Catoosa, OK -- November 20, 2008 -- The Cherokee Casino Resort will be rebranded as Hard Rock Casino Tulsa next spring.

The Hard Rock Casino Tulsa is the first Hard Rock-branded property in the Midwest.  The new property will bring its own version of the Hard Rock experience to Oklahoma with influences from Cherokee heritage, Oklahoma's rich history of musical artists and a blend of the property's current and future amenities and entertainment.

"We are excited about bringing the Hard Rock experience to Tulsa.  Hard Rock is a nationally and internationally known brand, and bringing it here allows us to make it uniquely Oklahoma," says David Stewart, CEO of Cherokee Nation Enterprises.  "Being part of the Hard Rock brand, combined with our current expansion, will set us apart from any other entertainment option in the region."

"We are extremely pleased to have reached this agreement with Cherokee Nation Enterprises and expand the Hard Rock brand in to the Midwest," says President of Morgans Hotel Group Las Vegas and Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Randy Kwasniewski. "Cherokee Nation Enterprises' expertise in the hotel and gaming sector make them the ideal partner for Hard Rock Hotel Holdings, LLC and the city of Tulsa."

As part of the Hard Rock brand, the new resort will include the décor, memorabilia and merchandise that have made the Hard Rock brand famous around the world.

The expanded casino will also include a 2,500-seat concert hall and theater slated to open next summer or fall that could with the help of Hard Rock bring big name acts to the Tulsa area.

The Hard Rock Casino Tulsa's current expansion is estimated at $155 million, with the new gaming floor opening in December and the newly branded hotel welcoming its first guests in the spring of 2009.