Q’s With: Jim Allen On How Hard Rock Has Evolved With The Changing Times Of The Entertainment Industry

As a gaming and hospitality industry veteran with more than four decades of experience, Jim Allen has certainly earned his spot in the American Gaming Association’s Hall of Fame. The Gaming Hall of Fame, which inducted Allen earlier this month, honors leaders who have had a distinct impact on the industry’s success.

Allen, who is chief executive officer of Seminole Gaming and chairman of Hard Rock International, has been responsible for all gaming, hospitality and entertainment operations for the Seminole Tribe of Florida since 2001 and led the Seminole tribe’s 2007 acquisition of Hard Rock International, marking the first acquisition of a major international company by a North American Indian tribe. Since the acquisition was finalized, Hard Rock has expanded from 46 to over 74 countries, with over 313 locations including Hard Rock cafes, hotels, casinos, Rock Shops and Hard Rock Live music venues.

Hard Rock venues have hosted some of the biggest tours of the past year including Kenny Chesney’s “Sun Goes Down” trek at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, on May 16 and Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” performances at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, Oct. 18-20.

Pollstar: What milestones from your career have meant the most to you?
Jim Allen: Being responsible for the tribe’s gaming operations and buying Hard Rock has certainly led to a lot of enhancement into the tribe’s culture and lifestyle, whether it be education, whether it be buildings, housing, safety. Those things are probably the things that matter the most, helping other people and seeing their lifestyles be enhanced.
Over the years have you seen entertainment become a bigger part of the gaming world?
I think in the Hard Rock world, the answer is unequivocally yes. It’s very important. As far as the gaming industry, no. I think that many, many casinos that used to be big players in live entertainment no longer do it or have a significantly diminished schedule than what they used to, say in the ’80s, ’90s and early 2000s.

How has Hard Rock’s relationship with entertainment evolved?
Well, I would like to think that Hard Rock is truly the leader as far as entertainment in the gaming industry. On an annual basis between our casinos, hotels and restaurants we do around 40,000 live music events. So there’s no other company in the space that comes anywhere near that. And I’ve been saying for decades that there is only one universal language – whether you’re in the Middle East or North America or Europe or Asia, you pick the geographic location, that universal language is the language of music. …

There’s only one brand for 54 years that is synonymous with that, and that’s Hard Rock. Whether it’s Taylor Swift playing at Hard Rock Stadium or it’s The Rolling Stones or Bruce Springsteen or it’s Kenny Chesney or John Legend. Or whether it’s all the amazing DJs that we have relationships with, Steve Aoki … the list just goes on, whether it be Latin artists or Asian artists …

We don’t look at this just from an entertainment standpoint as music, whether it’s [comedians like] Kevin Hart or Jerry Seinfeld [or] the launching of the John Wick movie this year that was at Hard Rock simultaneously in Los Angeles and the unbelievable Hard Rock Hotel in New York City. We’re a brand of entertainment and music is part of our DNA.

What challenges do you foresee for the gaming and entertainment industry in the next decade?
I think with every challenge there’s an opportunity. There’s no doubt that from a political standpoint … politicians are much more receptive today to discuss the scope of gaming being an entertainment revenue producer, not just someone playing blackjack or slot machines. Based upon that, the legalization and the expansion of gaming I think the next chapter is a windfall for the industry – those who are participating, but also a challenge and that’s the chapter of technology, specifically utilizing the smartphone on iGaming and sports betting. Some of the valuations of companies are pretty astonishing and we think that that is certainly something that’s very exciting in the future, but no doubt, it will also have a diminishing effect or the trip frequency at say a local or a regional casino.

With fewer trips to a casino, it sounds like that could affect how many live shows are booked.
I think what the gaming industry needs to be cognizant of is that as more states legalize iGaming, the person that’s driving 15 minutes to just go play a slot machine for 20 minutes, not taking a huge trip to Las Vegas or Atlantic City, that’s where the impact would be. … The property that can afford to book John Legend or Bruno Mars, some of the artists that we work with, won’t be affected. But the artists that are in what I refer to as that second tier, someone that’s been around for many decades that’s not getting the million dollars-plus, that’s probably where there will be an impact.

You’re very passionate about philanthropy. Can you talk about how your values align with Hard Rock’s mottos?
I think one of the fundamental foundation blocks of Hard Rock is its mottos: Love All-Serve All, All Is One, Save The Planet and Take Time To Be Kind. And those mottos have been around for many decades. They were not there on day one 54 years ago. But certainly they’ve been around for 30-plus years. And I just think if one pauses and says, “Wow. Why can’t we all just live our lives that way?” there would be no dispute that Hard Rock got it right. And I’m certainly very proud to have taken the company to where it is today … You know, save the planet – Hard Rock thought about that 40 years ago. Love everyone, not just yourself, not just the Republican or Democrat. Respect everyone’s culture. Take time to be kind – it’s easy to be miserable. But I think those mottos and core values are so [important], especially in today’s environment.