Ownership Submission
FORM 3
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Riv Acquisition Holdings Inc
2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
09/17/2007
3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
RIVIERA HOLDINGS CORP [RIV]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
650 MADISON AVENUE
4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director __X__ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

NEW YORK, NY 10022
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)
3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Option to Buy Shares of Common Stock 09/17/2007 09/24/2007 Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share 1,147,550 (1) $ 26,393,650 (1) D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Riv Acquisition Holdings Inc
650 MADISON AVENUE
NEW YORK, NY 10022
    X    

Signatures

/s/ Paul Kanavos, President, Riv Acquisition Holdings Inc. 09/26/2007
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Pursuant to a letter agreement dated September 16, 2007, Triple Five Investco LLC and Dominion Financial LLC granted to Riv Acquisition Holdings Inc. ("RAH") a fully effective and exercisable option to acquire 1,147,550 shares of Common Stock at $23.00 per share. RAH initially paid $2,300,000 as consideration for the granting of the option, then paid $173,547.29 on three separate occasions as consideration for three one-month extensions of the option and an additional $40,521 for a fourth seven-day extension of the option. As a result, RAH may be deemed the beneficial owner of 1,147,550 shares of Common Stock, which represent approximately 9.21% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock as of August 3, 2007.

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