Hard Rock’n’Roll The Dice Las Vegas’s New Hard Rock Hotel Gambles That Rock’n’Roll And Roulette Are A Winning Combination

I am down to my last $25 Jimi Hendrix “‘Purple Haze” chip and Elvis is singing “It’s Now or Never.”

An hour ago, it was the craps table, tumblin’ dice and Steely Dan warbling “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number.”

It’s weird here.

Yeah, and there’s roulette on piano-shaped tables, “Riders on the Storm” slot machines and sports betting near a chandelier made of gold saxophones.

What’s Goin’ On? The Hard Rock Hotel is - a $100 million wager that rock ‘n’ roll and roulette not only mix, they’re downright fun.

Lavished with $2 million in music memorabilia, the world’s first rock ‘n’ roll hotel opened earlier this year as the logical spin-off of those Hard Rock Cafes that dot every corner of the world (including one 200 yards from here).

So with wads of rock-star chips (Bob Seger is $5) or with the pull on a guitar-armed slot machine, one can gamble amid Elvis’ gold-lame jacket, Harley Davidson motorcycles from Motley Crue and Guns N’ Roses, and gold records and guitars from Pearl Jam, Nirvana, ZZ Top and seemingly everyone else who ever made music.

Showcases of concert outfits from Aerosmith, Madonna, Lenny Kravitz, Van Halen and others are like altars drawing worshipful fans. A cathedrallike gothic facade in the Viva Las Vegas Lounge is inset with screens showing music videos.

Church ladies will be mortified.

Compared to the MGM Grand and other mega-resorts lining the famed Las Vegas strip a mile away, the Hard Rock is tiny - only 340 guest rooms and a circular, 30,000-square-foot casino.

Which is the kind of hip, little hotel that owner Peter Morton wanted. Morton founded the first Hard Rock Cafe in 1971.

“We broke a lot of rules,” said spokesperson Laura Herlovich. Bettors won’t find poker tables, live keno, lounge acts, bargain menus or cheapo guest rooms.

No garish Vegas glitz here, either. Halls, walls and gaming areas are stylish. Public areas are done in fine woods and tasteful carpeting.

Planners lavished the casino in hot rods, cool costumes and blue globes (Hard Rock’s “Save the Planet” theme). Music themes are everywhere from the guitar-crowned porte cochere to the pool complete with sandy beach to elevators that whisk guests to ‘50s-moderne guest floors (lit by lights recessed behind drum cymbals).

Name acts perform in the Joint, Hard Rock’s handsome 1,200-seat concert venue.

Music pouring from speakers 24 hours a day is probably what makes the staff so smiling and friendly. Whole rows of gamblers at blackjack tables can be heard singing along to the Beatles, Elton John, Sheryl Crow and Bob Seger.

Wait a minute, didn’t Seger do “Beautiful Loser”?

“I don’t care,” said Paul Roberts of Vegas, playing blackjack under George Michael’s autographed guitar. “This is my first time here and it’s fun.”

Money can’t buy him love, but it bought him gaming chips with rock themes. Like the Tom Petty “You Got Lucky” $100 chip.

Roberts ended up losing $100, fittingly in Red Hot Chili Peppers “Give it Away” chips.

Keeping with Hard Rock’s “Save the Planet” gospel, profits from one bank of slot machines are donated to a rain-forest fund. Which makes losing less painful.

Theoretically.

Past showcases of Beatles and Rolling Stones memorabilia and surfboards autographed by the Beach Boys, guitar-handle doors open to the Hard Rock Beach Club ringed by cabanas and faux boulders. Hotel guests can swim in the lagoon - where music plays underwater.

David Moreno of Los Angeles was lounging near the beach, a red bag of just-purchased Hard Rock T-shirts at his side.

“Unlike the big hotels and casinos, this is just the right size,” he said. “This is great.”

It was also the chance to add to his Hard Rock wardrobe. “I’m thinking about the leather jacket at $275.”

Like other guests, Moreno could enjoy a spacious bedroom with French doors that opened to the desert air. Decor is cool. On your TV you can punch up channels that just play music, from legends to rock to passion.

Unlike those busy and brass-railed Hard Rock Cafes, the rock and sports memorabilia doesn’t smother you here.

Snug in their Hard Rock caps and sweatshirts, parents and kids breeze among Peter Frampton and Eric Clapton displays, drums used by the Stone Temple Pilots and Buddy Holly’s autographed boots.

Motown memories pour from the “Soul Case” featuring outfits from the Supremes, the Temptations and Smokey Robinson videos.

Two of the more sobering displays are the Kurt Cobain showcase (into which fans have slipped notes and loose change) and part of the private plane that carried Otis Redding to his death in 1967.

Near the “In Rock We Trust” bank are the only two options for casino dining.

Mortoni’s is fast becoming one of the best Italian restaurants in Vegas. Lucky’s 24/7 is the open-anytime coffee shop.

And always, always, the music plays.

Rock ‘n’ roll never dies at this perky little casino hotel. Room keys are laminated “All Access” concert passes.

Forget vapid “Do Not Disturb” signs, too. Instead, the message hanging from doorknobs is “I hear ya knockin’ but ya can’t come in.”

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: IF YOU GO Las Vegas’ cool little Hard Rock Hotel is behind the Hard Rock Cafe roughly a mile from the Las Vegas strip (that’s a liability or blissfully isolated, depending on your point of view).

Rates Rooms range from $85 midweek to $125 weekends; suites from $250.

Jammin’ at the joint To find out about upcoming concerts at the hotel, call Ticketmaster, (702) 474-4000, noon-midnight weekdays, noon-10 weekends.

Dining At Mortoni’s mouthwatering pastas come in big bowls (my companion and I thought the shrimp scampi and the penne were both fantastico). The exhibition kitchen also turns out yummy appetizers and inventive pizzas. At a stiff $8.25 per glass, the Pinot Grigio is a better buy by the bottle. A huge picture of Jim Morrison anchors Mr. Lucky 24/7, the 24-hour cafe with an extensive breakfast menu. Otherwise, it’s pretty standard fare, from salads and burgers and sandwiches to pizzas pulled from wood-fired ovens.

Room reservations Call (800)HRD-ROCK anytime (remember that ROCK uses the letter “O” and not the number “0” for operator), or your travel agent.