I stayed at the Riv 3 nights last month, and the place had a much better vibe than it did during my last stay there 2 years ago. I spent a lot of time talking to Nick the bartender from the old Splashbar, and he was very optimistic about the future of the casino.

Seeing that Derek Stevens is also a principle in the new ownership is definitely a plus. The changes he's made at the Golden Gate have turned that little place that was mostly only know for its cheap shrimp cocktails into a niche kind of small boutique-type of hotel with a jumping casino that still retains much of its history. Derek is on the casino floor almost every night interacting with his guests at a personal level. That just doesn't/can't happen at the mega-resorts.

This is really good news!