Final Goodbye to the Riviera Casino

Way back when, probably in the late 1980's, I was living with a Hawaiian lady and we lived in Hawaiian Gardens, CA. At that time they had up and backs running out of Long Beach, CA to Vegas. You put up $80 and got round trip airfare from LB to Vegas after giving them 4 hours of play at an average of $10 a hand. They also threw in a Prime Rib Buffet at the Riv which was excellent.

One particular night when we were there, my GF went on an amazing streak at BJ, and she took some chips off the table and decided to find me and buy me a present in the gift shop. She found me playing the $1 slots and I told her I would meet her in the gift shop. Minutes later I cashed out my coins and started walking over to the gift shop. I saw my GF and I walked over to her I saw this man following he around. I recognized him as one of the pit bosses from the pit she was playing at earlier. I followed him as he followed her as she walked around the gift shop. I couldn't figure out why he was watching her. She wasn't a counter as she barely knew what she was doing playing BJ. She had just gotten lucky for a change and had a good run of cards while parlaying up her bet. I finally went up to her while she was holding a pile of green chips and she offered to buy me an electronic lighter which I had never seen before. He watched every move we made, but I never understood why as I was never playing near her so I couldn't be countingthe deck and signaling her when the deck was "hot".

Fortunately, it was almost time to leave so she hung on to most of her money when she returned to the table. After she returned , he hung around the table and watched eveery move she made......not that she could possibly be doing anything. So she goes to cash out so we could catch the limo to go back to the airport, and this guy comes up to us and offers at least one nights comp in a suite if we would like to stay over. Before she could say a word, I told him, "no thanks" and proceeded to walk her over to the limo to get out of town. She was only up a couple of thousand, so I didn't know what the big deal was.
I had another experience in the sportsbook which I will tell about later.

Thanks for sharing lion, appreciate it. I think we've only stepped in the Riveria once maybe twice. Regretting that now.

That ass has been rubbed by more people than Carter has liver pills.

Good riddance.

One less putrid old dump cluttering up the strip.

Indeed, DonDiego is one among the throng of rubbers.

Bummer. I feel so bad for poor old DonDiego, stranded among that throng of condoms.

We were there last week for our final visit and walk through. What I found the most interesting is that, no matter where you went, you couldn't tell that the place would be closing forever in a week. Everyone was in a good mood, they hadn't shut down 1/2 the floor, pool was packed, food joints were hopping. I guess f it was like that ALL THE TIME, the Riv would still be up and running and the thought of being sold/closed would have never have crossed anyones mind. Bummer that it's gone and even more bummer that another casino won't be going up in its place. Vegas needs more "convention space" like the country needs to add more trillions to the debt!

Sad to see it go...

My memories of the Riv include one of my first trips ever to Vegas. They had a blackjack table cordoned off with security guards that were telling people to keep moving. Finally this guy shows up with his girlfriend or wife. The guy was betting all seven positions and it looked like he was betting $35,000 per hand. The amazing thing was that he was winning.

I also saw the movie Casino being filmed there. They started moving stuff in after 11pm. It was 4am before the first scene was filmed that night. Much of the crowd dissapeared and went to bed.

I stayed @ the Riv in January for the first time. I had been there a number of times but never stayed. I thought they had the right concept with an older Vegas property. Update the rooms and charge reasonable rates with no resort fees for people with loyalty cards. They had good restaurants that were not over priced, decent shows for decent prices, and low limit games with a $1 blackjack available 24x7. Basically, they were going for the classic Vegas vibe for customers looking for value for their $. What a great concept!

Too bad people would rather blow their "wadd" on overpriced hotels with huge resort fees, expensive stores, Cirque shows, along with big name chef restaurants, cabanas, and clubs with bottle service. The folks who go to these establishments will not be going back year after year like I do - because they won't have the money to do so. In the meantime, I will be downtown, Ellis Island, the Orleans / Gold Coast, North Las Vegas, or on Boulder Highway waiting for another Strip property to understand the concept and the long term possibilities of a classic, value, Vegas property.

The Riv will live fondly in my memory.