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Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sets New Guinness World Record for “World’s Largest Guitar Smash

The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, on Thursday, set a new Guinness World Record for the “World’s Largest Guitar Smash” – effectively smashing 1,914 guitars in celebration of the grand opening of Winner’s Way Parking Garage. This unprecedented and spectacular ceremonial guitar smash of non-musician-quality acoustic guitars was officially certified by a representative from Guinness World Records, which counted each participant.

The opening of Winner’s Way Garage adds 2,400 parking spaces to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino bringing the grand total of spaces available to more than 12,000.  Designed by Klai Juba Architects of Las Vegas, the Winner’s Way Parking Garage offers guests another hassle-free, covered option to access the resort’s award-winning casino and world-class amenities. It features 15 elevators, six escalators, a 351-foot-tall pedestrian bridge to Seminole Paradise, a 164-foot-tall pedestrian bridge to the Seminole Hard Rock Casino, and a car count system – all in a brightly lit environment.

The grand opening event kicked off with an indoor V.I.P. cocktail reception and then moved outdoors to the Hooters Lot for the actual guitar smash. Prior to the smash, a Seminole Tribal Blessing was performed. Phil Madow, president of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, welcomed Merrie Myers of Broward County Public Schools who thanked the Seminole Hard Rock management for their donation of guitars worth $50,000 to Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach County public and private music education programs. Similarly, a resident of the Ann Storck Center of Plantation gave a moving speech thanking the facility for the donation of the smashed guitar pieces. The pieces will be used by adults with disabilities to create original sculptures and decorative home accents that will be available for purchase as “Smashed GuitART” with all proceeds helping to support the fine art program that enables Ann Storck Center residents to continue to discover abilities and build independence.

At 7:35 p.m., Grammy-winners Huey Lewis and The News performed a song a cappella before Seminole Tribal Council leaders directed the official countdown that ended in a visually thrilling and musically synchronized fireworks display.

Included in the crowd as part of this momentous occasion were members from the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Seminole Gaming executives, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino staff, Kraft Construction, Klai Juba Architects, Cleo Design, the Seminole Police Department, local celebrities including TV, radio and sports personalities, casino players, various supporters and more.

The $50 million construction project employed more than 300 workers and made a significant contribution to the South Florida economy.  Construction of the nine-stories-tall (112 feet), approximately one million-square-foot parking garage began in April.  This past August, representatives of the hotel, Kraft Construction, Coreslab, the Seminole Tribal Council and the Tribal Building Department celebrated the topping off of the garage by personally signing a 17,000-pound concrete slab roof before it was hoisted into place, complete with an evergreen tree to symbolize growth and good luck.

In addition to Winner’s Way Parking Garage, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino offers guests valet or self-parking in the adjacent Seminole Way and Lucky Street Garages as well as several surface parking lots, all totaling more than 12,000 parking spaces.  The parking garages offer comprehensive security protection, including state-of-the-art security cameras, guards who patrol on bicycles and Seminole Police officers in patrol cars.

Wide Garage Huey Lewis and The News, take their places for the "World's Largest Guitar Smash" at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. on December 15, 2010, to celebrate the opening of Hard Rock's new Winner's Way Parking Garage. Following the smash, which set a new Guinness World Record, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino donated $50,000 worth of guitars to music programs of South Florida schools. (Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, Fla. / Ralph Notaro)
Huey Lewis smash-57 Huey Lewis leads the "World's Largest Guitar Smash" at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., on December 15, 2010, setting a new Guinness World Record, to celebrate the opening of Hard Rock's new Winner's Way Parking Garage. Following the 1,914 guitar smash, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino donated $50,000 worth of guitars to South Florida schools' music programs. (Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, Fla. Tom Craig)
HRGuitarSmash 1,914 participants, including Huey Lewis and The News, take their places for the "World's Largest Guitar Smash" at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. on December 15, 2010, to celebrate the opening of Hard Rock's new Winner's Way Parking Garage. Following the smash, which set a new Guinness World Record, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino donated $50,000 worth of guitars to music programs of South Florida schools. (Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, Fla. / Andrew Innerarity)
hard rock NW8L9294 JSP In the publicity image released by Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Fla., 1,914 participants, including Huey Lewis and The News, take their places for the “World’s Largest Guitar Smash” at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. on December 15, 2010, to celebrate the opening of Hard Rock’s new Winner’s Way Parking Garage.  Following the smash, which set a new Guinness World Record, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino donated $50,000 worth of guitars to music programs of South Florida schools. (AP Photo/Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, Fla.  / Joshua Prezant)
HARD ROCK NW8L9283 JSP In the publicity image released by Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Fla., 1,914 participants, including Huey Lewis and The News, take their places for the "€œWorldâ's Largest Guitar Smash"€ at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. on December 15, 2010, to celebrate the opening of Hard Rock’s new Winner’s Way Parking Garage.  Following the smash, which set a new Guinness World Record, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino donated $50,000 worth of guitars to music programs of South Florida schools. (AP Photo/Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, Fla.  / Joshua Prezant)

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Posted by Andrea Freygang on Dec 18 2010. Filed under Broward County, Featured, Local news, Music, Seminole Casinos. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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