Arguably the most successful gaming facility in Ohio, the Hard Rock Rocksino, this week will shed that name to become the MGM Northfield Park, following upon the purchase last September of the property for $1 billion by MGM Growth Properties, a REIT of MGM Resorts International, which will operate it.
The famous MGM Lion will be unveiled a week after the switchover actually takes place.
According to an announcement by MGM “Community leaders, guests, team members and MGM senior leadership will share this exciting milestone at Ohio’s award-winning, gaming, dining, and entertainment destination.”
The property lies midway between Akron and Cleveland and has been the Buckeye state’s busiest casino in spite of not offering table game and only having Video Lottery Terminals.
In 2018 it generated $256 million in provides, more than the next highest grossing casino, Hollywood Casino Columbus, the state’s largest casino, which collected $227 million.
The Northfield Park 110 acres has 2,300 VLTs, several dining venues, a concert venue and a harness racetrack. It opened in 1934 as a greyhound track, then an auto race track and finally a harness racing track in 1957.
Under its new owner the Hard Rock Café will be dubbed the Tap Sports Bar, and instead of music memorabilia will have sports memorabilia. The Fresh Harvest Buffet will become The Buffet, harkening back to the Las Vegas buffet tradition. The Hard Rock Live concert hall will be known as Center Stage, among other changes.
