Lynyrd Skynyrd-Themed Restaurant to Open in Las Vegas

In the never-ending search for licensing opportunities to exploit, iconic southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd will serve as the theme of a new restaurant set to open in Las Vegas at the Excalibur Hotel & Casino. Lynyrd Skynyrd BBQ & Beer is due to open in fall 2011, according to the band's official site.  

Shooting for a fully immersive experience that will appeal to hardcore and casual fans alike, in addition to memorabilia on display, cover bands will knock out all of the FM radio staples the band is famous for while wait staff and bartenders will lead singalongs of those same hits. Lucky diners might even catch an occasional performance from the real Lynyrd Skynyrd on the centerpiece stage.

The eatery's philosophy, according to a statement released Monday, "will quite simply be to rock the house. As guests walk in they will immediately be transported to a setting reminiscent of Hell House, the ram-shackled structure in the backwoods of Jacksonville where the Skynyrd sound originated."

Says Craig Gilbert, one of two partners in Vegas-based Drive This! Entertainment, which came up with the concept: "Lynyrd Skynyrd BBQ & Beer will embrace the band’s unique spirit and the lifestyle it so proudly defined.”

A full menu has yet to revealed but count on a generous helping of daily requests for "Freebird."