One of the more extraordinary stories this year. It wasn't that long ago that the Seminole tribe of Florida was struggling in a cycle of chronic poverty and underemployment.

Now they have bought the Hard Rock business for $965 million from a British company, Rank Group PLC. They also get the world's biggest collection of rock memorabilia, some 70,000 pieces including Jimi Hendrix's Flying V guitar, one of Madonna's bustiers, a pair of Elton John's high-heeled shoes and guitars formerly owned by Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton and Chuck Berry.

The first Indian tribe to get into gaming, the Seminoles claim they were never conquered in the American-Indian wars. They will finance the deal through both equity from the tribe and through debt issued by a new operating company, which will control Hard Rock. The deal is expected to close next March, pending approval from Rank shareholders.

Tribe Vice Chairman Max Osceola said: ''You're here for a special day in Seminole history. Our ancestors sold Manhattan for trinkets. We're going to buy Manhattan back, one burger at a time."

The tribe is locked in a legal battle over a contract involving with Power Plant Entertainment, a company that arranged financing for the two Hard Rock facilities.