Isleta Casino adopting Hard Rock brand

ISLETA PUEBLO, N.M. (KRQE) - One of New Mexico’s largest Indian casinos will soon have a new look and a new name when Isleta Casino and Resort will become the Hard Rock Casino and Hotel Albuquerque.

The casino is betting the Hard Rock brand will bring more gamblers and visitors to the region and stem the loss of jobs and money that have plagued the Isleta complex this year.

In July 2008 Isleta spent $100 million for a new hotel. However instead of making money, state figures show revenue from gaming at the facility was down $4 for the first six months of this year compared to 2008.

In April Isleta blamed the bad economy when it laid off one-sixth of its workforce.

Marketing Director Steve Neely said he believes the Hard Rock brand will turn Isleta’s fortunes around.

“What we're looking forward to is the day we're growing our revenues and we're able to hire people and replace some of those we've lost over the past year,” Neely told KRQE News 13.

The new facility will be modeled after the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino operated by the Cherokee Nation in Tulsa, Okla. It was upgraded and rebranded as a Hard Rock operation last year.

Since then its gaming revenues have risen 30 percent.

The Tulsa facility brought more visitors to that area, and Albuquerque’s Convention and Visitors Bureau believes the change at Isleta could help lure conventions to the Duke City.

“They're always looking as soon as that meeting's over what can they do,” CVB spokeswoman Tania Armenta said. “Having a Hard Rock Hotel and Casino will definitely be a benefit for convention attendees as well.”

Neely predicted that when the Hard Rock logo marks the property, more concerts and more visitors, even those not interested in poker or slot machines will visit.

“We talk to people all the time who have Hard Rock T-shirts from numerous locations,” he said. "Now they'll be able to add Albuquerque to that list.

“The lion's share of the people who visit us will still be visiting us to game, but we think that the atmosphere that they are attracted to will cause them to make more trips for other activities as well.”

Even the Hard Rock overlay the Isleta Pueblo will retain full ownership and management of the casino and hotel complex. The Isleta operation will be the sixth Hard Rock facility of its kind in the country.