Robert A. Berman
Robert A. Berman | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 8, 1959 |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Known for | Leadership roles in Empire Resorts and Monticello Raceway; casino development; Native American gaming projects |
| Notable work | Founder of Catskill Development, LLC; Chairman and CEO of Empire Resorts; General Partner at Avon Road Partners, LP |
Robert A. Berman
Robert A. Berman (born December 8, 1959) is a prominent American entrepreneur recognized for his significant impact on the casino industry within the United States. Throughout his career, he has held leadership roles and ownership stakes in notable enterprises such as Empire Resorts and Monticello Raceway. His business ventures have frequently involved collaboration with major institutional investors, facilitating the acquisition and management of various hotel assets nationwide.
Berman's initiative to establish a casino approximately 90 miles from New York City sparked a high-profile dispute with Donald Trump, which ultimately resulted in Trump receiving the largest penalty ever issued by New York State's lobbying oversight commission. Additionally, Berman has played an active role in projects related to the advancement of Native American gaming operations in both New York and Idaho.
Currently, Berman serves as General Partner at Avon Road Partners, LP, where he is also mentoring his daughter, JB Berman, in continuing the family's entrepreneurial legacy.
Early life
Robert A. Berman's father, Pip Berman, was a building contractor recognized for his work in expanding the Concord Resort Hotel and the renowned Imperial Room nightclub, a venue that hosted legendary performers such as Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Buddy Hackett, Joan Rivers, and Jerry Seinfeld. At just 19 years old, Robert secured the first permit for a large-scale outdoor music festival in Sullivan County, New York, the same region that had been home to the iconic 1969 Woodstock Music Festival a decade earlier. Partnering with music promoter Sid Bernstein at the former Avon Lodge Hotel location in Woodridge, New York, Berman launched Music Mountain, a venue that featured acts including the Doobie Brothers, members of the Grateful Dead performing as the Jerry Garcia Band and Bobby and the Midnites, along with artists like Ozzy Osbourne, The Allman Brothers Band, and Santana.
Career
Between 1995 and 2000, Berman co-founded Hospitality Worldwide Services (HWS), serving as its chairman and CEO. This publicly traded company grew to become a leading service provider within the Hospitality Industry, employing thousands across global offices by 1998.
During this period, Berman established collaborations with institutional investors such as ING and Apollo Global Management, facilitating acquisitions exceeding $100 million in hotel assets. Notable properties included Philadelphia’s Warwick Hotel and the Radisson Hotel near Chicago's O’Hare International Airport. In 1996, he founded Catskill Development, LLC, acquiring the Monticello Racetrack. Concurrently, Berman pursued casino development initiatives in partnership with the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation Tribe of New York.
In 2002, Stanley Tollman, founder of The Travel Corporation, appointed Berman to oversee Alpha Hospitality, a publicly held company focused on managing casino operations for the Mohawk tribe. The following year, Catskill Development merged with Alpha Hospitality to form Empire Resorts.
From 2002 until 2005, Berman was chairman and CEO of Empire Resorts, a gaming company publicly traded on the NASDAQ under the ticker "NYNY."
Berman also acts as General Partner of Avon Road Partners, LP, a private firm holding interests in real estate and broadcasting assets such as WVOS (AM) & FM stations. Since 2019, he has collaborated closely with his partner and daughter JB Berman (Jena Berman). Avon Road Partners focuses on capital deployment across development projects, home construction, and commercial real estate ventures. Among current projects is Glenwild Land Co., which encompasses 560,000 square feet of approved warehouse space and plans for an additional 2 million square feet dedicated to e-commerce facilities alongside mixed residential development over 450 acres.
In March 2016, Berman teamed up with James (Jim) McCarthy to establish KeyStone Solutions, Inc., which he later guided through its public offering under the newly formed entity Rekor (NASDAQ: REKR).
Donald Trump controversy
In 1993, Berman initiated a project centered on an Internet lottery in partnership with the Coeur d'Alene people tribe located in Idaho. This initiative aimed to introduce Native American gaming to the Catskill region. By 2000, federal authorities granted approval for the establishment of the St. Regis Mohawk casino at Monticello Raceway, sparking competition among local casino operators, most notably Donald Trump. In response, Trump financed an advertising campaign opposing the casino's construction, specifically targeting the Mohawk tribe. These anti-Mohawk advertisements appeared across various newspapers, highlighting potential negative effects of a Native American casino on the area. Consequently, Trump was penalized with a record $250,000 fine for covertly funding lobbying efforts against Native American casinos.
Native American gaming
During 1994, Berman collaborated with the Coeur d'Alene people to establish the National Indian Lottery under the framework of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. This effort culminated in the development of the Coeur d’Alene Casino in Idaho, situated on land held in trust for the tribe. Additionally, Berman partnered with the Mohawk people to pursue a casino project in New York’s Catskill region. The National Indian Gaming Commission authorized this initiative in 1998 to create and operate a gaming facility on tribal land. However, in 1999, the Mohawk people entered into an agreement with Caesars Entertainment Corporation instead. This decision led to a multibillion-dollar lawsuit that was ultimately dismissed.
Personal life
Since 2011, Robert Berman has been married to Valerie J. Berman. He was previously wed to Debbie N. Berman, with whom he shares two children: Alan Michael Berman and Jena Beth Berman. The family currently makes their home in Washington D.C.