Marlon and Tito Jackson, two members of the Jackson Five, returned to their hometown of Gary, Indiana, Friday to mark the grand opening of the new Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana.
Capturing its rock 'n' roll theme, the 200,000-square foot casino kicked off opening day festivities with a guitar smash event featuring the two Jackson brothers, Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy and a number of other celebrities and government officials.
The facility, which opened to the public at 5 p.m., consists of more than 1,600 slot machines, 80 table games and five dining venues including Hard Rock Café, a steakhouse, a noodle bar and a coffee shop, according to a press release.
A giant marquee replica of Joe Jackson's original guitar greets visitors as they arrive at the building located along the Interstate 80/94 Expressway. Rock 'n' roll memorabilia reminiscent of the city's past, including numerous notable pieces from the Jackson Five, adorn walls inside the entertainment complex.
Gary Mayor Jerome Prince, who was on hand for the grand opening, said he hopes the new 300-million dollar casino will jumpstart the city's economy.
"Two, three years ago no one ever thought Hard Rock would ever consider opening in Gary," he said. "Today we proved that."
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