TAMPA (FOX 13) –
Quietly, and by private jet, Tampa’s Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is attracting unexpected visitors: High rollers from Asia.

“They’re very high net worth,” said General Manager Pete Wu. “They have millions to spend.”

Wu, who just recently arrived at the Hard Rock, brings experience from Macau, Asia’s gaming hub. He explained that many “whales,” as some call them, have grown bored with casinos in Singapore, Las Vegas, and even Macau.

So Tampa is suddenly an exotic place to bet millions playing cards.

“For you and me, we’d spend a couple hundred dollars in a weekend,” Wu continued. “It’s not uncommon for some of these players to spend $10 million."

The Hard Rock flies in high rollers aboard a Gulfstream V jet – the same plane movie stars and singers use to circle the globe in style.

"Before, you would only get that in Macau, Singapore, Australia, or Las Vegas,” Wu said. “But now we’re getting it in Tampa."

With millions on the line, the hotel is seriously upgrading its VIP experience specifically to accommodate Asian gamblers’ tastes. Improvements include feng shui décor, private gaming rooms, exotic catering, and butler service.

"We try to cover every detail," said longtime butler George Fabrizio, an import from Atlantic City.

Fabrizio greets VIPs with champagne and satisfies their every need until they depart — winning or otherwise.

His eyes are peeled; his lips are sealed.

"The most important part about the job is discretion," he offered.

Fabrizio’s lair is directly across the hall from a sprawling new room, called the Roxy Suite. The Hard Rock combined three guestrooms to create the lush VIP suite—whose opulent bathroom is larger than most hotel rooms.

"We spare no expense when it comes to taking care of our high-end customers," Fabrizio said. “Whatever it takes.”

Fabrizio escorts VIPs wherever they desire, and in some cases security guards complete the escort. On our visit, the standout entourage accompanied us to two invitation-only rooms.

The first is called Plum, the swanky invitation-only lounge that offers an oasis from the bustling casino floor. Shrimp, lobster, and an open bar are among its many posh amenities.

Vince Turrano, the hotel’s vice president for food and beverage, said Plum cannot be bought. It is both on the house and open only to a chosen few.

"We probably have hundreds of thousands of people who pass through this property. I’m going to tell you that fewer than 500 have access," he said.

Turrano noted that the lounge, while geared for Americans, does adjust its menu for Asian visitors. Among the more exotic items that are available (upon request) is a $3,600 Asian soup that is said to bring good luck. Its secret ingredient is a bird’s nest.

"I have tasted it,” Turrano says of the unusual soup. “It’s… not for me."

Our second invitation-only destination was a private card room.

Wu, the new general manager, points out chips in unbelievably large denominations: $250,000 and $500,000 among them. For the Hard Rock’s wealthiest new guests, those chips are truly in play.

As if not secluded enough, the glass doors to the room feature a switch that turns the panes from translucent to opaque in an instant — the stuff of movies.

But private does not mean quiet.

"When they bet, they like to slam them down on the table," he said. The game of choice is Baccarat. And sometimes, marathon sessions.

"Many of them will stay in here hours and hours at a time," he said.

Wealthy Asian players have become such a high priority for the Hard Rock that Wu revealed a piece of inside strategy: The casino employs ‘development’ staff overseas.

"We have a team now, on the ground, in Asia," Wu said. "We’re taking it to the next level."

The bet is simple: International VIPs will score a local jackpot.

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