More than 2,100 casino workers at Atlantic City’s Hard Rock Hotel got some good pandemic news on Tuesday.
Grateful for its workers’ efforts despite new challenges from COVID-19, the company announced that its front-line team members will receive individual cash bonuses ranging from $250 to $1,000.
Jim Allen, Hard Rock International’s chairman and CEO, said Tuesday that the company is giving out bonuses to thank workers for providing good customer service. But they also are an acknowledgment of the extra challenge posed by the pandemic.
“The dedication of our team members has been crucial to driving the success of our casino resorts, and we are proud that Hard Rock Atlantic City has been able to prevail during these challenging times,” Allen said.
“It is important not to forget the job they are doing during these difficult times,” Allen said. “These are clearly challenging times, and this is a way of showing our appreciation.”
In Atlantic City, the bonuses exceed $1 million, divided among 2,184 workers: A total of 1,822 hourly workers will get $250 apiece; 197 supervisors and salaried workers will get $500 apiece, and 165 managers will get $1,000 each.
Hard Rock gave out bonuses last January totaling $2 million to nearly 2,900 workers in Atlantic City, before the coronavirus pandemic surged.
Last year, Atlantic City’s casinos were closed for 3 1/2 months, and continue to operate at only 25% of capacity under state-imposed restrictions.
During the months it was able to operate, Hard Rock did well. Its combined table games and slot machine revenue in the fourth quarter of 2020 was up 12.5% to $83.3 million. The other eight Atlantic City casinos were collectively down nearly 30% in that category.
The company said that its ‘Safe + Sound’ protocols played a significant role in Hard Rock Atlantic City safely reopening and quickly earning consumer trust, resulting in company leading service scores and the largest increase in year-over-year market share. The company also invested millions of dollars in industry-leading enhanced safety protocols, ensuring the property and team members were properly equipped to accommodate guests and business needs since reopening, the company said in a press statement.