Tribe buys Hard Rock chain
ROBERT BARR AND PETE HARRISON
AN AMERICAN Indian tribe has bought the music-themed Hard Rock Cafe chain for nearly $1 billion, in a move which underlines the growing wealth and power of the country's native peoples.
"This is a proud moment for the Seminole tribe of Florida and for all Indian tribes," said Mitchell Cypress, the chairman of the elected tribal council.
"It is also an opportunity for the Seminole tribe to diversify its business operations and help a very successful company to achieve even greater growth," he added.
The tribe broke new ground when it became the first American Indian group to get into the gambling business, opening a bingo hall in 1979 in Hollywood, Florida.
That led to other casinos on reservations in Florida and attracted the interest of Native American tribes across the United States.
In a landmark 1987 ruling the US Supreme Court recognised that, as sovereign political entities, federally recognised Native American tribal entities could operate gaming facilities free of state regulation - and taxes.
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