Overall, more than 4,000 work at Tampa’s resort, said Hard Rock spokesperson Gary Bitner, though he declined to give an exact number, saying it fluctuates due to the amount of vendors, lessees and part-time workers. The 1,500-plus Tampa workers getting raises are more than at any other Hard Rock property. These raises apply to Hard Rock employees in the United States. There are about 57,000 Hard Rock employees worldwide, around 37,000 of whom work directly for Hard Rock International the rest work for franchise operations, such as the Hard Rock Cafe at Tampa International Airport. “Business has done well, it’s grown very nicely for the tribe, and we just felt it was the right thing to do.”
“The most important asset we have is our employees, and in today’s environment, we just felt it was truly the right thing to do to help enhance their standard of living,” Allen said. Jim Allen, the CEO of Seminole Gaming and chairperson of Hard Rock International, called the raises a “one-time gesture” that could double some employees’ yearly cost-of-living increases, amounting in some cases to an annual raise of more than $16,000.
