Mark Birtha is president of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain, which the Enterprise Rancheria Tribe owns. Birtha oversaw the development, construction, and opening of the $450M property. It recently completed its $75M Phase II expansion, including a 2,500-seat Hard Rock Live entertainment venue and the Rocktane Gas + Smoke station. Before Sacramento, he was the president of the Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park, Ohio’s #1 performing gaming property. He led the property up to its acquisition by MGM Growth Properties for $1 Billion in 2018. Before joining Hard Rock International, Birtha spent 20 years in Las Vegas as a Vice President and General Manager with Station Casinos, in corporate development working on the Sands Macau with LVS, and as part of the opening Bellagio team. He was introduced to Tribal gaming in 2010 as President of Casino Del Sol, overseeing the design, construction, and operations of their $130M hotel resort expansion.
Birtha’s 28-year career has spanned operations and development as well as commercial and Tribal gaming at the leading casino and hotel companies, including Mirage Resorts, Las Vegas Sands, Hard Rock, Marriott International, and Starwood. Birtha graduated from The Hotel School at Cornell University as a Merrill Presidential Scholar and in 2011, was appointed President of the national executive board of The Cornell Hotel Society, the 90-year-old alumni association. He has been a featured speaker at various Universities and conferences and has participated on the advisory boards of Cornell University, G2E, and Global Gaming Business Magazine.
In 2006, Birtha was recognized as one of the “Top 40 under 40” business executives in Las Vegas and, more recently, as one of the “Faces of Cleveland 2016” and the “Sacramento 100” most notable business leaders in 2021. Birtha loves being in hospitality and is most honored to mentor upcoming executives and give back to his community in multiple philanthropic roles. When not at work, he enjoys spending time in Napa Valley “doing research,” as well as traveling, golfing, and cooking with his wife and two sons.
Congratulations to Mark Birtha for joining our list.
DENNIS P. RIZZO
President/CEO
