For anyone who thought the drama surrounding the planned reopening of the shuttered Revel Casino in Atlantic City was over: Think again.
The latest in the Revel / TEN saga
The Press of Atlantic City reported that the owner of Revel — slated to reopen next year as TEN Atlantic City — is suing the state.
The lawsuit from TEN owner Glenn Straub targets the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, which is in charge of licensing the state’s gaming establishments. Straub had hoped to reopen Revel as TEN — complete with a gaming license — in the first quarter of 2017.
Without a license, though, that may not happen, hence the lawsuit. More from the Press of AC:
Straub’s suit, filed in Atlantic County Superior Court by attorney David Stefankiewicz, claims the CCC’s inaction on Straub’s petition to waive a casino license requirement for his company violates the commission’s statutory requirements.
‘Make Atlantic City Great Again’?
Straub borrowed the parlance of President-elect Donald Trump in bringing the lawsuit. Stefankiewicz issued this statement:
“Mr. Straub has spent a lot of time, effort and money in trying to make Atlantic City great again. He remains ready, willing and able to open the casino.The CCC is putting Straub and his company through unnecessary red tape and delay. This is both puzzling and disappointing considering that the future of Atlantic City is hanging by a thread and thousands of people are out of work.Instead of creating roadblock after roadblock, the agency should be doing everything in its power to facilitate getting this casino opened. Doing business here should not be this hard.”
Stefankiewicz was alluding to the fact that the city is famously undergoing a state takeover in an attempt to avoid bankruptcy.
The Trump Taj Mahal closed recently, joining Revel as the fifth AC casino to close in recent years. TEN has hired some of the Taj Mahal’s executives as it ramps up for opening.
Not the first time for Straub battling with NJ and AC
Straub has sparred with state and local officials pretty much since he bought the distressed property in 2015.
This summer, Straub took issue with the speed at which the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority was working with Revel to help it get its doors reopened. That spat was eventually resolved.
Earlier, the city fined Revel for being a fire hazard.
In any event, the history of animosity between Straub and government officials is poised to go on with the latest lawsuit.