Rank Group Gaming Division has been granted a licence to open a Hard Rock Casino just off Leicester Square, in London's West End. The 18,000sq ft London Hard Rock Casino will be located in the former Fashion Café premises and will include 15 traditional casino tables, electronic roulette, 25 fruit machines as well as the famous Hard Rock Café mix of music, bars and a diner. It will be a low stakes casino to appeal to the entertainment driven, recreational gambler. Hard Rock was born in London in 1971, so it is fitting that we can now energise the London casino market with a globally recognised entertainment brand, said Rank's managing director, David Boden. The casino is scheduled to open by the end of 2002, and will follow the first Rank-owned and operated casino facility, which opens at the Printworks development in Manchester next summer. The only other Hard Rock Casino in the world is in Las Vegas. The total cost of both casinos is expected to be around £7m.
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