, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, David Bowie, Snoop Dogg, Nine Inch Nails and The Killers have all performed. Features of the property include an 11-story Hard Rock Hotel tower with 647 guest rooms; a 30,000 square foot casino; The Beach Club with a swimming pool that was selected by the Travel Channel as one of "The Top 10 Pools" in the world; Rehab, the trendsetting Sunday afternoon pool party; Body English nightclub which was selected by Cosmopolitan Magazine as one of the "Top 25 Sexiest Places in the World"; The Joint concert hall; newly opened rock lounge Wasted Space, owned by motocross star Carey Hart; restaurants including the newly opened AGO, world-renowned Nobu, Pink Taco, AJ's Steakhouse; three cocktail lounges; several retail stores; and Rock Spa, an 8,000 square foot spa, salon and fitness center. For room availability and additional information call 800.HRD.ROCK (800.473.7625) or visit http://www.hardrockhotel.com.

For room availability and additional information, call 800.HRD.ROCK (800.473.7625) or visit http://www.hardrockhotel.com.