200 live shows a year would provide many full-time jobs at Hard Rock’s concert hall for Atlantic City residents.
Hard Rock Atlantic City Casino plans to make live music a huge part of its draw. Hard Rock International, which is opening its Atlantic City casino this summer, announced it plans to host 200 live music shows in its first year of operation.
Few musical acts have been named for those 200 live shows, but the Hard Rock Atlantic City should have a world class venue for them to perform.
The former Trump Taj Mahal had an 1,800 seat concert hall, but the newly-christened Hard Rock Casino will have a 7,000-venue.
It’s a part of a $500 million expansion and renovation for the former Trump Taj Mahal, which was sold last year by Carl Icahn to Hard Rock International. Hard Rock is owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, which has wanted a gaming operation in Atlantic City for years.
200 Live Musics Shows Per Year
Hard Rock International CEO Jim Allen, who previously worked in Atlantic City for the Atlantic City Hilton and the Trump Organization, announced at an Atlantic City church that Hard Rock would have more live shows than the city’s ever seen.
Allen told his audience, “When’s the first time someone has done 200 shows in Atlantic City? When’s the last time you saw entertainment on a night other than Saturday in Atlantic City? We’re going to make that commitment.”
Hard Rock Meets Local Residents
Jim Allen’s comments came at a meeting for the new Hard Rock Atlantic City‘s executives which was hosted by Bishop James Washington of the New Shiloh Baptist Church. The meeting was designed to allow Hard Rock International to build bonds with local residents — in this case, the local African-American community. The Daily Journal reported that local black residents traditionally have thought that not enough African-Americans were hired by AC casinos, according to Bishop Washington.
Bishop Washington said, “There was a time when the casino industry, our primary industry, was isolated from the community. Each one was concerned about their individual business interest. The interest of the community may have been secondary. What Hard Rock is doing is fantastic. They’re looking to invest in our community and opening their property and giving employment to people.”
Frank Gilliam Praised Hard Rock
Hard Rock was present to hear from the community and respond. Atlantic City Mayor Frank Gilliam Jr. praised Hard Rock for its initiative, saying, “Hard Rock has been the only institution that has come into the community and tried to break the chain of poverty.”
Shakera McAllister, an Atlantic City resident who attended the meeting, added to the mayor’s sentiment. McAllister said, “We’ve had people come into our city promising things, and then don’t bring anything to fruition. But it’s not going to be like that this time.”
Casino Worker Demographics
Bob McDevitt, president of Local 54 of Unite Here, was more forgiving of the city’s longtime casino operators, saying about 65% of the city’s unionized casino workers were nonwhite. McDevitt added that the 65% is roughly equivalent to the percentage of nonwhite casino workers altogether.
As the Local 54’s strike against Carl Icahn’s Trump Taj Mahal showed, though, many of the union workers in Atlantic City casino-resorts include the food and cleaning staff. African-Americans might be underrepresented in that workforce, which is why it is important for Hard Rock International to address the issue before hiring begins.
It helps that Hard Rock International is itself owned by a minority group with its own history of discrimination. In 2006, Jim Allen helped the Seminole Tribe of Florida to purchase Hard Rock International. That purchase made the Seminoles a nationwide casino operator — and one of the largest minority-owned casino companies in America.
Live Music Show Workforce
Hosting 200 live music shows every year would generate new jobs for Atlantic City residents. Last year, the 15,000-seat Boardwalk Hall hosted 11 big name music acts, along with a variety of stage shows and non-music events. Singular shows might be impressive, but it hardly supports a full-time worker.
Having a casino which organized shows 200 nights-a-year would create its own workforce. Atlantic City casinos have wildly different approaches to their concert venues and nightclub acts. Hard Rock Atlantic City’s 200-show schedule would be the most ambitious the city’s ever seen.
Benefits of Mid-Week Concerts
Rummy Pandit, a gaming analyst and executive director of Stockton University’s Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality & Tourism, said, “Bringing entertainment into the city mid-week at off-peak times will be a particularly persuasive reason for visitors to consider extending their stay. Turning a two-night weekend stay into a long weekend or mid-week getaway can make a huge difference for Atlantic City’s lodging, food and beverage, retail, gaming and tourism businesses.”
