Las Vegas’ Hard Rock Set to Become a Virgin Hotel

Reports have it that a deal is in the offing to sell the iconic off-Strip resort to an investment group that includes Richard Branson’s Virgin Hotels. The same sources say Virgin will run the property and that management is already reviewing designs featuring the Virgin brand.

Reports are that Las Vegas’ Hard Rock Hotel is going to be sold to an investment group that includes British billionaire Richard Branson’s Virgin Hotels.

Sources told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that Brookfield Asset Management, the off-Strip resort’s majority owner, is in “advanced negotiations” with lead buyers Richard “Boz” Bosworth, founder and head of Las Vegas-based Bosworth Hospitality Partners, and Juniper Capital Partners, based in Los Angeles, and that the deal calls for the Hard Rock to become a Virgin-branded property operated by Virgin.

No sale price has been disclosed, according to the newspaper, which cited sources as saying the buyers are looking to conclude an agreement in the first quarter.

In the meantime, sources told the Review-Journal that management has been directed not to deny Virgin’s interest in the hotel and that executives have reviewed logo designs featuring the Virgin brand.

The R-J contacted a Virgin spokeswoman, who declined to comment, as did representatives of Bosworth. Juniper could not be reached as of press time, the newspaper said.

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