Ocean Resort Casino has a sleak design, but old customers want a more personal touch.
Earlier this month, it was reported that the Revel Casino was sold by Glenn Straub to Bruce Deifik, the Colorado-based real estate developer who owns Integrated Properties. Since then, Bruce Deifik has announced he will change the name of Revel Casino to Ocean Resort Casino.
Deifik plans to open Ocean Resort Casino sometime in the summer of 2018. When he does, the former Revel Casino will be the largest, most opulent gaming resort in New Jersey. The resort was built at a cost of $2.4 billion, though Deifik bought the property for $200 million.
According to the Associated Press and NJ.com, Ocean Resort Casino’s grand design and majesty might not be the advantage one might think it would be. In interviews with former Revel Casino customers, the AP learned that the failed casino — which was in business for only 29 months — turned off many patrons with its policies, its attitudes, and even it grandeur.
Smoking Ban Was a Hindrance
Michelle Bronski of Yonkers, New York said that the smoking ban was a big disadvantage for Revel Casino. Bronski said, “When Revel first opened, smoking was banned throughout, which made us stay away.”
Revel Casino’s original owners believed the smoking ban would not have a big effect on the casino’s revenues, because the percentage of smokers in the general population gets smaller each year. Casino patrons are not representative of the general population, though, at least when it comes to smoking. Gamblers who smoke want to be able to smoke when they wager, because casino gaming is both entertainment and competition. Gamblers want to enjoy their leisure time to the maximum, while competitors who smoke want to relieve stress by smoking.
Security Guards Were Rude
Bronski said she did not feel comfortable at Revel Casino, even after the owners decided to change its smoking policy. She said that the security staff in the parking circle were rude and abrupt. Bronski added, “The security guards treated that traffic circle like it was Piccadilly Square and the Queen was about to arrive.”
As a hotel owner with dozens of properties across the United States, one can expect Bruce Deifik to pay attention to customer relations. Ocean Resort Casino’s new owner has not announced if he plans on instituting a smoking ban.
Gigantic Escalator Turned Off Customers
Though Revel Casino’s design was opulent, it was not welcoming. Once again, what might work as an integrated casino-resort on the Las Vegas Strip or Macau does not work in Atlantic City. According to one customer who was questioned, even the entrance turned off the average northeastern gambler.
Stan Goldstein of Neptune, New Jersey said, “It just was never a very inviting casino, not where you have to take a gigantic escalator up from the boardwalk entrance to the casino floor. People fell off it and were hurt, and it’s daunting.”
Horrible Layout for Revel Casino
Mr. Goldstein continued, “The original layout of the casino is horrible. It’s hard to believe some planners actually thought that it would work. Also, a long walk from the parking garage to the casino. Just horribly laid out from the start.”
Location Was a Problem
Some gamblers complained that the location of Revel Casino was bad. While Borgata and Harrah’s is far away from “urban blight”, Revel had more than its share of homeless people nearby. Some commenters said the building was majestic, but the long walk meant they were subjected to people asking for handouts. This drove off older customers, even if it did not drive off younger players.
Other customers said Ocean Resort Casino should take advantage of the cool space to include more nightclubs, to draw in the younger crowd. Still others said that the new casino needs more comps and free rooms.
Ovation Hall a Huge Asset
Once inside the old Revel Building, the new casino has many advantages. The 5000-seat Ovation Hall had rave reviews from the opening concert by Beyonce. The venue had the grandeur and seat capacity to lure the biggest acts in the United States, so Ovation Hall should be a huge asset to Ocean Resort Casino.
Many of those interviewed also raved about the retail space in the Revel Casino. Retail stores are a big part of an integrated casino-resort’s non-gaming revenue sources. Glenn Straub sued several of the previous tenants to oust them from the contracts they signed with Revel Entertainment, but it is unknown whether those tenants will return or not. With so much space to fill, one can imagine Ocean Resort Casino will have a large number of retail chains inside it.
