When the 1,399-room hotel at Ocean Resort Casino finally reopens on the Atlantic City Boardwalk sometime this summer, it’ll do so as a Hyatt.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced Monday a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a franchise agreement with the new owners AC Ocean Walk. As a result, the hotel at the former Revel will join The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand.
Hyatt’s senior vice president of development David Tarr mentioned in a press release it’s actually the global hospitality company’s first move into Atlantic City:
“We are excited to be affiliating Ocean Resort Casino with The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand, and to be introducing Hyatt to Atlantic City, one of the nation’s most visited resort and casino destinations. AC Ocean Walk’s spectacular resort will establish a new standard on Atlantic City’s storied Boardwalk, making it a fitting addition to The Unbound Collection by Hyatt portfolio.”
AC Ocean Walk Chairman Bruce Deifik said he is equally excited to be partnering with such a prestigious hotel brand:
“It is an honor for us to join forces with one of the world’s most renowned hotel brands: Hyatt. Hyatt has an incredible 60-plus-year legacy in the industry, and its loyal global customer base will have access to an authentic way to experience all that makes Atlantic City attractive and popular. We are thrilled and proud to be joining The Unbound Collection by Hyatt portfolio as we prepare for the resort’s opening this summer.”
The Revel and Ocean Resort Casino saga
Revel initially cost $2.4 billion to build. Its construction was filled with financial issues and labor disputes. The initial scope of the project was scaled back and the opening delayed several times.
It finally did open on April 2, 2012. It went bankrupt and shut down Sept. 2, 2014, one of many closed casinos in AC.
After one deal fell apart, in April 2015, Florida developer Glenn Straub bought Revel out of bankruptcy for $82 million. He made plans to reopen the property under the name TEN but missed several reopening dates over the next two years.
Straub battled continually with state regulators over whether or not he needed a casino license and the two sides never came to an agreement.
Finally, after denying the property was even for sale, Straub sold to AC Ocean Walk in January 2018 for $200 million. AC Ocean Walk immediately announced plans to re-brand as Ocean Resort Casino and said it hoped to be open in the summer of 2018.
What Ocean Resort Casino has planned
Once it is finally open, the 6.4 million-square-foot luxury resort will feature a 138,000-square-foot casino. In addition to the hotel, there will be 160,000 square feet of indoor meeting and convention space. Plus, there will be another 90,000 square feet of flexible outdoor special event space.
There’s also going to be five swimming pools, including a salt-water pool, and a sun deck with cabanas. There will also be dining options from premiere restaurant groups including Garces Group and LDV Hospitality.
Entertainment will include day and nightclubs and what AC Ocean walk calls a best-in-class sports bar.
It’ll also feature more than just a massage table, a couple treadmills, and a towel rack. In fact, the resort’s gym and spa will include a 32,000-square-foot onsite location of Exhale. This is Hyatt’s newly acquired fitness and spa brand. It’s going to host 32 treatment rooms, a mind-body studio, and a retail boutique on the property.
Partnering with Hyatt
The Ocean Resort Casino hotel will be the eighth in North America to open as part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt portfolio. Some of these include:
- Holston House Nashville in Nashville, TN
- The Bellevue Hotel in Philadelphia, PA
- Spirit Ridge in Osoyoos, British Columbia, Canada
The Eliza Jane in New Orleans is expected to join when it opens sometime this spring.
The Unbound Collection by Hyatt properties also include:
- The Driskill in Austin, TX
- Royal Palms Resort & Spa in Phoenix, AZ
- The Confidante in Miami Beach, FL
- Hotel du Louvre in Paris, France
- Carmelo Resort & Spa in Uruguay
In other words, Ocean Resort Casino’s partnership with Hyatt is a sure sign that the property is moving ever closer to opening its doors. An actual date, however, is still unknown.
Image credit: Kaesler Media / Shutterstock.com