More Than 1,000 Fans Pack Hard Rock Tampa for Goddess of Slots Night

^{“The Goddess of Slots” (right) gets all the love both live and online as she accepts a representation of slot-character superstar Mo Mummy as a gift from one of her fans. (Screenshot: Hard Rock Tampa / Instagram)}

TAMPA, Florida — More than 1,000 people showed up Oct. 23 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tampa to meet casino influencer Lorraine “Goddess of Slots” Bencivegno-Ziff, proving that video slots influencers can bring crowds into a casino while showing them how to play the games.

Friday night served a dual purpose: saluting the “Goddess of Slots” and unveiling the new Event Center Gaming Arena, a pop-up gaming floor in the non-smoking part of the property that proved very popular. Friday nights at a casino are usually some of the best of the week, but this one was one for the record books.

In only a few hours, the Hard Rock Tampa put its shining new diamond on display while it paid tribute to one of the top casino influencers in the game today.

“Goddess of Slots” Entertains Fans for Hours

The evening at the Event Center Gaming Arena was supposed to be a four-hour “Goddess of Slots Night,” but it turned into an all-night celebration of the woman many know as the “Goddess of Slots.” Bencivegno-Ziff planned to meet her adoring fans for about 45 minutes before everyone moved onto the gaming floor. As a wise person once said, “The best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry!”

The “Goddess of Slots” spent the next 2½ hours greeting her fans and handing out memorabilia. The first 500 arrivals received special Goddess of Slots-branded “lucky lanyards” that players could use to hold a player’s card. Bencivegno-Ziff’s support team brought more than the 500 lanyards advertised, along with other swag for those in attendance.

By conservative estimates, the “Goddess of Slots” greeted more than 1,000 fans, who all seemed more than happy to have waited in line to meet their hero.

Diane (all names changed to protect anonymity) was there because she is “a fan of several of the influencers, following them online.” For her, the “Goddess of Slots” lets her live vicariously through what Bencivegno-Ziff does in the casinos. “I have a good job, and it’s secure,” Diane said with a laugh, “but I can get the thrill of gaming at high stakes through what she (Bencivegno-Ziff) does!”

Kathy, who said she had been to previous influencer gatherings, came to check out the new gaming offerings — and to see the “Goddess of Slots,” naturally! She took a hit off an inhaler because of breathing issues, and she was more than happy to see the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa expanding its non-smoking offerings (more on this in a moment). “It certainly helps me out, and it makes the entire property more welcoming to people like me with breathing issues,” she said.

Seminole Hard Rock Tampa’s Non-Smoking Expansion Underway

The other reason for Friday’s gathering, besides saluting the “Goddess of Slots,” was to unveil the Event Center as a gaming outlet. Before this, the Event Center served as a welcome addition to the Tampa Bay entertainment scene, hosting international singers such as Maren Morris and John Legend, as well as bands like The Offspring and the Joe Perry Project. Now, you might be concerned that the Seminole Hard Rock might prefer the Event Center as a gaming venue rather than a concert venue!

If you have been to Seminole Hard Rock Tampa, curtains now segment off the area around the L Bar and Elvis Presley’s golden piano. Crews have covered that priceless artifact to protect it from the dust the renovations raise. A pathway leads to the Event Center, but workers have removed all the games from the floor and ripped up carpeting in a few areas to remove nicotine residue. Some parts are complete, but the machines sit idle while the renovations continue.

The Event Center is showing it can pick up the slack while the renovations are underway. The floor now features more than 650 new slot machines, including Dragon Link and Phoenix Link machines and other notable slot devices.

The Seminole Hard Rock Tampa has done well by placing about 30 table games around the Event Center’s walkways (where people would normally mill about during concerts), featuring blackjack, roulette and other table games. All were packed Friday.

As someone who enjoys concerts (perhaps more than the average person), I am concerned we are losing a small concert venue from the Tampa Bay scene. Yes, we have major arenas, such as Raymond James Stadium and Benchmark International Arena, and we have some smaller venues, such as the BayCare Sound and Ruth Eckerd Hall. Still, we don’t have a 2,000-seat venue — larger than a club, not so large as a midrange outlet — like the Event Center.

While I enjoy a good table game as much as the next person, I worry the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa might like the Event Center’s new configuration… and that the concerts won’t return.

Overall, “Goddess of Slots Night” at the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa was a rousing success. The casino seemed to draw more people for Bencivegno-Ziff than for other influencer events, and it presented its new gaming jewel to an appreciative audience, whether it is a temporary or permanent fixture. It was an enjoyable evening for all, as the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa demonstrated its power in both gaming and the influencer arena.

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