TAMPA, Fla.  (Jan. 9, 2017) – Joe Lupo has been named President of Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa.  As President, Lupo will be responsible for all operations and management of Tampa Bay’s largest entertainment complex, which includes one of the largest casinos in the nation, as ranked by the number of gaming positions.

In his new role, Lupo follows longtime Seminole Hard Rock Tampa President John Fontana, who has been named President of Seminole Hard Rock Support Services, a new company set up to increase the coordination and consolidation of certain staff functions at Seminole Gaming and Hard Rock International.

Lupo comes to Seminole Hard Rock Tampa after three decades with Boyd Gaming, where most recently he served as Senior Vice President of Operations overseeing gaming, marketing and entertainment at Atlantic City’s Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, long recognized as the most successful casino in the region.

He joined Boyd Gaming in 1986 and continued with the company until Boyd’s interest in Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa was sold to MGM Resorts International in August 2016.  During his 13-year stint with Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, he held various positions overseeing many gaming and non-gaming departments.

Lupo also worked at various Boyd Gaming properties in Las Vegas and Laughlin, Nev., including the former Stardust Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, where he was the director of the race and sports book.

Originally from Stow, Ohio, Lupo is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

About Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is the premier entertainment destination of Central Florida. Owned and operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the property is one of the most successful and largest casinos in the world. Located off I-4 at North Orient Road and Hillsborough Avenue, about 10 minutes east of downtown Tampa, the casino features high stakes table games, thousands of the hottest slot machines as well as a new smoke free slots area offering 250 popular games. The hotel is AAA Four Diamond rated and offers seven award-winning Zagat-rated restaurants, including the fine dining venues Council Oak Steaks & Seafood and Grey Salt. A newly renovated Rock Spa® is also available along with a plethora of VIP services. For more information, please call 866-502-PLAY or visit us online and via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

About Hard Rock International
With venues in 74 countries, including 177 cafes, 24 hotels and 11 casinos, Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies.  Hard Rock owns the world’s greatest collection of music memorabilia, which is displayed at its locations around the globe.  Hard Rock is also known for its collectible fashion and music-related merchandise, Hard Rock Live performance venues and an award-winning website.  HRI owns the global trademark for all Hard Rock brands.  The company owns, operates and franchises Cafes in iconic cities including London, New York, San Francisco, Sydney and Dubai.  HRI also owns, licenses and/or manages hotel/casino properties worldwide.  Destinations include the company’s two most successful Hotel and Casino properties in Tampa and Hollywood, Fl., both owned and operated by HRI parent company The Seminole Tribe of Florida, as well as other exciting locations including Bali, Chicago, Cancun, Ibiza, Las Vegas, Macau and San Diego.  Upcoming new Hard Rock Cafe locations include Valencia, Innsbruck, Yangon and Chengdu.  New Hard Rock Hotel projects include Abu Dhabi, Atlanta, Berlin, Dubai, London, Los Cabos, New York City, and Shenzhen, Dalian and Haikou in China.  For more information on Hard Rock International, visit www.hardrock.com

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CONTACTS:
Nikki Yourison, Seminole Hard Rock Tampa, (813) 627-7623, [email protected]
Chris Dirato, Bitner Group, (954) 703-7938, [email protected]