All systems are go for the grand opening of Revel Casino in Atlantic City after the property was granted an operating license by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission on Monday. The $2.4 billion resort will have a four-day soft opening before allowing the general public to enter at sunrise on April 2.
The project, which was at one point in danger of shutting down, took six years to build and required an additional $1.1 billion investment in 2011 to finish. City officials are counting on the boardwalk property to inject some life into Atlantic City, which has collectively seen revenue fall as much as 8 percent in the last year.
A PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC study in 2011 predicted that although U.S. gaming revenue is expected to grow by 5 percent over the next four years, Atlantic City’s take would continue to fall because of competition in neighboring states, most notably Pennsylvania.
The beach-themed and completely smoke-free Revel is expected to alleviate those grim numbers by attracting a different kind of tourist to Atlantic City. The gambling capital of New Jersey has historically brought in day-trippers, or gamblers who come in for one day and leave without spending on hotel rooms, restaurants and shopping. Revel has made it a point to market itself as a resort first and a casino second, with upscale restaurants, retail shops, a spa and a 47-story hotel tower, the tallest building in the city.
Revel will also be unveiling a large poker room above Revelry, which is the resort’s gaming, nightlife and dining floor. The room’s 37 tables would make it the fourth largest in the city behind the Borgata (85 tables), the Taj Mahal (75 tables) and the Tropicana (43 tables).
