Rock stars and hospitality venues seem to go together like Motörhead and whiskey. Over the years, rock and roll Hall-of-Famers and stadium legends alike have turned their entrepreneurial spirit to the industry that gave them their first live shows, whether as a smart investment of well-earned cash or a way of giving back to the grassroots. Some entrants to the business are more surprising than others, though. It may come as no surprise that shock rock legends Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, better known as Starchild and the Demon in the genre-defining KISS, have gone all-in with a new casino-restaurant development near the Mississippi Sound.

Biloxi Blues

Still, in the early days of development, the Biloxi-based multi-purpose resort will combine the best of Stanley and Simmons’ existing leisure franchise, Rock & Brews, with casino expertise, and potentially become the origin story of the US’ next Las Vegas. While there may be some time to wait before the KISS founders’ vision becomes a reality, casino games are thankfully available in abundance online, with promotions for new customers available to make the most of. Of course, before the Biloxi news, KISS as a band were no strangers to casinos of any kind, let alone online casinos. Branded slot games, both on and offline, were available as part of KISS’ famously wide range of branded merchandizing.

A Match Made in Heaven

Indeed, that vast history and experience with branding poised Stanley and Simmons perfectly to transition from rock royalty to kings of hospitality. As KISS, they successfully merchandised a bizarre range of products and amenities, from empty plastic bags containing ‘air guitar strings’ to the infamous Kiss Kasket. Bringing their signature glam-rock flair off-stage, the Rock & Brews dining franchise has gone from strength to strength since its 2012 inception. The casino is the latest larger-than-life business move by the former stars.

The Latest in a Long Line

"Bon Jovi" (CC BY 2.0) by ejmc

It might be hard to see the move as much more than a cash-grab, especially with Rock & Brews’ position as a direct competitor to the Hard Rock Café franchise, but they are certainly not the first, and definitely not the only rock legends to try their hand at opening a venue. Jon Bon Jovi is highly regarded for opening three community kitchens under the name “JBJ Soul Kitchen”. The restaurants run on a donation basis, with no fixed prices for any food items. Patrons can even choose to pay by volunteering time in the kitchen instead of bringing money, making for perhaps the most wholesome business endeavor to ever come of hard rock. Alice Cooper and Sammy Hagar are also in the club, alongside dozens of rock n rolls greatest.

The half-official KISS Casino may not have any doors to open for some time yet, but when it does, Stanley and Simmons will be the first Rock Hall inductees to run a casino. It’s becoming a strange world out there, but also kind of a wonderful one.