With giant red scissors in hand, Steve Bonner cut the ribbon on a celebratory day at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa.

Bonner, the property’s president, joined other guests Jan. 23 to welcome the opening of a new gaming area, newly renovated smoke-free hotel rooms and the reopening of the Fresh Harvest Buffet. In total, more than $65 million in project enhancements were made.

“We are extremely excited about taking our world-class resort to yet another level,” Bonner said in a statement. “We’re always attentive to what our guests want and need. They asked and we delivered.”

The reopening of the buffet – with six live-action kitchens – created 200 new jobs, according to Hard Rock Tampa, which now has 4,293 team members. Fresh Harvest Buffet will initially operate exclusively from Thursdays to Sundays.

Hours on Thursdays and Fridays are 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., with lunch served from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and dinner from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays features brunch from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and includes gourmet selections such as create-your-own omelets, oysters Rockefeller, French toast, and eggs benedict. Dinner on Saturdays and Sundays is from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

A new gaming area on space previously occupied by the food court features close to 350 slot machines.

“After introducing live craps, roulette, and sports betting just over a year ago, we believe the new slots area just adds to the fully integrated casino experience for our guests,” Bonner said. “Last month, we celebrated $2 billion in jackpots for 2024, so clearly this is the luckiest place to be.”

Nearly 250 guest rooms in the hotel’s west tower have been upgraded. Hallways feature a nod to Hard Rock’s musical roots with vinyl records displayed portraying some of the world’s top musical artists. By the end of January, the hotel expects to offer 802 guest rooms.