Changes at the Riv

The Riviera Casino has been the home to the BCAPL Championships for many, many years.  I love the place - I'm a huge fan of familiarity!  Many people complain about the Riviera because it's old, but I like it because I am a creature of habit.

Much to my surprise, the Riviera has changed a little!  The Riv has a new owner who is putting in $120 million into the casino/hotel.  The better news is, this isn't his first rodeo, so he knows what he is doing.

The one shock I ran across was the sports book was shut down the day before the pool players showed up.  Miscalculation!  Does the new guy not know pool players are gamblers?  lol.  I'm crossing my fingers it's only for renovations, and not shut down forever.

He also moved the poker room (I assume for renovations) to near the food court, and they have a deal now that if you stay for an hour, you get a ticket.  If they call your name, you get to spin a wheel and win from $25 to $200.  Well, the third time I sat down to play poker during my trip, they not only pulled my ticket, I landed on the only $200 spot on the wheel!  WOO-HOO!

$200 Winner!

The other thing the new owner did was to create a kinda Crazy Girls section and added it to the middle of the casino!  So, there are two dancers on pink poles dancing to great music, and the new pink table games have young, hip, dressed-hot dealers.  They still have other previous table games, with the previous dealers, but the new section does create a crowd!  (I snuck a quick video.  Shh - don't tell the Riv!) 

 Crazy Girls Stage in the Middle of the Riv and New Dealers

 Crazy Girls Stage in the Middle of the Riv and New Dealers

They have also added more tables games (like black jack and 3card poker) toward the circle bar and the cashiers cage - so there are many more tables games to choose from than just the original set of tables.

I talked to one of the new pit bosses and he said he was hired just to run the new high-limit baccarat section to the casino that will be added soon.  Pretty smart new owner, huh?

And I was further impressed because one of the dancers was crowned the Best Pole Dancer in Vegas in a contest last year and she is working at the Riv of all places.  The owner was smart to invest in her because she was def the crowd favorite!

 Best Pole Dancer in Vegas!

Flava Flav is going to put one of his new chicken restaurants in the Riv, but not sure that is the new owner's doing or not.  And I sadly share that Kristopher's new owner has changed the menu and the food was not as good this year as last.  :(

There is also a new Pub, kinda where the old Italian restaurant was.  It's a copy of a real Pub from England, so I didn't understand most of what was on the food menu, lol.  Here is a video tour of it:

Other than Kristopher's and the now-non-existent sports book, I liked the changes he has already made and the changes being proposed.

Next year will be interesting when half the pool world population shows up to the Riv!  Can't wait!