Hard Rock International (HRI) keeps changing its tune. It opened a new hotel and casino in Atlantic City less than three weeks ago, and is now crossing the pond with its eyes on Ireland. The company said in a press release last Tuesday that it’s looking to build a new venue in Dublin with the help of a local hotel operator.
The boutique hotel is expected to have 120 rooms and will be built in the heart of the city. It will offer 24-hour room service, live music, an all-day restaurant and a cocktail bar. The Hard Rock Hotel Dublin is to be a four-star operation born of a partnership with hotel operator Tifco Limited, and HRI indicated that it expects to have the hotel completed by the end of 2020.
HRI’s senior VP and Head of Global Hotel Development, Todd Hricko, said, “Ireland has always been a place close to our hearts, and it only seems right to open a Hard Rock Hotel in Dublin, given the city’s musical roots. This is an exciting opportunity to extend our presence in Europe and elevate the one-of-a-kind offering at Hard Rock Hotels to the next level.”
According to the company, the project will be built across two structures. The first is an existing property that was built at the beginning of the 20th century. It was initially known as the Exchange Buildings and is currently the Parliament Hotel. This will retain its original red brick façade, which will be completely restored, but the interior will go under a complete makeover. It will offer a “unique music-inspired city escape with priceless memorabilia adorning the interior of the property.”
The second location is the Fashion House Building, located adjacent to the Parliament. The Fashion House is going to be rebuilt from the ground up. The new structure will offer a contemporary atmosphere, with a glass link bridge connecting it to the Parliament building.
Enda O’Meara, Tifco Ltd. CEO, is looking forward to the project. He said, “Dublin’s vibrant cultural scene makes it one of the hottest European cities to visit, attracting over 5.5 million overseas visitors annually. Hard Rock Hotel is an iconic, global brand that will be bringing something very different in its own distinctive style to this vibrant part of the capital city…The hotel’s custom design based around the existing handsome early 20th century building will be unique, modern and sophisticated, offering upscale 4-star luxury with a standalone F&B proposition that we plan to put on the map. Hard Rock Hotel Dublin will be the place to see and be seen with live music nightly, excellent food and cocktails, and authentic Irish service.”
HRI isn’t done with their expansion plans yet. The company is said to be involved in a project in Sacramento, Calif., that will see a build a mega-resort there through a partnership with the Enterprise Rancheria Indian tribe. It is also expected to try for a casino license in Japan, if the country approves its integrated resort bill within the next few days.
