Revel deal approved at last

After months of debate and several false starts in the New Jersey bankruptcy court, the sale of the Revel building has finally been approved to Florida developer Glenn Straub for $82 million.

Revel went bust just two years after it was constructed in Atlantic City at a cost of $2.4 billion, and has been the subject of auction offers and withdrawals, and judicial delays, for most of this year.

On Thursday Judge Gloria Burns finally made her decision after Straub agreed to drop his demand that the sale go through “free and clear of encumbrances” like the tenants’ leases.  Judge Burns said that issue should be worked out with Straub outside of bankruptcy court.

Legal representatives for Straub and Revel’s owners will have to wait until Monday to close the sale after late arguments prevented Judge Burns from signing and entering an official order.

Media reports indicated that Straub intends to invest around $150 million in reconfiguring the almost new multi-storey Revel building.

The developer also reportedly said that he has arranged to buy several casinos or former casinos in Atlantic City as part of a $500 million, multi-faceted deal, more details on which will be released soon.

Straub’s original auction agreement to buy Revel for $95 million failed to close on time, necessitating his later, lower offer. Before that, Toronto-based Brookfield Asset Management backed out of its $110 million auction agreement, forfeiting its $11 million deposit.

Related and similar