Jim Allen

Responsible for all gaming, hospitality and entertainment operations at the Seminole Tribe of Florida since 2001, James F. Allen has guided the development of Seminole Gaming into one of the world’s most successful casino and integrated resort operators, with seven casino locations throughout Florida. He is a leader in the gaming industry and makes frequent appearances on CNN, CNBC, Bloomberg, Fox Business and other national and international financial news networks.

Allen most recently directed the massive expansion of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, where the world’s first Guitar Hotel tower opened in October, 2019, as part of a $2.2 billion capital investment program that also included a major expansion of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa. It is one of the world’s largest and most profitable casinos.

Allen led the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s 2007 acquisition of Hard Rock International, the first acquisition of a major international company by a North American Indian Tribe. As Chairman of Hard Rock International, Allen oversees all operations of one of the most globally-recognized brands, known for rock music and its signature cafes, hotels, casinos, memorabilia and live concerts. Under Allen’s leadership, Hard Rock has expanded its global presence from 46 to 69 countries since its 2007 acquisition, with 240 locations including hotels, casinos, Rock Shops, Live Performance Venues and Cafes, plus Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

Seminole Hard Rock and Hard Rock International have racked up multiple recent awards, including being named by Forbes as America’s Best Large Company for 2021 in the Travel, Leisure, Gaming and Hospitality Industry, a 2021 U.S. Best Managed Company by Deloitte Private and the Wall Street Journal and Land Based Operator of the Year at the Global Gaming Awards in late

2020. Others include a First Place J.D. Power Award for Guest Satisfaction among Upper Upscale Hotel Chains, as well additional employment related awards from Forbes, which ranked Hard Rock among America’s Best Employers for Women and America’s Best Employers for Diversity. In addition, Seminole Hard Rock was recently named the top “Employer of Choice” in the gaming industry in a survey of 1,064 unique gaming industry executives.

Allen is a gaming industry veteran with 40 years of experience and he has held executive positions with the Trump Organization, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Hemmeter Companies, Park Place Entertainment and Sun International Resorts. A former member of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission Task Force on Gaming Regulation, Allen has lectured on countless casino industry topics at many professional conferences, governmental programs and college campuses, including the New Jersey Governor’s Business Development Conference and both Harvard and Cornell Universities.