The Hard Rock Hollywood (also known under its full name: The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino) is a magnet for high-rolling poker players. Given its proximity to the sandy beaches of Fort Lauderdale, the Hard Rock Hollywood is a hot spot for gambling beloved by locals and tourists alike.

Casino

The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida kicks off their Rock & Roll Poker Open this week, the first major tournament series at the property since the tribe unveiled a $1.5 billion renovation in October. The series will also mark the end of an era for poker industry standout Tony Burns, who is transitioning from his role as Tournament Director to Director of Poker Marketing for all of Seminole Gaming.

It’s a deserved promotion for Burns, who has spent the majority of his adult life working in the South Florida poker scene. Prior to taking over operations in 2015, Burns grinded his way up the ranks from running bar poker leagues, to dealing on a poker cruise. When the laws opened up big bet games in Florida’s brick-and-mortar rooms, Burns landed a job at the Isle of Capri Casino, and ran tournaments at night before making the move to the Hard Rock.

Hard Rock Hollywood poker tournament schedule and information, including starting times, buy-ins, prize pool guarantees, and freerolls. 2021 Seminole Hard Rock. 'With the new poker room, Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood continues its commitment to be the epicentre for poker in South Florida, and it is just one of the many new amenities that players will get to. Live poker is slowly making its return to the U.S., and one of the former hotspots is getting back up and running. At the Seminole Hard Rock properties in Florida, poker games were being dealt as.

“I had admired their tournaments, and wanted to be a part of that someday,” Burns said. “I guess when you put things out into the universe, they sometimes come to be.”

It may appear that Burns was always destined to work in poker, but it was baseball that was on his mind for most of his time as a student. It was a chance encounter at the ballpark that got him going before even became a teenager.

“We used to go and watch spring training games for the Royals and Twins, and minor league games during the season,” Burns recalled. “One day there was a rain delay, and I was standing outside of the clubhouse. The players would pop their head out to check on the weather, and I would ask for an autograph. I was with a couple buddies of mine, and they asked us who was older. I was the oldest at 11, and they said, ‘For tonight, you’re 12.’ So I ended up being the bat boy for the night. The regular bat boy didn’t show up the next night, and they asked me to fill in again. Before I knew it, they were inviting me back for every game.”

What a day and experience of a lifetime! Congratulations to everyone @HardRockHolly on an amazing Grand Opening! pic.twitter.com/UEZpBeJCTx

— Tony Burns (@MDTonyB) October 25, 2019

As it turns out, Burns had a knack for the job. He was a bat boy for the AA Orlando Cubs from ’93 to ’96, and even got to experience Michael Jordan’s run through the minor leagues. When it was time for high school, he began working with the MLB’s Florida Marlins. As a result, he was the enviable kid who got to leave school early on game days, with his father signing him out with the excuse that he had “baseball fever.”

“Before every spring training, my dad would sit down with the principal of the school, talking about what I was going to do, and the Marlins would write a letter explaining the experience. I would go to school in the morning and check out at 10 a.m. to go to ‘work.’”

Burns continued with the Marlins until 2002, and then took a position with the Montreal Expos for two years, even working the games the team played in Puerto Rico. He was offered another spot in Washington when the team became the Nationals, but by the time, poker had come calling.

Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood Poker Tournaments

So how did Burns get bit by the poker bug? While a lot of us can credit Chris Moneymaker’s win in the 2003 World Series of Poker for drawing us to the game, Burns was actually there to see the man do it in person.

“My dad took me to Las Vegas for my 21st birthday in 2003,” Burns explained. “We stayed downtown, and I actually happened to be in Binion’s during the main event. I remember walking in to see a wall of people surrounding the final table. I asked somebody what was going on, and then decided to go find a blackjack table instead. I just wasn’t into poker at the time. I get home, and the Moneymaker win is getting attention. My friends were very into it, and I just happened to be there when it was going down. The next thing you know, we got together to play, and then it turned into a weekly sit-n-go, and eventually a three-table tournament.”

The Hard Rock brought the WPT in during 2011, and has been a staple of the tournament circuit calendar ever since. In addition to regular deepstack series, the Hollywood Hard Rock now plays hosts to events like the Fun In The Sun Poker Open, Hard Rock Poker Open, Hard Rock Poker Showdown, Lucky Hearts Poker Open, Escalator Series, and the aforementioned and upcoming Rock & Roll Poker Open, providing year-round options for players of all bankroll sizes.

“People wait for the Hard Rock to announce their dates, and then build their schedules around us. You’ll notice there’s a few stops and venues, both domestically and internationally, that people build around, and I’m proud that we’re one of them. The players traveling the circuit have really responded positively to the property and the tournaments we run, which keeps them coming back.”

The 2019 Rock 'N' Roll Poker Open starts one week from today! The series starts with a $400 Buy-in/$1,000,000 GTD opener on November 20th! Join @HardRockHolly for the first series since our $1.5 Billion property wide expansion! pic.twitter.com/EqHkP1lf1Q

— SHRPO (@shrpo) November 13, 2019

Seminole Casino Hollywood Poker Tournaments Slot Machines

Now, armed with a glowing, guitar-shaped beacon that juts 450 feet into the air, Burns has even more ammo to attract poker players from all over.

“It’s absolutely amazing, and everything is gorgeous,” he said. “This wasn’t just a guitar-shaped tower, this was a $1.5 billion property renovation and expansion. The pool is more than 13 acres. People are even jet skiing in it. The Hard Rock Live venue was opened up by Maroon 5. There are new nightclubs, retail shops, and food options, but obviously we’re excited about the brand new 45-table poker room. Every person that I’ve spoken to is in awe of it, and can’t get over how much attention was paid to all the little details.”

Money

While the casino itself has seen it’s gaming area grow to 30,000 square feet, the card room is undoubtedly the star attraction for poker players, with incredibly comfortable seating, an eight-table high-limit area, a private cashier, more than 50 flat-screen TVs, and a large screen projector to show all the live sports action.

“It’s one of those things that you actually have to come and experience for yourself,” Burns explained. “People say it’s like Vegas came to South Florida, or that they now don’t have to leave town for that experience. I’ll always believe Vegas will be Vegas, just for nostalgia purposes, but they are right. This poker room is the nicest room I’ve ever seen, and I’m not saying that just because I work here.”

Don’t miss the Rock & Roll Poker Open, which runs Nov. 20 – Dec. 4 and starts with a $1 million guaranteed opening $360+$40 event. The series is highlighted by the $2 million guaranteed $3,200+$300 WPT main event, which has starting flights on both Friday, Nov. 29 and Saturday, Nov. 30. Check out the full schedule here, or follow the Hard Rock poker room on Twitter for more information.

_*Photos courtesy of SHRPO.com and Twitter.

“The Big 4” Four-Tournament Finale Carrying a Combined $6.5 Million in Guaranteed Prize Pools Will Be Televised and Live Streamed in Partnership with Poker Night in America

The SeminoleHard Rock Poker Open (SHRPO) will celebrate its seventh season of highlyanticipated, top tournament play at South Florida’s iconic entertainmentdestinationSeminole HardRock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood,Fla. SHRPOwill kick off Thursday, Aug. 1 withthe $600 Deep StackNo Limit Hold’em (NLH) series openerhighlighting a $1 Million Guarantee.

Unique to South Florida, SHRPO is known for itsone-of-a-kind finisher – The Big 4.The Big 4 is a collection of four-tournament finales that feature staggeredstructures, timed so the events play down simultaneously in front of a liveaudience. Filmed by Poker Night in America and televised on CBS Sports Network,The Big 4 will be played at the resort’s Hard Rock Event Center on Tuesday,Aug.13. All of the synchronized poker action will be live streamed onSHRPO.com.

“SHRPO is our flagship series and has put SouthFlorida front and center on the poker map since the first $10 million guaranteein August 2013,” said Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino HollywoodTournament Director Tony Burns. “The tournament attracts a global audience andwe’ve amped up this year’s series with new pricepoints as well as the return ofThe Big 4, a finisher unlike any other in the industry.”

Carrying combined prize pools of $6.5 million,The Big 4 premium events include:

  • $5,250SHRPO Championship NLH (Single Re-Entry), $3 Million Guarantee,starts at 11 a.m. onFriday, Aug. 9
  • $2,650 NLH (Single Re-Entry), $1 Million Guarantee,starts at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 11
  • $1,100 NLH (Re-Entry), $500,000 Guarantee,starts at 11 a.m. onMonday, Aug. 12
  • $25,500High Roller (Re-Entry), $2 Million Guarantee,starts at noon onMonday, Aug. 12

Other events surrounding The Big 4 include the $50,000 Super High Roller NLH (Re-Entry) highlighting a $1 Million Guarantee, which starts on Thursday, Aug. 8 at 1 p.m. and a $10,000 One-Day NLH event starting on Tuesday, Aug. 13 highlighting a $500,000 guarantee.

The resort’s Hard Rock Event Center will serveas the primary tournament space during the 13-day series. SHRPO’s footprintboasts capacity for more than 90 tables providing plenty of space for pokertournament players from around the globe.

Last year’s SHRPO Championship saw BrandonEisen best 914 entries for more than $770,000, while The Big 4 events saw 2,099combined entries awarding more than $9.2 million in prize money – a figure thateasily surpassed the $6.5 million guaranteed.

Hollywood

On Wednesday, Aug. 7, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel& Casino again hosts the Jeff Conine Celebrity Poker Classicbenefitting the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation.The charityevent will kick off with an exclusive VIP player party in the Terrace Ballroomat Hard Rock Event Center from 5:30 – 7 p.m. prior to the tournament’s starttime at 7 p.m. Guests will enjoy live music, cocktails, hors d’ oeuvres and achance to win a variety of prizes including a seat in the SHRPO Championship.Buy-in for the charity event is $300 and players can re-enter throughout theevening. Former major league baseball player Jeff Conine will be in attendancealong with other celebrities.

Tournament promotions include Seminole Gaming’ssignature “Win a Seat” program. Participants can visit HardRockPoker.comto enter for a chance to win entries into major poker tournaments at SeminoleHard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek and SeminoleHard Rock Hollywood, including three winners of a $5,250 entry into the SHRPOChampionship.

Poker hotel rates during SHRPO will start at $139 on weekdays and$189 on weekends. For more information and to view the series schedule, futuretournament details and make hotel reservations, please visit SHRPO.com. Followus on Twitter at @SHRPO and @SHRThePokerRoom.

About Seminole HardRock Poker

Seminole Hard Rock Poker encompasses four majorpoker series held annually at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino inHollywood, Florida. In August 2013, the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open (SHRPO)was introduced to poker players around the world and featured a $10 millionguarantee championship, the largest guarantee in history. In addition to theSHRPO, Seminole Hard Rock Poker series’ includes the Seminole Hard Rock LuckyHearts Poker Open (January), Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown (April) andSeminole Hard Rock “Rock ‘N’ Roll” Poker Open (November). All four series fallunder the SHRPO umbrella with tournament news, live updates and championshiplive streaming. Visit www.SHRPO.com.Join the conversation at #SHRPO, and tag us @SHRPO.

AboutSeminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywoodis the flagship casino resort of Hard Rock International, owned by theSeminole Tribe of Florida. It is aworld-renowned entertainment, gaming and hospitality destination that featuresa AAA Four Diamond-rated luxury hotel; expansive gaming offerings includingfirst-in-class slots, high-stakes table games and South Florida’s premier pokerroom; spa and fitness center; award-winning dining and nightlife; and thepopular Hard Rock Event Center which hosts celebrity performances, comedy actsand sporting events. A $1.5 billion expansion slated to open October, 2019,will bring 638 luxury guestrooms to the first-ever, guitar-shaped Guitar Hoteland 168 upscale guest accommodations, including unique swim-up suites, inthe adjacent Oasis Tower at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & CasinoHollywood. The project will also unveil a lush, “Bora Bora” stylelagoon with private cabanas and butler service; a 42,000 square-footRock Spa®; a 13.5 acre recreational water experience for swimming,kayaking and paddle boarding; 16 dining outlets and 20 bars and lounges; anexpansive gaming floor housing 3,100 slots, 193 table games and a 45-tablepoker room; 120,000 square feet of premier meeting and convention spaceincluding a 38,000 square-foot, carpeted exhibition hall; and a 26,000square-foot retail promenade. The highly anticipated 6,500 seat Hard RockLive entertainment venue will showcase A-list entertainers, comedy acts,Broadway performances, sporting events and live broadcast productions. Theintegrated resort is located on 87 acres of the HollywoodSeminole Reservationalong State Road 7 (U.S. Highway 441), and is 10 minutes from FortLauderdale/Hollywood International Airport and 30 minutes from downtown Miamiand Miami International Airport. For more information, visit us online at www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com,call 800-937-0010 or follow us: Facebook: SeminoleHardRockHollywood, Twitter:@HardRockHolly, Instagram: @HardRockHolly.