Revel Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey

Revel Casino, which opened as the first smokefree casino in Atlantic City in May 2012, is restructuring under a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing after less than a year of being open. Jeffrey Hartmann, a gambling consultant, has been appointed as interim chief executive officer while Revel reorganizes. Kevin DeSanctis will remain CEO and chairman of Revel AC’s holding company, Revel Group, the developer of the casino property. Dennis Stogsdill of Alvarez & Marsal Inc. was hired as chief restructuring officer.

Bankruptcy documents said Revel intended to add a smoking section, which it did on May 24, 2013, in time for the Memorial Day weekend, allowing smoking much the same as other resorts in Atlantic City. Regulation allows for up to 25% of the gaming floor to be smoking-permitted. Read this May 29, 2013 Press of Atlantic City news article about the smoking policy change.

Some are not convinced that this change will improve the newest Atlantic City casino’s revenue numbers. Read a June 10, 2013 Philadelphia Inquirer blog entry written by the American Cancer Society which points out that New York’s smoke-free Resorts World Racino was the nation’s leader in slot revenue, taking in $57.5 million in May. Read this May 22, 2013 Press of Atlantic City editorial which questions whether smoking allowed in the casino will increase gambling revenues at the newest Atlantic City casino. Read the April 14, 2013 Press of Atlantic City news article which points out that allowing smoking at Revel may backfire and discusses the option of aggressively marketing Revel as smokefree prior to allowing smoking. The Bergen Record blog entry on April 14 reiterated that Revel did not market its smokefree policy to the nonsmoking public, and suggests Revel should try that first prior to allowing smoking.

Read the Febrary 20, 2013 Star Ledger survey which found that less than 8% of those surveyed had an issue with Revel being 100% smokefree. This figure aligns with public health statistics that 85% of adults in New Jersey do not smoke. And of the 15% who do smoke, 70% want to quit and find smokefree environments helpful.

In the summer of 2011, the Levinson Institute for Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism at Stockton University conducted a major study on the potential impact of a 100% smokefree policy for Revel. Researchers gathered survey responses of more than 3,000 individuals exploring the question of non-smoking facilities in a casino environment. GASP helped Stockton University draft the survey questions pertaining to smoking and nonsmoking preferences in gaming and hospitality venues and provided technical assistance to CEO DeSanctis and his senior management team on the health, economic, marketing/branding and environmental benefits of 100% smokefree casinos. Read the presentation given by Stockton University at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas on October 1, 2012. Read the news article

When the Revel Casino Resort opened to guests on April 2, 2012 as the first 100% smokefree indoors and outside gaming resort in Atlantic City, Kevin DeSanctis, then Chief Executive of Revel Entertainment Group shared in a June 30, 2012 Boston Globe article, with regard to the smokefree Revel Atlantic City casino: “I have not received one negative comment on being smoke-free. I’ve received a lot of positive comments. I think it’s the way of the future.” This August 2, 2012 New York Post article asks “Is Alantic City Cool Again?“.

“Anti-smoking groups have praised Revel for its no-smoking policy” as pointed out in a March 17, 2012 Press of Atlantic City article. USA Today reported on how Revel may change Atlantic City as the first 100% smokefree property, indoors andoutside. The article quotes Revel CEO Kevin DeSanctis,

“I think smoking is so yesterday” and turns off the clientele he seeks, says DeSanctis… Interestingly, I have only heard from non-smokers, who are ecstatic.”

Associated Press writer Wayne Perry wrote:

“[Revel] is Atlantic City’s only non-smoking casino resort and the only one to fully embrace the ocean, with floor-to-ceiling views of the coast that are considered a no-no in other gambling halls.” Read the full article about the resort opening.

In May 2012, DeSanctis was appointed to the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority. Read an Asbury Park Press article about the apointment and read about DeSanctis’ decision to open Revel smokefree from our February news alert.

Read the May 24, 2012 article about Revel being booked for its official planned opening of Memorial Day weekend. The Revel resort website emphasisizes health and wellness, so 100% non-smoking fits right in. “Smokers are shunned, slot machines are almost an afterthought, and the attractions away from the gaming floor are elegant: a rooftop botanical garden and a spa designed to mimic the ancient bathhouses of Rome.” Read more about the resort in this March 25, 2012 Star Ledger article and more about the Revel project and CEO Kevin DeSanctis in this March 28, 2012 Philly.com article. This March 18, 2012 New York Times article points out, “..[Revel] will be Atlantic City’s only nonsmoking casino resort, intended to appeal to the 81 percent of American adults who do not smoke”, and “Smoking is prohibited in most outdoor spaces on the property with one exception: a small outdoor area strategically located behind the 45,000-square-foot nightclub”.

As the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority works to cut crime and revitalize Atlantic City, area resorts have begun to market themselves as “family friendly” by providing a safe environment for children and teens. Read about this in a December 2011 article from the Press of Atlantic City. Additionally, Revel is kid-friendly since it opened as 100% smokefree. Read another December 2011 article from the Press of Atlantic City about general clean-up and revitalziation of the city. Read more on our webpage about support for smokefree gaming.

Read more news about the restructuring of Revel:

1. From Bloomberg News on March 13, Revel Casino Appoints Interim CEO to Handle Bankruptcy
2. From Press of Atlantic City on March 13, Kevin DeSanctis out as Revel head, former Mohegan Sun executive moves in
3. From Atlantic Press Weekly on March 13, Revel Has New Interim CEO: Jeffrey Hartmann
4. From NJ.com on March 13, Revel CEO resigns weeks before expected bankruptcy filing