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Hard Rock seeks help for grand-opening blitz
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Posted on Jan 08 1999
Hard Rock Cafe has asked the Marianas Visitors Authority to become one of the sponsors in its scheduled grand opening next month so that management can provide the best entertainment on the island which will generate publicity for the CNMI abroad.
Mario Ponce, regional general manager, said Hard Rock has prepared a $150,000 budget for the scheduled event on February 19 and 20. The two-day event will feature the performance of popular bands. Proceeds of the ticket sales will go to Karidat.
On the second day, Hard Rock will hold the biggest party on Beach Road in what could be the most entertaining event of the decade, said Ponce.
According to Ponce, the event will ensure the much-needed publicity for the Northern Marianas just like the Hard Rock opening on Guam in June 1998.
“If you can help me with $80,000 I can guarantee you the best entertainment,” Ponce told MVA board members during a presentation in a meeting. He refused to name the entertainers who will come to the event saying it will all depend on how much commitment Hard Rock will be able to raise.
“The more amount of money we can raise, the more entertainers we can get,” he added.
Hard Rock Cafe Saipan opened in March last year amid the uncertainty in tourism economy because management claims the island will continue to be a popular destination among Japanese. Management refused to say the total amount invested on Saipan, except that a Hard Rock investment usually goes beyond $60 million.
The 1,800 sq.ft. retail store is located right below the Hard Rock Cafe restaurant in Duty Free Saipan. It will have more than 100 items on sale ranging from a variety of clothing and merchandise that bears the internationally known Hard Rock Cafe logo.
Since its opening in London in 1971, Hard Rock Cafe has combined rock music sensibilities, memorabilia from top musical artists of the last 40 years and classic American food. Today, Hard Rock Cafe consists of 90 restaurants in more than 30 countries from Beijing to Paris to New York.
