Hard Rock International Appoints Matt Harkness as President of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City

Will Lead Pre-Opening Efforts of Property Set to Open in Summer 2018

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Jul 06, 2017, 10:03 ET

ORLANDO, Fla., July 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hard Rock International announces the appointment of Matt Harkness as president of the highly anticipated, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City. As a New Jersey native with decades of gaming experience, Harkness' appointment is a strategic move for the brand, bringing experienced gaming leadership to the significant property launch. Reporting directly to Chief Operating Officer for Hard Rock International, Jon Lucas, his appointment supports continued momentum surrounding the entertainment destination's opening in the summer of 2018.

A new face to the brand, Harkness joins Hard Rock as an industry veteran with more than 30 years of managerial experience in the gaming industry. For 15 years, Harkness worked in Atlantic City for Trump Casino Resorts, skillfully serving as chief operating officer of Trump Plaza, senior vice president of marketing for Trump Taj Mahal, executive director of marketing for Trump Marina/Castle and executive director of casino administration for Trump Taj Mahal. Additionally, Harkness was chief operating officer of Four Winds Casinos, spearheading casino operations and overseeing the planning and implementation of project development during his nine years with the company. He most recently held the position of general manager at Lucky Dragon Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev., where he lead the operations team through pre- and post-opening.

"With his many achievements and successes in previous leadership roles, we look forward to Harkness bringing his wealth of knowledge in the gaming industry to Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City," says Jim Allen, chairman and CEO of Hard Rock International.

Through music appreciation and an imaginative environment, Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos delivers products for the varied aspects of life – work, play and personal sanctuary. For more information or to book a stay at any of the Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos, please visit www.hardrockhotels.com.

Hard Rock International
With venues in 75 countries, including 176 cafes, 24 hotels and 11 casinos, Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, 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 Cairo, Innsbruck, Andorra la Vella and Chengdu. New Hard Rock hotel, casino or hotel-casino projects include Abu Dhabi, Atlanta, Atlantic City, Berlin, Dubai, London, Los Cabos, New York City, Ottawa, and Shenzhen, Dalian and Haikou in China. For more information on Hard Rock International, visit www.hardrock.com.