Christine Crump exclusive: Hard Rock Ottawa President role provided opportunity to ‘run away with the band’

Having celebrated the property’s grand opening on July 3, Crump explains how Hard Rock’s first-ever integrated resort in Canada helps establish the operator’s presence in new markets.

With Hard Rock International having debuted its first-ever integrated resort in Canada on July 3, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa President Christine Crump joins Gaming America for an exclusive interview to share details of the grand opening ceremony. 

“At Hard Rock, we don’t cut ribbons to open venues, we smash guitars,” Crump said. 

“It’s honestly truly remarkable to open the first fully integrated resort property for Hard Rock in Canada, and we just happen to be in the nation’s capital, so it really is an incredible time especially with the way the community has responded since we launched.”

Attendees of the ceremony included Hard Rock International COO Jeff Hook and Executive Operations Advisor Jon Lucas, Seminole Tribe of Florida leaders, City of Ottawa officials, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming Stan Cho and Michael Andlauer of the Ottawa Senators ice hockey ownership group, among others.

Crump explained how musical performances from artists such as Avril Lavigne, Katharine McPhee and more helped cap off Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa’s opening weekend, as the operator would also go on to donate $100,000 to the Ottawa Food Bank during the celebration. 

“This is a remarkable chapter in my career. It’s certainly an honor to represent the Seminole Tribe of Florida and Hard Rock International here in Canada,” Crump said. 

“For me, when you think about the project and the impact we’re having, one of my favorite elements is witnessing our team members experience an opening, which for many of them will be the one and only time in their career they’ll get to experience such an exciting time.”

Good to know: Hard Rock International confirmed plans to develop a new Reverb by Hard Rock hotel in Florence, Alabama on July 9, with the project to be led by Sak Capital Partners

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa was completed following a construction cost of $350m according to Hard Rock International, containing more than 150,000 sq ft of entertainment and hospitality space.

Having spent over 20 years combined working with Ontario Lottery and Gaming as well as with One Toronto Gaming, Crump then “ran away with the band” and joined Hard Rock International to become President of the new Ottawa destination. 

Speaking on how the property’s location offers various advantages for Hard Rock, Crump stated: “Our location is perfect because we’re 10 minutes from an international airport, and Ottawa, the business community and the community at large has been so receptive to the grand opening.

“We are actually attaching the expansion to a 63-year old building which was originally designed for horse racing, and then in 2000, Ontario Lottery and Gaming added slot machines to that facility. When Hard Rock took over in 2017, shortly thereafter, they added table games, and then we broke ground in June of 2023 for this expansion.”

Crump also shared future events Hard Rock Hotel & Casino will be hosting throughout the remainder of 2025, such as women’s boxing competitions in September and fundraisers to help Hard Rock “engage with the community” in numerous ways now that the property is officially open to guests. 

Kirk Geller

Visit Profile

Players trust our reporting due to our commitment to unbiased and professional evaluations of the iGaming sector. We track hundreds of platforms and industry updates daily to ensure our news feed and leaderboards reflect the most recent market shifts. With nearly two decades of experience within iGaming, our team provides a wealth of expert knowledge. This long-standing expertise enables us to deliver thorough, reliable news and guidance to our readers.