With a resume that includes executive roles at Starwood, Wyndham and Hilton, Marco Roca came to his role of executive vice president and chief development officer at Hard Rock Hotels six months ago with an eye on growth.
He’s already making progress. Hard Rock recently announced a US$215 million indoor ski resort in Grand Prairie, outside of Dallas, which will be the brand’s first hotel in Texas and its first indoor ski resort. In addition to the 350,000-square-foot (106,680-square-meter) ski facility, the property will feature 300 guestrooms, several large meeting spaces, two restaurants, a workout facility, luxury spa and resort-style pool complex. The project is expected to be completed in 2018.
HOTELS spoke with Roca about the Grand Prairie resort in addition to Hard Rock’s broader expansion plans.
HOTELS: Who are the target customers for the Grand Prairie development?
Marco Roca: You, me and everyone who loves skiing. Texans are the number-two skiers in the nation.
Also, the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport gets a number of international flights. We are located just 15 minutes away from the airport, so I could see people coming in from Mexico and also from all over the world to visit this complex.
HOTELS: Is this the first property of its kind in the Dallas-Fort Worth area?
Roca: Yes, there are no ski slopes in the middle of Texas. There are a number of indoor ski slopes in Japan, Germany and one of the most famous at the Mall of Dubai. This complex will be larger than the Dubai location — it will be roughly the size of Texas Stadium and 3,000 feet (914 meters) tall.
It’s also important to note that this facility will have a very small carbon footprint compared to indoor ski slopes around the world.
HOTELS: Have rates been discussed?
Roca: There has been discussion, but we have not settled on a specific rate because markets and dynamics change so much. However, we are an upscale hotel chain, and we will certainly be within that same concept of upscale with this property.
We expect that this will be a very lucrative hotel. Plus, having the amenity of an indoor ski slope gives us an extra edge.
HOTELS: Are there plans to develop future Hard Rock hotels with an indoor skiing complex?
Roca: Absolutely. We think this is something that would appeal to large areas of the world and the U.S. The most skiers in the nation are Californians. Florida closely trails Texas as well. Both of these states provide additional markets where this concept would make a lot of sense.
HOTELS: What are the general expansion plans for Hard Rock Hotels?
Roca: I feel very strongly that we can open 100 hotels by 2020, which amounts to about 77 [new] openings. I, along with the Hard Rock Hotels team, feel that is certainly within reach for us.
HOTELS: Are there any specific regions you are targeting?
Roca: The U.S. will always be very important for Hard Rock Hotels’ growth. The fact that we are so well known in the U.S. is huge and will help us expand quickly. Our name recognition provides us with tremendous growth opportunity.
We have also seen tremendous success in Latin America and the Caribbean and are very well known there. We see a lot of opportunity in Brazil and Mexico in addition to the hotels we already have open.
As for Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa, we have deals getting signed with a tremendous frequency and openings scheduled in the next couple of years.
HOTELS: How is the brand staying fresh and attracting future generations?
Roca: This is a differentiator for us. We continue to attract guests of all ages. Our tie into music is something that almost everyone can relate to. Music keeps us relevant and allows us to evolve. It’s a universal language. We are able to attract Millennials with programs like Sound of Your Stay. Our experiential lifestyle opportunities keep people interested and the brand relevant. We are truly living in an experience economy, and this is where brands like Hard Rock are very relevant.