Daytona Beach will get a Hard Rock Hotel after all.
- Developers what to bring Hard Rock Hotel to Daytona
- Hotel would be built at the Desert Inn site
- Volusia leaders believe Hard Rock would have greater appeal
Owners of the former Desert Inn have changed their plans, deciding to open a Hard Rock instead of a Westin hotel.
James Diamond lives across the street from the beachfront land where many many thought the Hard Rock Hotel would be built. That land is a couple of miles from the Desert Inn.
However, that deal went bust, dashing the hopes of Diamond and his neighbors.
"I thought it was a big mistake and I thought community leaders did not do a good job to bring it here," said Diamond.
Volusia County staff told council members on Thursday that a deal to open the old Desert Inn as a Hard Rock Hotel was reached. Officials made the decision because they said a Hard Rock, much like the one at Universal Orlando, would have greater appeal.
Diamond agrees.
“Just because it'd be better for the economy, pull in more people just because of the special name," Diamond said.
Under the new agreement, Summit Hospitality will invest $40 million to refurbish the Desert Inn, up from $32 million.
The new hotel is scheduled to open by December.
While Diamond believes a Hard Rock will pump money into the local economy, he thinks it would be even better if it were similar to the one in Tampa.
“Well since it's just gonna be a hotel it'll help a bit. If it turned into a casino, it'd be even better," he said.
For now, though, it will open only as a hotel, and not a casino.