Casino Interests Funded Trump White House Ballroom Project
Two major entities from the gaming industry contributed to a donor list for the construction of a ballroom at the former site of the White House East Wing. The Trump Administration published the list of 37 donors but did not release the amount of money donated. The project involved rebuilding the space where the East Wing previously stood.
Hard Rock International Named on List
Hard Rock International was the single casino operator named on the public donor list. The company is owned by the Seminole Tribe. Hard Rock’s involvement is notable due to existing ties to the former president.
Hard Rock CEO Jim Allen previously held an operations vice president role at the Trump Organization. In 2017, Hard Rock bought the former Trump Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City.
The company transformed the site into the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Atlantic City. Hard Rock is currently pursuing several new developments. These include a major resort project on the Las Vegas Strip and a potential integrated resort in Queens, New York.
Adelson Family Foundation Also Contributes
The second gaming-related entity was the Adelson Family Foundation. The foundation was started by the late Sheldon Adelson, who founded Las Vegas Sands. The Adelson family is well-known for its support of Republican political causes, including those related to Donald Trump’s campaigns.
Miriam Adelson, a major Republican donor, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Trump in 2018. The inclusion of the Adelson family highlights high-level political engagement from top casino industry figures. The list of donors also included other large corporations. These non-gaming entities included Meta, Apple, Amazon, and Lockheed Martin.
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