Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa nominated for Casino of the Year
TULSA, Okla. – The 49th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards nominees have been announced and Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa is nominated for Casino of the Year – Small Capacity.
It is the second consecutive nomination for Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa and The Joint, which is a 2,700-seat venue.
“We are honored to again be nominated for Casino of the Year by the Academy of Country Music,” said Shawn Slaton, CEO of Cherokee Nation Businesses, which oversees the operation of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa. “Our staff continually works hard to exceed the growing expectations of our guests and remain the industry leader in live entertainment.”
A year after releasing his country duets album, “Tuskegee,” Lionel Richie performed Oct. 5 at The Joint as part of his first North American tour in more than decade.
“We’ve had multiple artists perform at The Joint, and I visited the venue with Lionel Richie during his 2013 U.S. tour,” said Bruce Eskowitz, COO of Red Light Management and Richie’s manager. “The dedication of the crew made it a terrific experience. We enjoyed working with everyone at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa and look forward to partnering on future shows.”
Fellow ACM award nominees who played The Joint in 2013 include Sheryl Crow, Little Big Town and Darius Rucker. Blake Shelton and Big & Rich are nominees who have previously played the venue.
Since opening in Sept. 2010, The Joint has hosted more than 50 sold-out country performances, including Reba, Hank Williams Jr., Martina McBride, Vince Gill, Sara Evans, Josh Turner, Dierks Bentley, Dwight Yoakam (four times), Gary Allan (three times) and Glen Campbell. Willie Nelson and Billy Currington previously played The Joint and return Feb. 6 and March 7, respectively.
“In a short three years we’ve hosted many of the industry’s biggest names,” said Danny Finnerty, entertainment director for Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa. “When a performer comes to The Joint, they’re consistently blown away by the treatment provided by our staff, crew and protection team plus the interaction with the sold-out crowds. This combination has created a buzz in the industry that we’re a great place to play and return to play again.”
Legendary country superstar and multi-ACM Award winner Dolly Parton will play The Joint for back-to-back nights, beginning May 22.
ACM Award winner Jennifer Nettles, of Sugarland fame, brings her solo tour to the venue on April 11.
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa is competing against Agua Caliente Casino Resort & Spa in Rancho, Calif., Deadwood Mountain Grand in Deadwood, S.D., Mohegan Sun Wolf Den in Uncasville, Conn., and Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort in Mount Pleasant, Mich.
For more information on the ACM Awards, visit www.acmcountry.com.
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa is located off Interstate 44 at exit 240. For more information, visit www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com or call (800) 760-6700.
