As reported by: South Florida Sun-Sentinel
The Seminole Tribe of Florida plans to expand the Hard Rock restaurant, hotel and casino chain in Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe after buying the company this year from Britain's Rank Group PLC.

The tribe aims to double the number of Hard Rock Cafes to about 250 and have about 90 hotels, Hamish Dodds, chief executive officer of Hard Rock International, said Monday at a news conference in London. Restaurants will open at the rate of about eight a year and hotels at about five a year, he said. The tribe also plans to expand the casino business, starting in the United States.

The Seminole tribe makes more than 90 percent of its money from gambling, after opening its first bingo hall in Hollywood in 1979, and has seven casinos, including the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood. When the Seminoles agreed in December to pay $965 million for Hard Rock, Seminole Gaming Chief Executive Officer James Allen said he saw a "tremendous opportunity" to expand the chain by adding hotels.

Article By: South Florida Sun-Sentinel