While the word "Revel" means to take great pleasure or delight in, Atlantic City has been lacking entertainment recently that makes people embrace the true definition of the verb. That, however, has just changed.
Opening at the northernmost end of Atlantic City's famous boardwalk is Revel Atlantic City. The all-in-one entertainment super-resort, hotel, casino and spa is AC's newest and most expensive casino ever, carrying a price tag of almost $2.5 billion.
As the new swank-tank is home to 1,898 fewer guest rooms than four other hotel/casinos in town, The Revel's main draw is its unique design that screams exclusivity at every turn.
"Revel brings the wow factor," state Sen. Jim Whelan said, in a statement. "Some of it is the fact that it's a new property, but it's another step in the direction of a property being a new resort - in their case, being a beach resort. I can assure you they have the most magnificent views in town. They look out over the most beautiful beaches in the Inlet."
At 47 stories, Revel's hotel tower is the tallest structure in Atlantic City and the second-tallest casino tower in the United States.
It boasts 1,900 ocean view rooms, a 130,000-square-foot gaming area with 100 gaming tables, and an all-around cutting edge design and location that makes it easy for hotel guests to "revel" in Atlantic City's beautiful beach and ocean views.
Revel Atlantic City sections off its 20-acre beachfront property and divides it into four distinct areas (Revelry, The Mezz, Resort, The Lobby), each one set well above sea level to give guests panoramic views of the beachfront and boardwalk.
"Besides what I'm told about the exciting architectural elements, the awesomeness of the architecture itself, the height of the building and so on, the wow comes from the way they incorporate the beach in a way the other properties weren't allowed to," Whelan said, referring to former construction restrictions that had been placed on other casinos.
The largest construction project in Atlantic City since The Borgata in 2003 also gives a much needed boost to the plateaued Atlantic City economy, as it claims home to 14 restaurants, 55,000 square feet of retail space and 10 pools.
In addition to the previous attractions, a lineup of celebrity chefs oversee the dining operations, while a burlesque club, operated by nightclub entrepreneur Ivan Kane, is connected to the casino floor.
Concert goers and fans of Broadway will also enjoy Ovation Hall, Revel's spotlight music hall. The 5,500-seat theatre already has big plans for sporting events, Broadway-caliber theatre and A-list musical performances, as it is currently the home to a series of shows by Beyoncé.
The acclaimed artist will take the stage next month during Revel's Grand Opening/Memorial Day weekend.
Adding to the list of firsts for Atlantic City, Revel applies a no-smoking policy. The resort is the only property in the city that is virtually smoke free, except for the one outdoor smoking area located next to a nightclub.
One of the more important aspects that the Revel pays tribute to in this struggling U.S. economy is jobs. The building of the resort issued employment to 10,000 workers with 5,000 of those jobs being located inside Revel Atlantic City.
"Revel's workers include 800 city residents, fulfilling a pledge by the company to provide local employment," reports the Press of Atlantic City.
The news source also reports that the resort plans to use $125 million of a nearly $300 million 20-year graduated tax rebate from the state of New Jersey to rebuild the nearby Atlantic City neighborhood.
The resort's soft opening on April 2 gives the Revel Entertainment Group a solid eight weeks to gradually bring more hotel rooms and attractions online, culminating in a formal grand opening celebration over Memorial Day weekend.
Revel, Atlantic City's 12th casino, represents a distinct departure from its decade-old neighbors. From the cutting-edge architecture to its upscale dining scene to a business model that emphasizes Revel as a "lifestyle resort" first and a casino second, the city has high hopes for the property, as it sets a new standard for the city and leads it into a new generation of unique service and entertainment.
SOURCE IBTimes