Hard Rock Hosts 1st Annual Shareholder Meeting

By Elgin Jumper

HOLLYWOOD — Seminole Tribal citizens joined the Tribal Council and invited guests in the ballroom of the Hollywood Hard Rock Hotel on April 5 for the 1st Annual Shareholder Meeting.

The meeting began with a traditional prayer delivered by Betty Clay Osceola. Following Osceola, meeting attendees were treated to several video presentations conducted by Jim Allen, Tribal Gaming CEO, and Hamish Dodds, president and CEO of Hard Rock International.

In addition to the members of the Tribal Council, Tribal dignitaries, including Chief Operating Officer Elrod Bowers and General Council Jim Shore, also attended the meeting.

The various video presentations were not only educational, but entertaining as well. During one of the presentations, those in the audience learned there are more than 130 Hard Rock locations in 47 countries, all of which are owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The videos also outlined the Tribe’s prosperity with the Hard Rock thus far.

“It was the deal of the century when the Seminole Tribe of Florida was able to purchase the Hard Rock,” said Allen “I think that’s something a lot of people should be proud of.”

Additional topics of discussion at the gathering were: Review of the First Year, Five Year Business Plan, Updates on Marketing and Public Relations, as well as other crucial matters.

“The future seems really bright,” remarked Frank Moore Jr., after seeing the video presentations. “The Tribal Council’s done a great job. They’re pointing us in the right directions, and we’re hiring the right people. That’s what we need.”

Dodds then took the stage to address the assembled Tribal citizens. Dodds spoke on the Hard Rock’s central concerns such as: memorabilia authenticity, customer service and philanthropy, among other concerns.

“I think the Tribal members received a lot of information from this 1st Annual Shareholder Meeting,” reflected Chairman Cypress afterward. “The future’s looking really good. And I think it’s very good what Jim Allen and Hamish Dodds have accomplished, so that we’re successful and will continue being successful.”