Jay-Z and Michael Rubin are bringing back Reform Alliance’s glittering fundraising gala — a $1 million blackjack tournament — to Atlantic City’s Ocean Casino Resort on Sept. 13, where The Weeknd will perform, Page Six has learned.
Guests at the fundraiser will put up $50,000 for a ticket — or $100,000 to actually play in the starry tournament. But the 300 VIP attendees will need to be approved by the Reform Alliance board, we hear.
In 2023, the event raised a whopping $24 million — $4 million beyond its goal of $20 million — and performers included Travis Scott, Fat Joe, Fabolous, Quavo, French Montana, Meek Mill and Lil Baby, among others.
We hear that this year, the event is expected to break its 2023 numbers as one of the biggest charity fundraising events of the year. (The Met Gala recently broke its all-time record by raising $31 million.)
The Reform Alliance board includes Jay-Z, Meek and Rubin, as well as Robert Kraft, Laura Arnold, Robert F. Smith, Clara Wu Tsai, Michael Novogratz, Michael Rapino and Emilia Fazzalari.
Guests at the Reform Alliance event in 2023 included Kim Kardashian, Tom Brady, Kevin Hart, Jack Harlow, Matthew McConaughey, Kyle Kuzma, Tiffany Haddish, Ne-yo, Gayle King, La La Anthony, Kevin O’Leary and more.
Brady and Kardashian each dropped $2 million at the night’s charity auction in 2023 on paintings by acclaimed artist George Condo, who subsequently also created custom invitations for Rubin’s Fourth of July white party in the Hamptons in 2024.
Sources tell Page Six that Rubin has decided to alternate his Hamptons white party to every other year since he’s putting on the Reform Alliance bash in September as well as his company’s Fanatics Fest next month, June 20-22, at the Javits Center.
Says a source of the move: “Over a year ago, Michael decided he was going to alternate these two events [the Reform Alliance gala and the white party] because he was moving Fanatics Fest to summer.”
The source pointed out that Rubin also annually hosts Fanatics’ starry Super Bowl party (plus a VIP luncheon). “He couldn’t do four major events a year,” said the insider.
Instead he’ll host his white party in 2026 on July 4, which is also the 250th anniversary of the United States.
The Reform Alliance gala has been said to be inspired as a combo of Rubin’s white party and Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s annual Oscars gold party.
Reform Alliance aims to change probation and parole laws. Since 2019, its bipartisan approach has enabled the passing of 20 bills in 12 states, creating pathways for nearly 800,000 people to exit the system, the org says.
The Weeknd recently also performed at Robin Hood’s annual charity gala at the Javits Center.
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