Hard Rock International has unveiled plans for an $850 million integrated resort in San Juan, marking the entertainment conglomerate’s first destination in Puerto Rico and signalling confidence in the Caribbean’s surging hospitality market.
The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino San Juan, developed in partnership with Misla Hospitality, Stonecrest Investment Management and The Interfin Companies, will feature 415 rooms, 58 suites and 186 branded residences. Construction is scheduled to begin in mid-2026, with the property opening in 2029.
The announcement positions Puerto Rico as a strategic growth market for Hard Rock, which operates more than 300 venues in nearly 80 countries but has limited gaming presence outside North America. The San Juan property represents a calculated expansion into the Caribbean’s fastest-recovering tourism region.
Integrated resort model enters Puerto Rico
The development introduces a new hospitality concept to Puerto Rico’s market. While the island currently operates 16 casinos, all attached to existing hotels, Hard Rock’s project marks the territory’s first integrated resort – combining hotel, casino, residential units and entertainment venues in a comprehensive destination complex.
The distinction matters for workforce planning. Traditional hotel-casino operations require hospitality and gaming staff; integrated resorts demand broader talent across entertainment, food and beverage, spa services and residential property management. Hard Rock anticipates creating 2,500 direct construction jobs and 1,250 permanent positions once operational.
“Music is at the heart of both Hard Rock and Puerto Rico, making this a perfect union,” said Jeff Hook, chief operating officer at Hard Rock International. The property will incorporate local music heritage through event venues, a recording studio and Puerto Rican memorabilia displays.
Designed by Las Vegas-based Klai Juba Wald and Puerto Rico’s CMA Architects, the resort will feature the signature Rock Spa, three terrace-level pools, multiple dining concepts and dedicated family amenities including a kids’ club and teen spaces. The waterfront location offers views of both San Juan Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, adjacent to Old San Juan’s historic district.
Caribbean momentum drives expansion
The timing reflects Puerto Rico’s remarkable tourism recovery. The island welcomed 6.6 million air arrivals in 2024, generating $18 billion in economic impact and supporting 91,000 direct tourism jobs. Lodging revenues reached $1.7 billion, exceeding pre-pandemic 2019 levels by 104 per cent.
Puerto Rico leads Caribbean destinations in tourism growth, according to Discover Puerto Rico. The territory recorded 7.5 million non-resident visitors and 4.2 million resident tourists in 2024, with particularly strong performance in the luxury segment, where hotel supply expanded 7.1 per cent.
The broader Caribbean market demonstrated resilience throughout 2024, achieving 34.2 million international arrivals – 6.9 per cent above 2019 levels. The region outpaced global recovery benchmarks, with the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association reporting 98 per cent positive industry sentiment heading into 2025.
Investment is following demand. Caribbean developers have activated 50 new hotel projects adding 19,591 rooms, with nearly 30,000 rooms in various planning stages through 2028. Limited new supply in most markets has supported strong average daily rates and occupancy levels.
Workforce development emerges as priority
Hard Rock’s entry brings workforce development challenges familiar to Caribbean hospitality operators. Labour costs represent the largest expense increase across the region, even as revenue growth remains robust.
Giorgio Borlenghi, chairman of The Interfin Companies, emphasised community engagement in the project approach. “Working closely with trusted local partners, artists and community leaders, we have approached this development with a strong focus on cultural preservation, environmental responsibility and community engagement,” he said.
Puerto Rico achieved record employment in leisure and hospitality in November 2024, with 101,700 jobs representing 5 per cent year-over-year growth. However, workforce development remains critical as operators compete for skilled talent across an expanding market.
The integrated resort model requires diverse skillsets. Hard Rock operates its Unity loyalty programme with 15 million members globally, necessitating staff proficient in digital guest services, data-driven personalisation and omnichannel customer experience management. The company has partnered with Major Food Group to develop dining concepts, requiring culinary talent capable of delivering multiple restaurant formats.
Hard Rock’s commitment to local hiring and training will test Puerto Rico’s hospitality talent pipeline. The 1,250 permanent positions span gaming operations, hotel services, food and beverage, entertainment production, spa and wellness, and residential property management – skill requirements extending beyond traditional hotel-casino staffing models.
Strategic expansion accelerates
The San Juan project represents one component of Hard Rock’s aggressive global expansion. The company is transforming The Mirage in Las Vegas into a guitar-shaped hotel property, developing a €1.5 billion integrated resort in Athens scheduled to open around 2027, and competing for an $8.1 billion Metropolitan Park casino licence in New York.
The Puerto Rico development aligns with Hard Rock’s strategy of flagship destination resorts in growing markets. The company, owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida since 2007, has emphasised integrated resort development over standalone properties, leveraging its music heritage and memorabilia collection to create distinctive experiential destinations.
Governor Jenniffer González-Colón welcomed the investment, noting it “opens a world of possibilities for economic development” while “positioning Puerto Rico as an ideal destination in the Caribbean – a destination for tourism, living and global investment”.
The property’s residential component – 186 branded residences – reflects growing demand for lifestyle-integrated hospitality products. Hard Rock’s expansion into residential development follows successful residential offerings at other flagship properties, targeting affluent buyers seeking resort amenities with ownership benefits.
With construction commencing mid-2026, the project timeline spans Puerto Rico’s continued tourism expansion period. The territory expects additional momentum from new airline routes, expanded airlift capacity and infrastructure improvements supporting the broader hospitality ecosystem.
