Though the hospitality industry is working towards a revival in the second half of 2021 — not all companies have been able to benefit from the industry’s gains.
Despite changing company focus during the pandemic, Riverview Social, LLC — owner of the Mesa, Arizona restaurant and entertainment center The Revelry — filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on September 8, 2021.
At the time of filing, the company listed less than 50 creditors, but noted between $1 million and $10 million in liabilities — a far cry from the company’s claimed assets of between $500,000 and $1 million.
Before the company’s flagship business was really able to get off the ground, Riverview Social dealt with a number of mechanics lien claims over non-payment in 2020. In total, the company dealt with $212,248.82 in lien claims against the Revelry property in just a few short months in summer 2020.
A lien filed July 13, 2020, by Clayton Floor Covering & Design LLC claimed $14,459.46 in non-payment for improvements finished on April 13, 2020 to the company’s Modern Round establishment in Mesa — “an exhilarating and empowering new shooting, restaurant and entertainment concept for the adrenaline seeker in all of us” that also serves as one of the “multiple entertainment destinations under one roof [at] The Revelry.”
The largest lien that the company dealt with was an August 12, 2020, claim by Alexander Building Company, Inc. which was focused on Modern Round as well, noting non-payment to the amount of $170,128.46 for work that was completed on May 21, 2020. Just two days following, an August 14, 2020, filing by Silver Star Wallsystems, LLC, similarly made a claim on the Modern Round property, alleging $27,660.90 in non-payment stemming from drywall, metal framing, and painting completed on March 27, 2020.
Riverview Social’s construction issues may have spread into The Revelry’s problems, eventual closure
The Revelry markets itself as an establishment that has “rewritten the rules of family fun — pairing modern tech with exciting games and cool vibes with game faces for one hell of a good time.”
However, the business wasn’t able to capture the attention of the public as much as the owners would likely have wished.
The business claims that it is focused on “tech infused gaming,” boasting a “part virtual shooting range part lounge,” a golf range using “proprietary software that seamlessly blends golf simulator play with realistic short game play,” an “ultimate retro arcade,” a “private VIP Box” bar, and an E-Sports lounge. Additionally, the business claimed to offer a “culinary journey of global flavors…Made in-house and of the highest quality.”
At the time that the entertainment center’s opening was announced in January 2020, Chris Castille — chief operating officer of That’s Eatertainment Corporation, the company that was in charge of designing The Revelry — noted that the business was hoping to nurture a “festival atmosphere.”
“When you go to a festival, you get to try all these unique food concepts,” Castille noted. “There’s usually great music, a light show, a whole vibe that comes with going to [a] festival. We’re just trying to bring it inside and make it more available to everyone.”
The Revelry is noted as having the largest outdoor patio in Arizona, as well, with the 20,000 square foot space noted as an integral part of the facility’s draw to consumers who still wish to spend social time outdoors.
“We created The Revelry to be an entertainment destination,” said Ellie Greene, vice president of sales and marketing for That’s Eatertainment. “We wanted to create a place where people could go and have fun, laugh with their friends, be entertained and have multiple concepts under one roof.”
However, despite some of the hype that the business received, The Revelry also ended up with a number of mixed reviews. Google Reviews documented a number of notes from customers specifying that despite what many called a “great concept” with “really good food (mostly),” “bad customer service” sank the experience for many, with the multi-vendor approach to the establishment’s construction spreading workers too thin.
At the time of writing, The Revelry’s website notes that it is “Temporarily closed due to technical difficulties” — likely those stemming from the parent company’s bankruptcy filing.
It is unknown whether the entertainment center will reopen, either. Chapter 7 bankruptcy is usually known as liquidation bankruptcy, as it doesn’t provide for the filing company to develop a plan of repayment and restructuring — instead, it requires the filing company to have the majority of its assets liquidated in order to pay back its creditors.