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![\"\"](\"http:\/\/i60.tinypic.com\/212eb2s.jpg\")
\n\tRiviera Closes on May 4th 2015<\/p>\n
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\n\tRiviera Closes on May 4th 2015<\/p>\n
\tBy J.D. Morris (contact)
\n\tMonday, Aug. 31, 2015 | 2 a.m.<\/p>\n
\tThe Riviera closed about four months ago, but in a way, the historic hotel still is running strong.<\/p>\n
\tSeveral elements of the property have moved to new locations, including the Neon Museum and the Westgate just across Paradise Road. And public safety workers have been training inside the former casino, which closed May 4 after being bought by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority for $182.5 million.<\/p>\n
\tMuch about the future of the Riviera site remains unclear. The LVCVA has not set a date for when the structure will come down, and details of the convention space that is expected to replace the resort still are a long way off.<\/p>\n
\tBut as those plans work themselves out, the Riviera\u2019s second life already is underway.<\/p>\n
\tSTAFF<\/p>\n
\tExecutives from Paragon Gaming, the company that operated the Riviera, received approval in May from Nevada gaming regulators to manage the Westgate.<\/p>\n
\tMeanwhile, the Culinary Union has been helping former Riviera employees find new jobs. Some are attending the Culinary Academy of Las Vegas to further develop skills or train for new positions \u2014 for example, a housekeeper learning to become a prep cook, spokeswoman Bethany Khan said.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cSome are upgrading their current skills, some are doing interview preparation, many have updated resumes, and some are getting trained in a new classification,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\tOthers already have found work at other Strip resorts, Khan said.<\/p>\n
\t\u2018CRAZY GIRLS\u2019<\/p>\n
\tFor years, the iconic \u201cNo \u2018Ifs\u2019 \u2018Ands\u2019 Or \u2026\u201d statue greeted visitors to the Riviera. The bronze ladies proved to be a popular photo backdrop for guests and passers-by.<\/p>\n
\tA related \u201cCrazy Girls\u201d topless burlesque show inside the Riviera also was a fixture of the resort.<\/p>\n
\tAnd \u201cCrazy Girls\u201d didn\u2019t fade away when the Riviera closed. In fact, it\u2019s arguably more visible.<\/p>\n
\tBoth the show and the statue moved to Planet Hollywood. The show runs in Sin City Theater, and the statue is on the casino floor.
\n\t![\"\"](\"http:\/\/i60.tinypic.com\/14t4v4l.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\tSIGNAGE<\/p>\n
\tPatrons of the Neon Museum downtown can see Riviera signs, including an illuminated one from the resort\u2019s porte cochere and an older one from a parking garage. The museum has additional Riviera signs in storage, but needs to find the appropriate locations to display them, said Danielle Kelly, the museum\u2019s executive director.<\/p>\n
\tKelly said the process of getting the Riviera signs was \u201cspecial\u201d because the museum didn\u2019t have to ask for them; hotel officials reached out before the resort closed.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cEveryone was very respectful to the legacy of the Riviera and making sure we were able to celebrate it,\u201d Kelly said. \u201cThat rarely happens.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tIt was unheard of to receive a sign that could be plugged in immediately, Kelly said.<\/p>\n
\tTHE SITE<\/p>\n
\tA number of public safety agencies, including the FBI and multiple fire departments, have used the Riviera for training exercises since it closed. The empty resort provides a unique setting for simulating an emergency situation in a high rise.<\/p>\n
\tThe LVCVA recently approved plans to demolish the Riviera for $42 million. A date hasn\u2019t been finalized, but staff members say it should be sometime next year. Once the Riviera is taken down, the LVCVA will rent out the empty space.<\/p>\n
\tAt the same time, a tourism committee convened by Gov. Brian Sandoval will help shape the vision for the convention space that eventually will replace the Rivera. That committee has about one year to send a report to the governor.<\/p>\n
\tGUESTS
\n\tWhen the Riviera closed, it threw a wrench in the plans of many people and groups who planned to stay at the resort after the closing date. But Southern Nevada hotel operators have been able to keep nearly all of the Riviera\u2019s room reservations in the market, Paragon officials said.<\/p>\n
Posted by:<\/strong> Dr Crapology on September 5, 2015, 7:46 pm<\/p>\n \tRose and Doc<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Riviera Closes on May 4th 2015 By J.D. Morris (contact) Monday, Aug. 31, 2015 | 2 a.m. The Riviera closed about four months ago, but in a way, the historic hotel still is running strong. Several elements of the property…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9087","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-latest-casino-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9087","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/36"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9087"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9087\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9087"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9087"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9087"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Hate to see the old girl go. Rose and Doc got their start going to casinos at the Riv–as it was called in its day. Will miss her, but their are so many new places that we have come to love. The world continues to turn and life goes on as well. Still so much to do in Vegas. <\/p>\n