Hard Rock Hotel could return to Las Vegas

The days of a Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas may not be over after all.

Hard Rock International announced Wednesday that it had purchased the rights to the Hard Rock brand and related trademarks in Las Vegas from Houston-based private equity firm Juniper Capital, which had purchased the Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas in 2018 from Brookfield Asset Management.

The previous off-Strip Hard Rock Hotel closed its doors for good in February. The property is undergoing renovations and is set to reopen this fall as Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

HRI Chairman Jim Allen hinted that the company may be interested in returning the brand to the Las Vegas market.

“This agreement marks an exciting chapter for Hard Rock, in Las Vegas and beyond,” Allen said in a statement. “We look forward to the opportunity of enhancing our presence in Las Vegas, which will always be one of the most iconic entertainment markets in the world.”

The deal gives HRI “exclusive full rights” to memorabilia, signage, merchandise and intellectual property rights for affiliated restaurant and entertainment trademarks and website domain names. The company and its affiliates will no longer be restricted from developing, owning, licensing, managing or operating any Hard Rock-branded casino and integrated resort within Clark County, according to the statement.

HRI has 262 locations across 76 countries and is owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

Contact Bailey Schulz at bschulz@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0233. Follow @bailey_schulz on Twitter.