Published on: October 25, 2025, 10:18 AM.
Updated on: October 25, 2025, 10:18 AM.
- Adelson family and Hard Rock contribute to the new White House ballroom
- Expected cost for the ballroom touches $300 million, as noted by Trump
- Trump refutes claims of intending to name the ballroom after himself
The Adelson Family Foundation, alongside Hard Rock International, is among the prominent contributors to President Donald Trump’s new White House ballroom.
The construction of the massive 90,000-square-foot ballroom commenced this week, starting with the teardown of the former East Wing. This represents the most significant alteration to the White House since President Franklin D. Roosevelt expanded the East Wing in 1942, which has typically housed the Office of the First Lady.
Trump asserts that the funding for the ballroom comes entirely from private sources, with no taxpayer contributions involved. Despite significant pushback regarding the project—initially projected to cost $200 million—Trump acknowledged on Friday that the final expenses are more likely to reach “about $300 million.” The White House has released a list of donors supporting the ballroom.
Among the donors, two notable names from the gaming sector are the Adelson Family Foundation and Hard Rock, both part of a total of 37 Contributors to the White House ballroom fund.
Support from the Adelson Family
The Adelson Family Foundation was founded by Sheldon Adelson and Dr. Miriam Adelson in 2007. Sheldon Adelson was the founder and long-time chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands until his passing in January 2021.
The Adelsons have been Trump’s principal financial backers since his 2016 presidential campaign. Dr. Adelson, who retains a 54% stake in Sands, has continued her late husband’s legacy of supporting Trump.
Trump has reciprocated the Adelsons’ generosity.
During his first term, Trump moved the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, fulfilling a long-held aspiration of the Adelsons. In November 2018, he awarded Dr. Adelson the Presidential Medal of Freedom, recognizing her commitment to the American Jewish community and her financial support of medical research and substance abuse programs.
The Adelson Family Foundation has traditionally funded initiatives aimed at bolstering Israel and the Jewish community through medical research, Holocaust education, and more. While the ballroom project is somewhat outside their usual focus, the foundation has previously allocated funds for political causes, including supporting Republican candidates.
The Adelson Foundation typically donates around $200 million annually to Jewish and Israeli causes, fully supported by the Adelson family’s resources.
Backing from Hard Rock
Hard Rock International, owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, is a massive gaming and hospitality organization.
They operate or manage 18 casinos across North America, encompassing locations in Florida, New Jersey, Mississippi, Virginia, Ohio, South Dakota, Indiana, Ontario, the Dominican Republic, Illinois, California, Iowa, and Oklahoma. Additionally, they are in the process of building Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas on the Strip.
In addition to Adelson and Hard Rock, significant contributors to the White House ballroom include Amazon, Apple, Comcast, Google, HP, Meta, Microsoft, and T-Mobile. Billionaire Stephen Schwarzman, whose Blackstone Group owns the Bellagio and the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, is also among the supporters of the ballroom initiative.
Trump, a former casino operator himself, has hinted that he is also helping to finance the venue. He continues to refute speculations about naming the ballroom after himself.
“That’s fake news. We will probably refer to it as the presidential ballroom or something similar,” Trump stated last Friday before embarking on a trip to Asia for events.