Hard Rock Cafe to Open Spring '99 at Gatlinburg, TN)

Hard Rock Cafe International, Inc., the global music entertainment company and original theme Restaurant chain, has announced plans to open a location this spring in the heart of Gatlinburg, the gateway to The Great Smokey Mountains National Park. Gatlinburg marks the company's third location in Tennessee joining Nashville and Memphis.

The world-renowned Hard Rock Cafe will encompass 10,000 square feet on two levels and a basement, with restaurant seating for more than 200. The restaurant will also feature a function room with a river view, bar, centerpiece stage, and a full-service retail store featuring Hard Rock Cafe's famous logo T-shirts, hats, jackets and more collected by Hard Rockers throughout the world. In addition, and like no other Hard Rock Cafe in the world, the cafe will feature a chapel area for rock 'n' roll weddings.

Hard Rock Cafe Gatlinburg is one of 12 worldwide locations to open this year. Other U.S. sites announced to open in 1999 include Indianapolis and Ft. Lauderdale/Sunrise, with various international locations planned, including Amsterdam, Lima and Guadalajara, to name a few.

Hard Rock is also committed to growing its leisure holdings to include a Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando (opening fall 2000) and a Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi (opening date and location TBD). On March 12 in Orlando, the company will celebrate the grand opening of the new, world's largest Hard Rock Cafe and its first U.S.-based Hard Rock Live concert venue with a special benefit performance by the legendary Elton John.

The Hard Rock Cafe Gatlinburg will offer the trademark high-quality, American-style food with great value and friendly, efficient service -- all in a rock 'n' roll music-themed atmosphere -- that millions have come to expect from Hard Rock during the last 27-plus years.

Adding to the entertainment dining experience will be the display of wall- to-wall rock 'n' roll memorabilia from an extensive Hard Rock collection that was dubbed by pop culture icon Andy Warhol as the "Smithsonian of Rock 'n' Roll." To date, Hard Rock's music memorabilia collection numbers more than 53,000 pieces and is valued at more than $30 million. Items culled from rock 'n' roll culture past and present adorn the walls of Hard Rock locations worldwide, with the Gatlinburg location housing hundreds of unique music memorabilia pieces.

Beyond dining, Hard Rock has developed a reputation for its deep commitment to public service and a myriad of humanitarian causes and issues. With a "Save The Planet" philosophy, Hard Rock Cafe locations regionally have produced concerts and philanthropic events on a regular basis as part of the company's corporate mission to "Love All-Serve All."

Hard Rock Cafe International, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of London- based The Rank Group Plc, owns and/or Franchises a worldwide network of 99 Hard Rock Cafes in 34 countries. With worldwide control of the Hard Rock brand, Hard Rock has expanded into television with the Hard Rock Live weekly music series on VH1, a Hard Rock Records music label, Hard Rock Live performance venues, concerts and special events, Hard Rock Hotels, Hard Rock Beer, packaged foods with "Hard Rock Cafe All Natural Veggie Burgers," and an Internet site at www.hardrock.com. Hard Rock Cafe has also announced an alliance with the National Basketball Association to create the exclusive NBA restaurant concept.