\nMichael Bathon, Bloomberg <\/p>\n
\tJuly 30 (Bloomberg) \u2014 Revel AC Inc., whose Atlantic City, New Jersey, casino has been in bankruptcy twice since it opened in 2012, won permission to pay executive bonuses of as much as $1.75 million tied to the sale of its business.<\/p>\n
\tU.S. Bankruptcy Judge Gloria M. Burns at a hearing today in Camden, New Jersey, authorized the company to make the bonus payments after the resort\u2019s fate is determined at an auction set to be held next week.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cI\u2019m satisfied that it\u2019s an incentive plan and it\u2019s good\u201d for Revel and its estate, Burns said.<\/p>\n
\tThe company\u2019s struggles illustrate the larger issues facing Atlantic City, which has already seen the Atlantic Club close and may have two other casinos shut down by the end of September. Caesars Entertainment Corp. plans to shutter the Showboat on Aug. 31 and the Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino said it plans to end operations on Sept. 16.<\/p>\n
\tRevel plans to hold an Aug. 7 auction in hopes of pitting bidders against one another to generate the best possible offer and resuscitate the resort. Bids to compete in the auction are due Aug. 4.<\/p>\n
\tThe bonuses would only be paid if managers, whose identity isn\u2019t disclosed, can bring in sale proceeds that reach a high enough threshold, which was also withheld from the public because the targets may affect the sale process.<\/p>\n
\tConcealed Threshholds<\/p>\n
\t\u201cWe have concerns that bidders may try to game the sale based on what they see\u201d so the thresholds should be concealed, said John K. Cunningham, a lawyer for Revel. \u201cOnce we conclude the auction and have a successful bidder,\u201d the scale will be revealed.<\/p>\n
\tBonuses would start at $250,000 for reaching the first sale target and grow as the sale increases in value, according to court documents.<\/p>\n
\tA number of potential buyers submitted letters of intent that were \u201csignificantly below the first threshold\u201d of the bonus plan, Warren A. Usatine, a lawyer representing unsecured creditors, told the judge.<\/p>\n
\tBased on a review of the letters of intent that were submitted July 18 \u201ceven the lowest of the thresholds, while attainable, is not easy,\u201d Usatine said.<\/p>\n
\tThe backdrop for Revel\u2019s bankruptcy is the growing competition Atlantic City casinos face from gambling venues in neighboring Pennsylvania and Maryland.<\/p>\n
\tGambling Mecca<\/p>\n
\tCasino revenue in the New Jersey gambling mecca has plummeted more than 40 percent to about $2.8 billion in 2013 from a peak of more than $5 billion in 2006.<\/p>\n
\tRevel, which employs about 3,140 people, told workers last month that it may be forced to close for good if it fails to attract a buyer. The company said their jobs may be terminated as early as Aug. 18 if it can\u2019t sell the company as an operating business. The notice was given to comply with laws that require companies to warn workers of possible mass job cuts.<\/p>\n
\tRevel opened in April 2012 at a cost of $2.6 billion, only to shut down for five days a few months later because of Hurricane Sandy. It filed a first bankruptcy in March of the following year before seeking creditor protection again last month.<\/p>\n
\tThe casino and resort, on Atlantic City\u2019s Boardwalk, has about 130,000 square feet of gaming space, with 2,400 slot machines, 130 table games and a poker room, according to its website. The resort has 1,399 rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, as well as 13 restaurants and night clubs.<\/p>\n
\tThe case is In re Revel AC Inc., 14-bk-22654, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of New Jersey (Camden). The previous case is In re Revel AC Inc., 13-bk-16253. U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of New Jersey (Camden).<\/p>\n
No replies were posted for this topic.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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