Hard Rock Atlantic City Distributes $10M in Bonuses to Casino Workers

Posted on: February 22, 2023, 09:12h. 

Last updated on: February 22, 2023, 09:38h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City continued its February tradition of distributing bonuses to the property’s employees.

Hard Rock Atlantic City casino worker bonus
Hard Rock Atlantic City casino workers attend the company’s annual town hall where they learned about their annual bonuses. Hard Rock, for a second straight year, handed out more than $10 million in awards. (Image: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City)

Owned by Hard Rock International, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the Boardwalk casino has made it a habit of issuing substantial bonuses to team members following a prosperous year.

Hard Rock’s first bonus distribution in Atlantic City came in February 2020 when the casino gave out $2 million in bonuses. That equated to about $250 per staffer.

Following a difficult 2020 because of the pandemic, the Atlantic City resort slashed its bonus budget to $1 million. Those funds were handed out in February 2021.

Last February, Hard Rock celebrated the casino’s resiliency in the immediate aftermath of the coronavirus by thanking its team members with $10 million in bonuses. Hard Rock doubled down on the $10 million bonus amount this week by announcing a similar distribution.

The commitment of Hard Rock Atlantic City team members to guest satisfaction is unrivaled in this market, and it’s the biggest reason for our success story here in Atlantic City,” said Jim Allen, chair of Hard Rock International. “We want to recognize and thank our team members for their dedication and enthusiasm, and we want to encourage them to keep up the great work.”

The annual bonuses were announced during the casino’s town hall event held Tuesday at the resort.

Bonus Payouts Steady

According to employment figures provided by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE), Hard Rock Atlantic City employed 3,442 full- and part-time employees at the end of 2021. The casino reported a workforce of 3,448 employees at the end of December 2022.

With Hard Rock counting nearly the same number of employees at the end of last year compared with 2021, workers should receive a similar bonus distribution of $2,900.

Hard Rock prefers to hire full-time workers over part-time employees. About 85% of the casino’s workforce is full-time staffers.

Along with the $10 million bonus pool, Hard Rock drew a few lucky winners during the celebration who split $100K in cash and prizes.

Market Leader

The Seminole Tribe acquired the bankrupt and shuttered Trump Taj Mahal from billionaire Carl Icahn in 2017 for just $50 million. The company spent more than half a billion dollars transforming the India-themed casino with its turrets and minarets into a rock ‘n roll gaming and entertainment destination.

Hard Rock opened in late June 2018. Though it’s one of Atlantic City’s newest casinos, along with Ocean, which also opened in late June 2018, Hard Rock has emerged as a dominant player in the New Jersey gaming industry.

The nine casinos in town won $2.78 billion last year on their physical gaming floors. Hard Rock accounted for $492.3 million — or about 18% of the market. Only MGM Resorts’ Borgata generated more brick-and-mortar gaming revenue at $724.4 million.

Hard Rock’s iGaming operations added $69.3 million and sportsbook another $15 million for a total 2022 gaming win of approximately $576.6 million.