Florida developer Glenn Straub faces another regulatory delay in re-opening the former Revel Atlantic City casino as the state has ruled he must obtain a full casino license.
Straub argues that he intends to lease casino space to an independent operator and should not be required to seek a casino license, but the New Jersey Casino Control Commission ruled he still needs full licensing, a lengthy process that could take several months.
“I recognize the social and economic benefits that reopening a casino hotel would have,” board Chairman Matthew Levinson said. “But the environment in Atlantic City does not change the requirements of the Casino Control Act.”
Straub says he will appeal the ruling, which would be just the latest court challenge he has filed in a long two-year battle to re-open the property, which he has rebranded at Ten.
Straub has had an especially contentious relationship with state gaming regulators and at a hearing before the commission last week, Chairman Matthew Levinson accused Straub of giving misleading statements on when he plans to re-open the facility.
Straub has set numerous re-opening dates for at least non-casino portions of the property that have passed. His latest prediction is for President’s Day weekend. However, Straub has often lacked the needed permits from state and municipal agencies to re-open. He also has no reservation system available on the hotel’s website and hasn’t hired any employees outside of an executive team.
“Unfortunately, Mr. Straub, on multiple occasions, has misled people as he suggested he was ready to put thousands of people to work and open the facility, but that government regulations were blocking the process and creating red tape,” Levinson said. “In my opinion, this petition is another delaying tactic by Mr. Straub.”
Levinson said the board will set a date for a hearing on Straub’s license application despite the challenge by Straub.
“We are going to take it to the court system,” Straub told the Press of Atlantic City after the hearing. “Our attorney spelled out what the law was. The law is not for these people. These people rubber-stamp what some other agency did. State agencies take care of state agencies.”
Still, a casino license is not needed to re-open any non-gaming portion of the hotel. Straub said spas and a portion of the hotel will open Presidents Day weekend.
“We will see how much money we spend here,” Straub said, referring to what is going to open over Presidents Day weekend. “We know which employees to hire and for what departments.”
Straub bought the $2.4 billion Revel for $82 million in bankruptcy court in 2015. The city issued a temporary certificate of occupancy in October.
