IMHO, this is a too-big-to-fail enterprise now that it exists. It'll stay around because in the worst case it will be sold to an investor for pennies on the dollar (as remarked earlier in the thread).

I really hope this is the case. Heading down in a few weeks. Shocked to be able to get a Sat night room. Will be there in time for lunch, and if we can't check-in, we'll be back home for dinner.


Frankie (or other Sat night players) - About what time(s) do the Sat night game(s) break up? I know although it's open 24 hrs, there aren't always games running. Will probably play in the afternoon, then return for a session after dinner. In Vegas, that meant starting anytime from 11pm - 2pm and going til 6am. Chances of doing that at Revel?

This weekend I was running a bit late and got to the tables around 10PM Saturday evening. I played until about 5:40AM Sunday morning and there were still ~2 tables running.

Thanks. Sounds like I'll be fine with late night play.

Would have never thought that. I think their plan of being a classy resort first and casino second was a unique way of doing things in AC, and was pulling for 'em. Watched it going up for years. Watched it hang in limbo for a year or so. AC needs this place to make it!

i just did a google news search of revel. they are in big big trouble. here is a smoking gun: '...Revel CEO Kevin DeSanctis has spoken of a three-pronged approach that includes more hotel room revenue than rivals...' http://blog.northjersey.com/meadowla...n-revel-ville/ (apparently, even if they have to cancel comped rooms) other recent articles explain the critical nature of the crisis, see: http://www.philly.com/philly/busines...mpid=138890509 and http://articles.philly.com/2012-08-1...caesars-casino (I find it funny that the 2+2 'analysts' have been much more precise and accurate in their predictions than the so-called wall street 'analysts' , more to the point see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7uvttu8ct0 ( I cried and stayed up all night playing poker, but my roommate (who lives an hour away and needed to water his plants) laughed and referred me to: Seinfeld "Reservations" )

It appears that rather than filing for bankruptcy, Revel will be financing an additional $100M to make it through their early struggles. Article at Press of AC.

I hope you picked up on this piece of the article, "Nonetheless, the company downplayed concerns among some Wall Street analysts that Revel might have to seek bankruptcy protection if things don't improve soon.

"That's a very overblown scenario," said Revel spokesman Joe Jaffoni. "That is putting the cart well before the horse after just four months of operation. No one would deny the fact that there have been some issues, but the reality is they're doing very well in a lot of areas that don't always show up in the monthly revenue figures."

People who were lining up to dance on Revel's proverbial grave will have to wait.

The reason we see things that Wall Street analysts don't is that we're actually there every day both observing the resort and talking to players. Ask any regular from another AC casino about Revel and you'll probably get an earful. If they want to turn things around, here's something crazy - START LISTENING TO PLAYERS!

Every higherup, supervisor etc I talk to tells me that they've heard what players want, or they know what little things they could do to improve the experience, but they can't because the higher ups don't care or won't do it.

If they put together a focus group of like 20 or 30 regular players of various types to bounce ideas around I bet you they could improve the Revel experience a ton without actually spending a lot of money. At this point I think just ego-wise they're going to do what they're going to do and they don't care what we think.

Has anyone been to HQ here? And with that question and given the location of the room...has there been any intoxicated patrons that have wondered into the poker room...say after a night at HQ?

Really like this room. Was there again tonight for about 5 hours and the games are as juicy as could be. I had JJ and raised to 15 in middle position pre flop. One caller and the flop was 689. I bet, he raised, i went all in, he insta-called. Neither of us showed. Flop was a 2 and the river was an A. He flips over A7. I couldn't believe it.

That was the 4th hand of the night for me, i so i spent my entire 5 hours battling back after losing that pot for $170 bucks. After 5 hours, i walked away up 17 bucks total and earned 10 in comps. Drink service is phenomenal. Mostly male waiters while i've been there, but towards the end of my play, the waitress was absolutely drop dead gorgeous.

Busiest room in ac last nite outside of borgata....cream rising to the top

This is at least the second time in this thread that somebody has used a quote from a Revel spokesperson downplaying their troubles to say "Hey, wait. The troubles aren't that bad. Look at this quote!".

Yes - a quote from a Revel spokesperson!

You and the others who criticize Revel are there everyday? That's news to me. From most of your posts I'd gathered you'd been there a few times.

I've been to Revel dozens of times. Alone and with friends. And I'll tell that without exception every person I've taken there has said that Revel if his/her new favorite PROPERTY in AC and all have either gone back or made plans to.

I and my circle of friends are Revel's target market. And Revel is succeeding in penetrating that market as all the non-gaming revenue reports show. It's taking time but it will work.

Poker is a very, very small slice of Revel's revenue stream and its performance, good or bad, has little bearing on the overall success of the property. And poker players are very much creatures of habit. Getting them to move is a difficult task.

So I'll tell you this straight. I see what you don't see. You had your quotes from the analysts who were dead wrong about Revel planning to file for bankruptcy. Revel is close to securing additional financing. You understand that means there are lenders out there who expect Revel to be profitable, don't you?

Says the poster who supports his argument by giving us word of mouth from people he's talked to.

Just to make a poker analogy here. We have four general Revel scenarios:

1. Drawing dead / just about drawing dead
2. Having a flush draw to a pair/over-pair
3. Having a pair/over-pair to a flush draw
4. Nuts


There are quite a few people here who say Revel is in scenario number 1. I don't think so. Almost no one is in the number 4 category.

That leave situations 2 and 3. There are more people in the 2nd category than the third. That is, if revel were to do xyz they would then move to category 3. (Just a note here, we're just using poker situations an a metaphor for risk analysis.) A few are in category 3: they are about to secure financing ect.

Personally, I think they are right in between situation 2 and 3. It's just too difficult to tell what it really is and the options that are being considered by management. We don't know enough facts to make an informed decision and are just speculating about what we read in the paper.


I should also add that it's a fact that new businesses often run at a loss for a bit before turning a profit. Why should it be any different with Revel?

Revel looking for a loan............

http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf..._river_default

I haven't been to Revel since the official grand opening, but back in April, no one at my table even knew the 1/2 max buyin was $500 except me.

How are things now on a Fri/Sat night in terms of buyins? Anyone buy in for 400+ or is it like a typical 60-300 buyin table?

TIA

Depends on who's at your table. My table last night played like a regular 60/300, but i was told, and it looked like, that the 1/2 next to my table was playing like a 2/5. Couple people with over 1k stacks.

Actually, my argument about their financial troubles has been supported with actual published articles. There's really hardly anything I've discussed as being word of mouth since I'm in North Carolina!

Here's the reality of the situation. I've been to Revel anywhere from 7-10 times since the soft opening. I went week three after they opened the doors and literally couldn't find the poker room for almost 30 minutes. Then, I discussed how being in the corners of teh tables is uncomfortable as hell. I also was disappointed that only a max of 2 tables were running the first two times I went - chalked it up to being new.

But things got worse. The next couple of times I went was just before Memorial Day on a Thursday-Saturday. Poker room was dead the entire time. I ended up playing some slots and spent most of the time at Borgata. Then, I was back in June on a Thursday afternoon and NO tables were running. Then I went back on another weekday afternoon the week after July 4 (while I was on vacation in Ocean City) and again - no tables were running. Went back three weeks ago on a Tuesday afternoon - same thing. Three straight trips - no poker going on. I've admitted in this thread that my weekday timing is atypical and shouldn't be a perfect barometer for poker, but each time, I'd go to Harrah's or Borgata after leaving Revel and there'd be several tables of a variety of games running.

Also, if you read my posts I keep reiterating that I want Revel to succeed. AC needs Revel to succeed. It failing will be a huge black eye for future growth. Unfortunately, what I've seen so far, topped off with the ridiculous cancellation of rooms with no or minimal notice, shows a property that is either trying to intentionally buck the system or doesn't understand casino management all that well. I'll also reiterate that AC is not a resort destination - it is kind of a hole. People from NYC looking for a resort would be more apt to go to the Pocono's or even Mohegan instead of a ragtag boardwalk and streets filled with crime.

Don't shoot the messenger - Revel isn't failing because of me. I continue to try it out and I'll even be back there in a couple of weeks when I'm in town for the Borgata Open. It is failing because it took on massive debt, has never really gotten past the "Soft opening" and seems to be poorly run.

+1 - AC isn't ready for a "classy joint" anyway.

This may be changing. Bravo shows 2 1/2 games going on a Tuesday at 3PM EST. Showboat has 1 1/2 game running and Caesars has 3.

Things seem to be picking up.... Only time will tell....

Am I wrong, or should this be the "Borgata" on the boardwalk?

I had high hopes for this place. Don't go to AC like I use to, but have been 30-50 times. Watched Revel going-up for years. Went durning the soft-opening. Really thought it would boom! I fact, thought it would be 1st or 2nd in gaming revenue.

Yeah, I think Borgata on the Boardwalk is a good way to put it. I think there were some early mistakes that prevented a "boom" there but I think things are changing. Namely, they didn't offer the right incentives -- read comps -- for people to change venues. In regards to the poker room, I think it looks great and is trendy. Are there issue with it? Sure. But it beats the hell out of the Taj!

[QUOTE=p0k3rhack3r;34402278]Yeah, I think Borgata on the Boardwalk is a good way to put it. I think there were some early mistakes that prevented a "boom" there but I think things are changing. Namely, they didn't offer the right incentives -- read comps -- for people to change venues. In regards to the poker room, I think it looks great and is trendy. Are there issue with it? Sure. But it beats the hell out of the Taj![/QUOTE]

I agree. I think their approach of being a resort first, and gaming destination second was a noble idea, but really not sure AC and the surrounding areas, DC, Philly, NY, etc. are ready to look at AC in this light. Of course, the extra competition from PA, Maryland, Delaware, etc. hasn’t helped either.

In hindsight, AC had a lock on east-coast gaming for what, 20 years? They had a great opportunity! If they had thought like Revel, 10-15 years ago, things may be a lot different today.

They built casinos to block-out the ocean rather than embrace it.

I don't know, you guys. Speaking anecdotally, if you take a step back, I think that the AC market is growing for Revel's target customer (say, 21-40 year-olds with spare cash). More and more people are coming mostly from Philly, but also from NYC and DC, to AC on weekends than there were, say, 5 years ago, and casinos like Harrahs and the Borgata are catering to that demographic.

That said, given the city itself and the weather generally, AC is structurally a weekend destination only instead of a full-week vacation destination for that group. Revel on a Saturday in July was completely packed. The restaurants were completely booked. These people really seem to like the product despite the weekend prices. However, I agree that Revel has to figure out how to get people to spend money there on the weekdays. Their target crowd is not going to spend a week there (they'd go to Vegas instead if they have that kind of time).

So, ignoring their debt, as a concept, that's what I see Revel's problem being. Maybe that's why they are trying to attract conventions during the week (and anyone who's been to their poker room knows they have the infrastructure).