James F. Allen

James F. Allen (born 1960) is an American businessman. Currently chairman of Hard Rock International, chief executive officer of Seminole Gaming, previously, he was vice president of operations of The Trump Organization Allen began working in restaurants at the age of 13.

Allen took career-development courses, including gaming classes at University of Nevada, Reno and creative writing and hotel management classes at Atlantic Cape Community College in Mays Landing, New Jersey. His career began as a cook at Bally's Park Place in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he has been credited with helping successfully implement data tracking software to balance profit and food costs.

Allen worked at The Trump Organization, which had taken over the Atlantic City Hilton, until 1993. He was promoted to senior vice president of property operations in Kerzner's company, Sun International, which included Mohegan Sun, Atlantis Paradise Island, and the Ocean Club and the former Desert Inn, Las Vegas.

2001-2020: Joining Seminole Gaming and Hard Rock Allen is chairman of Hard Rock International (or Seminole Hard Rock Entertainment) and CEO of Seminole Gaming. Allen, who is not of Seminole origin, has led the Seminole Tribe of Florida's gaming operations since 2001. He was initially hired to operate five casinos on the Brighton, Coconut Creek, Hollywood, Immokalee, and Tampa reservations, and to develop the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood and Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tampa. Allen is credited with driving the 2003 development of bingo-based "Class II" gaming machines that are similar to slot machines. The award was established in 2004 to recognize individuals who have made "outstanding contributions in the area of casino marketing, promotions and customer service".

In 2019, Allen was named a Business Hall of Fame Laureate by Junior Achievement of South Florida. He was honored as a 2020 inductee into the H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship's Entrepreneur and Business Hall of Fame at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Florida. By 2020, Allen had been credited with the Guitar Hotel expansion of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, as well as the guestroom tower expansion of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa. He also remained chair of Hard Rock International. After joining the board of the American Gaming Association (AGA) in 2015, Allen was AGA chair from January 2022 until January 2024. Also in 2022, he led Hard Rock International's purchase of The Mirage on the Las Vegas Strip for $1.1 billion. The hotel remained open until 2024, when it was closed for redevelopment. Allen stated it would reopen as the Hard Rock Hotel and Guitar Hotel casino resort, likely in 2027. and in 2024, the American Gaming Association inducted him into their Gaming Hall of Fame. Also in 2024, he was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the East Coast Gaming Congress (ECGC).

Remaining CEO and president of Seminole HR Holdings, By that point, he had overseen Seminole Gaming's growth to include 300 locations in 80 countries, with 60,000 employees. He had also overseen Hard Rock's expansion into sports, including a naming rights agreement for Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, and partnerships with the Miami Formula 1 Grand Prix and Oracle Red Bull Racing. With the World Cup soccer games of 2026 to be held at Hard Rock Stadium, Allen is on the event's Miami Host Committee board of directors. He has been a speaker at events such as the New Jersey Governor’s Business Development Conference, and on networks such as CNN, CNBC, Bloomberg, and Fox Business.

In 2005, to commemorate Seminole Gaming's twenty-fifth anniversary, Allen directed a beautification of the tribe's Council Oak, the site of many Seminole Tribe ceremonial events.

Chairman from 2022 to 2024, he is on the American Gaming Association's board of directors and the advisory board of the Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade. He is also a board member of the Rock and Roll Forever Foundation.