EMM Group Partners Up At Revel Atlantic City

The EMM Group expansion train just keeps rolling along. The group just inked a deal to co-manage the new HQ Nightclub and HQ Dayclub with Angel Management Group at the Revel Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City. The combined 85,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor club space is scheduled to open by July 4th weekend.

It was a surprising move when Revel looked to Las Vegas and Angel to run its nightlife operations, and now Angel inks a deal with EMM to help bring a New York sensibility to the operation, with plans for the two groups to partner on future locations in Vegas and globally going forward. But A.C. isn't New York either. So for any club to be successful, it will have to cultivate both big name talent and guests (which EMM excels at) and a local New Jersey and Philly crowd that will dominate the crowd most of the time. Eater reached out to EMM's Eugene Remm to discuss the deal and the risks.

Eater Nightlife: Have you ever been to Atlantic City?
Eugene Remm: (laughing) Yes. Many times. I am probably there three times a year.

~ENY~: OK. Who approached who about this deal?
ER: Neil [Moffit] and I have known each other for a while and have always been looking for a chance to work together. We thought this was the perfect opportunity to combine what we both do best.

~ENY~: What do you know about running a successful club in Atlantic City?
ER: Neil and AMG have had a team on the ground for 18 months. With the data and marketing information they have gathered and our own data, we feel confident about the project being successful.

~ENY~: This is the biggest venue you have ever been a part of — are you worried about filling it? How do you scale up?
ER: We actually wish it was bigger. With the new trend of bringing in big DJs and talent, we are going to need all of the capacity we can get.

~ENY~: Are you worried about scaling up and being in so many markets at the same time?
ER: No. We have a great team in place.

~ENY~: How does Atlantic City fit in with the rest of your properties and expansion plans? It's a strange market.
ER:A.C. is only a 30 minute helicopter ride or a two hour drive from New York City. The Revel is the nicest and probably only Wynn-esque resort on the East Coast, and we have a great space with 1400 hotels rooms on top of it. We think it's going to be great.

~ENY~: Are you using a lot of local or Philly based promoters?
ER: All promotions are being done in house. We aren't using any outside promoters.

~ENY~: There have been months of rumors about EMM heading to Vegas. Does mean that you are ready to make the jump to the desert?
ER: Las Vegas makes sense right now, and we are working on the next steps to open there very soon.
· Revel Coverage [~ENY~]
· Nightlife Coverage [~ENY~]