SIOUX CITY -- Officials at the Hard Rock Casino & Hotel in Sioux City don’t think it’s much of a gamble for the business to be undergoing a $6 million expansion less than three years after opening.
“The community has responded very favorably to the Hard Rock product and service experience,” said Megan Lueders, Hard Rock advertising and public relations manager. “We are thrilled to be able to complete this expansion less than three years after our grand opening, and to offer a product that has been requested by our guests.”
Construction of the nearly 8,000-square-foot expansion to the downtown property began in the summer and is expected to be completed by this spring.
“Structural steel is about 95 percent done; next step is to get the building enclosed and then begin work on the interior finishes,” Lueders said. “There are a lot of high end finishes in this space, it is going to look spectacular.”
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The new addition onto the southeast side of the current 30,000-square-foot gaming floor will add that high-stakes gaming area, including 50 new slot machines and two blackjack tables. Furthermore, a private lounge and wine bar will also be part of the new structure. Lueders said Hard Rock’s main reason for adding these particular features was a direct response to requests from patrons.
“We decided to embark on this project based on feedback from our guests,” she said. “They were looking for a ‘trade up’ nightlife experience and a greater selection of wine offerings. This space will deliver in a big way, with over 125 different wine labels and 40 wine by the glass offerings.”
In typical Hard Rock fashion, Lueders said they are planning an event to christen the casino’s new wing when it opens in late spring; however, she can’t provide many details at this time.
“For now, the grand opening plans are being kept under wraps,” she said.
Hard Rock, which cost nearly $130 million to build, opened in August 2014 and has been a hit since.
The casino had nearly 2 million admissions and generated $83.2 million in revenue in the 2016 fiscal year, according to the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commision. In comparison, the former Argosy riverboat casino in Sioux City only generated about $48 million in revenue off of about 700,000 admissions in the 2014 fiscal year, the last full fiscal year the defunct casino was open for.
With this expansion nearly complete, Lueders noted further growth is a real possibility.
“We are always working on the next big project,” Lueders said. “We have a lot of ideas on the drawing board, stay tuned to see which ones of those ideas will come to fruition.”
