Hard Rock Atlantic City Fined by New Jersey Regulators

New Jersey gaming regulators have fined Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City $5,000 for failing to follow state rules in its appointment of a new marketing director.

New Jersey gaming regulators have fined Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City $5,000 for failing to follow state rules in its appointment of a new marketing director.

The state Division of Gaming Enforcement issued the fine after Hard Rock did not properly petition for qualification or notify regulators of the appointment of Mann Lien as the property’s vice president of Asian marketing, as required by the Casino Control Act.

The division noted that Lien, who already possesses a casino key employee license, began his employment on July 9. The division was not notified of Lien’s employment until Oct. 22, according to the letter, and only found out after inquiring with the casino hotel.

In another Atlantic City matter, Moody’s Investment Services has upped Atlantic City’s “Long-Term Issuer Rating” from Caa3 to B2 status since March, meaning that it has increased from a very high credit risk to “being speculative and a high credit risk.”

“The outlook remains positive,” the report stated. “The B2 Long-Term Issuer Rating reflects the city’s continued, albeit reduced, financial and economic distress.”

The city faced bankruptcy in 2017, but has been under state fiscal control since a series of measures were passed by the state to help the city out of its financial difficulties. That has included settling several large tax judgements against the city brought by casinos.