HARD ROCK HOTEL INC
EX-10.1
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<title>Prepared by MERRILL CORPORATION</title>



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<p align="right" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0pt;margin:12.0pt 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Exhibit 10.1</font></font></b></p>



<p align="center" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0pt;margin:12.0pt 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT</font></font></u></b></p>



<p align="left" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0pt;margin:12.0pt 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size:10.0pt;">This Amendment No. 1 to Employment Agreement dated

as of September 7, 2001, (this &#147;Amendment&#148;) is entered into with reference to

the Employment Agreement dated as of November 8, 2000, between Hard Rock Hotel,

Inc., a Nevada corporation (the &#147;Company&#148;), and James D. Bowen, an individual

(&#147;Executive&#148;).&#160; The Company and

Executive hereby agree as follows:</font></font></p>



<p align="left" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0pt;margin:12.0pt 0in .0001pt 1.25in;text-align:left;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size:10.0pt;">1.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; <i><font style="font-style:italic;">Definitions.</font></i>&#160; Capitalized terms used herein are used with

the meanings set forth for those terms in the Employment Agreement.</font></font></p>



<p align="left" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0pt;margin:12.0pt 0in .0001pt 1.25in;text-align:left;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size:10.0pt;">2.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; <i><font style="font-style:italic;">Termination for No Cause.</font></i>&#160; Section 7.5 of the Employment Agreement is

hereby amended to read in full as follows:</font></font></p>



<p align="left" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0pt;margin:12.0pt 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-autospace:none;text-indent:1.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size:10.0pt;">In addition to the right to terminate this Agreement

pursuant to Sections 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3 of this Agreement, the Company shall have

the right to terminate this Agreement and Executive&#146;s employment hereunder for

any other reason or for no reason.&#160; In

the event that the Company terminates this Agreement and Executive&#146;s employment

hereunder pursuant to this Section 7.5, the Company shall give ten (10) days

prior written notice to Executive and pay a lump sum termination fee to

Executive in an amount equal to the greater of (i) One-Hundred and Forty-Five

Thousand Dollars ($145,000.00) or (ii) twelve (12) months of the Executive&#146;s

base salary rate immediately prior to such termination which would otherwise be

due Executive pursuant to this Agreement but for such termination and shall

also be provided medical, hospitalization, dental, vision, pharmacy and term

group life insurances, at no cost to Executive for a term of twelve (12) months

after any termination.&#160; In addition,

Executive shall be entitled to benefits noted in this Section 7.5 in the event

of a Change in Control of the Company if within thirty (30) days after the Change

in Control the Executive tenders his resignation in conformity with Article 7.3

of the Agreement.&#160; A Change in Control

of the Company shall mean a change in control of a nature that would be

required to be reported in response to Item 403(c) of Regulation S-K; provided

that, without limitation, such a change in control shall not be deemed to have

occurred if Peter Morton is the beneficial owner as defined in Rule 13d-3 under

the Exchange Act, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing

51% or more of the combined voting power of the Company&#146;s then outstanding

securities.</font></font></p>



<p align="left" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0pt;margin:12.0pt 0in .0001pt 1.25in;text-align:left;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size:10.0pt;">3.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; <i><font style="font-style:italic;">Confirmation.</font></i>&#160; In all other respects, the terms of the Employment Agreement are

hereby confirmed.</font></font></p>



<p align="left" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0pt;margin:12.0pt 0in .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-align:left;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size:10.0pt;">IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the

parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be duly executed as of the date

hereinabove set forth.</font></font></p>



<p align="left" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0pt;margin:12.0pt 0in .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-align:left;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></font></p>



<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">

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  <p style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size:10.0pt;">COMPANY:</font></font></p>

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  <p style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-autospace:none;">&nbsp;</p>

  </td>

  <td width="45%" valign="top" style="padding:0in .7pt .7pt .7pt;width:45.56%;">

  <p style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size:10.0pt;">EXECUTIVE:</font></font></p>

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  <p style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-autospace:none;">&nbsp;</p>

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  <p style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size:10.0pt;">Hard Rock Hotel, Inc., a Nevada corporation</font></font></p>

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  <p style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size:10.0pt;">By</font></font></p>

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  <p style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Peter A. Morton</font></font></p>

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  <p style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-autospace:none;">&nbsp;</p>

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  <td width="45%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in .7pt .7pt .7pt;width:45.56%;">

  <p style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ James D. Bowen</font></font></p>

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  <p style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-autospace:none;">&nbsp;</p>

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  <p style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size:10.0pt;">Peter A. Morton, President</font></font></p>

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  <p style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-autospace:none;">&nbsp;</p>

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  <td width="45%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in .7pt .7pt .7pt;width:45.56%;">

  <p style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;page-break-after:avoid;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><font style="font-size:10.0pt;">James D. Bowen</font></font></p>

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