More than just a casino: Hard rock promises food, music, excitement

Those were the words of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino general manager Todd Moyer as he looked out  a window as construction workers continued to keep pace on the $128.5 million casino and development that is set to open in late summer.

Acknowledging a personally eclectic taste in music that included included country singers like Lee Brice, pop stars like Train and genre-defying artists such as Kid Rock, Moyer is excited as opening day looms.

"Although gaming will be a large part of what we do, I think Hard Rock will be more than just a casino to Sioux City," he said.

For instance, the walls will be adorned with memorabilia from a host of legendary musical artists from Jimi Hendrix to Sioux City's own Tommy Bolin. With access to Hard Rock's vast collection of rock items, the casino will regularly rotate its displays.

Such pieces will allow visitors to feel closer to their musical favorites.

"Whenever I see something worn by Mick Jagger, it's always surprising to realize how small he must be," Moyer said with a laugh. "Having access to personal written correspondence from Jimi Hendrix is very meaningful since, believe it or not, Hendrix didn't do Twitter back in the day."

While rock and roll history will be acknowledged, the history of Sioux City also will be on display at the Hard Rock Hotel, being built inside the historic Battery Building.

Listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, the Romanesque revival-style brick warehouse, built in 1906, is known for such details as a six-story clock tower, rooftop battlements and large arched doorways and windows.

Following the completion of extensive renovations that began in the summer of 2013, the four-story warehouse at Third and Water streets will house a 54-room hotel, two restaurants, the kitchen and other "back of the house" operations.

Moyer said the Battery Building will likely be a draw to many longtime Sioux Cityans.

"Throughout its long history, the Battery Building served as a warehouse and was never accessible to the general public," he explained. "I think people will be wowed once they see the building."

Moyer also thinks guests will be "wowed" at the hotel suites, which have loft-style exposed bricks and arched windows while retaining all of the Battery's original woodwork.

"Building a new hotel inside an existing space created certain challenges," he admitted, "but I think we've retain much of what made the Battery Building so great."

Designed with a large chandelier and an abundance of glass, the hotel's main entrance on Fourth Street will be dazzling, Moyer said.

"The front desk will have a bar for our guests," he previewed. "You can check in and relax with a drink at the same time."

The Third Street entrance to the 30,000 square foot casino will be just as grand. It will also be home to a first-floor restaurant called Main & Abbey.

According to Moyer, the 100-seat restaurant is what happens "when Main Street USA meets (London's) Abbey Road."

The restaurant's casual atmosphere will give guests a place to meet for drinks or enjoy a sit-down. An adjacent 100-seat outdoor patio will offer another place to unwind.

Having such an accessible restaurant was important to Moyer since he wants Main & Abbey to become a go-to place for a special night out on the town or merely a relaxing evening after a hard week of work.

"The restaurant will serve everything from burgers and Prime Rib to special foods from the other side of the pond," he said.

Next to Main & Abbey will be the World Tour Buffet. Serving breakfast, luch and dinner, the buffet will serve up the greatest hits of Italy, Asian and Latin America.

"Every casino need its own buffet," Moyer reasoned. "Our buffet will be prepared with the freshest of local ingredients."

But what would the Hard Rock be without live music?

In addition to The Backyard, an outdoor space outdoor concerts, festivals, farmer's markets, and movies under the stars, the casino will feature Anthem, which Moyer said will be an "eclectic and versatile space" for intimate concerts, dancing and, even, comedy acts.

The Hard Rock will also feature a bar called the Yards (named after Sioux City's Stockyards) that specializes in artisan beers and whiskeys.

One more eatery, the Fuel American Grill, will serve burger, sandwiches, salads and other fare, as well as specialty coffees, homemade pastries and ice cream.

In addition, the Rock Shop will be a retail store where visitors can buy a wide assortment of Hard Rock-branded merchandise from T-shirts and caps to spoons and glasses.

The 100,000-square-foot gaming and entertainment mecca is projected to attract one million visitors per year, and produce more than $90 million per year in revenue.

The spending and added tourism is expected to ripple through the economy, boosting other local businesses, and generating millions of dollars in additional revenue for local governments and the Hard Rock's nonprofit licensees partner, Missouri River Historic Development.

Yet Moyer said he's a big believer in the saying "a rising tide lifts all boats."

"Throughout our planning, we've look at the audience served by the Tyson and at the Orpheum," he said. "Our goal is to not overlap with their fans."

Likewise, with a limited number of rooms available at the Hard Rock Hotel, Moyer wants to have a halo effect on other local hotels.

"If one downtown business benefits, we all benefit," he said.

That doesn't mean that Hard Rock's iconic 60-foot-tall guitar won't loom large on Sioux City's landscape.

But, hey, it's only rock and roll.