Hard Rock Gives Bonuses, CEO Talks about Competition Heating Up

The Hard Rock Casino brand continues to reap dividends with its workers as its Atlantic City chief executive, Joe Lupo, told more than 2,400 employees on Thursday that they would be receiving a $600 bonus.

Celebrating Workers, Celebrating the Brand

The bonus announcement came during the “Team Member Town Hall Meeting,” hosted to bring the team together and celebrate the past year of overcoming challenges that saw Hard Rock stick by its employees, introduce safe working conditions and meet health mandates introduced by the state of New Jersey.

The meet-and-greet had a raffle element, and eight more employees won cash prizes, while two others got paid-for all-inclusive stays at a Hard Rock Resort destination, and two lucky members won a new car each. Lupo delivered more good news for the guests and said that the hotel had exceeded 1 million even though the COVID-19 pandemic had been impinging on results.

His colleague, Jim Allen, served as Hard Rock Casino’s chief executive officer and touted the results over the past year. Hard Rock AC continues to be a lodestar for tourists and gamblers in New Jersey as well, where the casino has been able to achieve revenue of $431.1 million in 2021. The only casino to overtake it is the Borgata, with $606 million.

Rebuilding after Taj Mahal, Facing New Challenges

The casino has been able to shake off the legacy of the Trump Taj Mahal, a defunct project that was ill-managed by its namesake owner. Allen has been one of the main instigators behind various job fairs and team gatherings for the Hard Rock crowd, citing his humble beginnings as a dishwasher at the Bally’s Park Place back in 1979.

However, it was not all fun and games, and Allen did acknowledge that Hard Rock AC would need to step up its game in the face of new competitors arriving in the city. He also criticized New Jersey for not addressing problems with street lightning quickly and issued a reprimand:

“When you’re in a resort environment where safety and security are so important if the city can’t get something fixed as simple as the street lighting, then maybe a change is needed.”

However, the flickering light of a malfunctioning streetlamp is little to worry about. Instead, Allen referred to the possibility of new casinos in New York. Hard Rock is also picking from three potential sites to set up its casino operation, so the brand will continue to be well-represented in the region for all intents and purposes.