Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN 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 *
RIVACQ LLC
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
RIVIERA HOLDINGS CORP [RIV]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director __X__ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
ONE WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
12/08/2008
(Street)

NEW YORK, NY 10281
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
___ Form filed by One Reporting Person
_X_ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share 12/08/2008   J   0 D $ 0 (2) 893,770 (3) D (3)  
Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share 12/08/2008   J   0 D $ 0 (2) 893,770 (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) I (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) See footnotes (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
RIVACQ LLC
ONE WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER
NEW YORK, NY 10281
    X    
SOF US HOTEL CO-INVEST HOLDINGS LLC
591 W PUTNAM AVENUE
GREENWICH, CT 06830
    X    
SOF-VII US HOTEL HOLDINGS LLC
591 W PUTNAM AVENUE
GREENWICH, CT 06830
    X    
I-1/I-2 US HOLDINGS LLC
591 W PUTNAM AVENUE
GREENWICH, CT 06830
    X    
STARWOOD GLOBAL OPPORTUNITY FUND VII-A LP
591 W PUTNAM AVENUE
GREENWICH, CT 06830
    X    
STARWOOD GLOBAL OPPORTUNITY FUND VII-B LP
591 W PUTNAM AVENUE
GREENWICH, CT 06830
    X    
STARWOOD US OPPORTUNITY FUND VII-D LP
591 W PUTNAM AVENUE
GREENWICH, CT 06830
    X    
STARWOOD US OPPORTUNITY FUND VII-D-2 LP
591 W PUTNAM AVENUE
GREENWICH, CT 06830
    X    
STARWOOD CAPITAL HOSPITALITY FUND I-1 LP
591 W PUTNAM AVENUE
GREENWICH, CT 06830
    X    
STARWOOD CAPITAL HOSPITALITY FUND I-2 LP
591 W PUTNAM AVENUE
GREENWICH, CT 06830
    X    

Signatures

 /s/ Rivacq LLC, By: SOF U.S. Hotel Co-Invest Holdings, L.L.C., By: SOF-VII U.S. Hotel Holdings, L.L.C., By: Barry S. Sternlicht, Chief Executive Officer, By: I-1/I-2 U.S. Holdings, L.L.C., By: Barry S. Sternlicht, Chief Executive Officer   12/10/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

 /s/ SOF U.S. Hotel Co-Invest Holdings, L.L.C., By: SOF-VII U.S. Hotel Holdings, L.L.C., By: Barry S. Sternlicht, Chief Executive Officer, By: I-1/I-2 U.S. Holdings, L.L.C., By: Barry S. Sternlicht, Title: Chief Executive Officer   12/10/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

 /s/ SOF-VII U.S. Hotel Holdings, L.L.C., By: Barry S. Sternlicht, Chief Executive Officer   12/10/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

 /s/ I-1/I-2 U.S. Holdings, L.L.C., By: Barry S. Sternlicht, Chief Executive Officer   12/10/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

 /s/ Starwood Global Opportunity Fund VII-A, L.P., By: SOF-VII Management, L.L.C., Its general partner , By: Starwood Capital Group Global, L.L.C., Its general manager, By: Barry S. Sternlicht, Chief Executive Officer   12/10/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

 /s/ Starwood Global Opportunity Fund VII-B, L.P., By: SOF-VII Management, L.L.C., Its general partner, By: Starwood Capital Group Global, L.L.C., Its general manager, By: Barry S. Sternlicht, Chief Executive Officer   12/10/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

 /s/ Starwood U.S. Opportunity Fund VII-D, L.P., By: SOF-VII Management, L.L.C., Its general partner, By: Starwood Capital Group Global, L.L.C., Its general manager, By: Barry S. Sternlicht, Chief Executive Officer   12/10/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

 /s/ Starwood U.S. Opportunity Fund VII-D-2, L.P., By: SOF-VII Management, L.L.C., Its general partner, By: Starwood Capital Group Global, L.L.C., Its general manager, By: Barry S. Sternlicht, Chief Executive Officer   12/10/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

 /s/ Starwood Capital Hospitality Fund I-1, L.P., By: SCG Hotel Management, L.L.C., Its general partner, Starwood Capital Group Global, L.L.C., Its general manager, By: Barry S. Sternlicht, Chief Executive Officer   12/10/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

 /s/ Starwood Capital Hospitality Fund I-2, L.P., By: SCG Hotel Management, L.L.C., Its general partner, By: Starwood Capital Group Global, L.L.C. , Its general manager, By: Barry S. Sternlicht, Chief Executive Officer   12/10/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(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) This is a joint filing by Rivacq LLC ("Rivacq"); SOF U.S. Hotel Co-Invest Holdings, L.L.C. ("SOF Co-Invest"); SOF VII U.S. Hotel Holdings, L.L.C. ("SOF VII"); I-1/I-2 U.S. Holdings, L.L.C. ("Hotel Fund"); Starwood Global Opportunity Fund VII-A, L.P., Starwood Global Opportunity Fund VII-B, L.P., Starwood U.S. Opportunity Fund VII-D, L.P. and Starwood U.S. Opportunity Fund VII-D-2, L.P. (collectively, the "Opportunity Funds"); Starwood Capital Hospitality Fund I-1, L.P. and Starwood Capital Hospitality Fund I-2, L.P. (together, the "Hospitality Funds") (collectively, the "Reporting Persons"). The Reporting Persons are filing this Form 4 in connection with a Form 4 filed on an even date herewith by the persons listed in "Remarks," below. (continued in footnote 2)
(2) (cont'd from fn 1) On December 8, 2008, Flag Luxury Riv, LLC ("FLR"), Rivacq, and RH1, LLC ("RH1") entered into a Termination Agreement (the "Termination Agreement"), pursuant to which the parties agreed to terminate the Amended and Restated Joint Bidding Agreement, dated as of April 5, 2006 by and among FLR, RH1, High Desert Gaming LLC and Rivacq, as amended by letter agreement dated April 16, 2007 ("Joint Bidding Agreement"). (continued in footnote 3)
(3) (cont'd from fn 2) After termination of the Joint Bidding Agreement, Rivacq may be deemed the direct beneficial owner of 893,770 shares of Common Stock, which represent approximately 7.15% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock as of November 4, 2008. Rivacq has sole voting and dispositive power over such Common Stock. (cont'd in fn 3)
(4) (cont'd from fn 3) SOF Co-Invest, as the sole member of Rivacq, may be deemed the indirect beneficial owner of the foregoing shares of Common Stock with shared voting and dispositive power over such Common Stock. SOF VII and Hotel Fund, as the sole members of SOF Co-Invest with 25% and 75% equity interests in SOF Co-Invest, respectively, may also be deemed the indirect beneficial owner of the foregoing shares of Common Stock with shared voting and dispositive power over such Common Stock. Each of the Opportunity Funds, as the sole members of SOF VII, may also be deemed the indirect beneficial owner of the foregoing shares of Common Stock with shared voting and dispositive power over such Common Stock. Each of the Hospitality Funds, as the sole members of Hotel Fund, may also be deemed the indirect beneficial owner of the foregoing shares of Common Stock with shared voting and dispositive power over such Common Stock. (continued in footnote 5)
(5) (continued from footnote 4) SOF VII Management, L.L.C. ("SOF VII Management"), as the general partner of each of the Opportunity Funds, may also be deemed the indirect beneficial owner of the foregoing shares of Common Stock with shared voting and dispositive power over such Common Stock. SCG Hotel Management, L.L.C. ("Hotel Management"), as the general partner of each of the Hospitality Funds, may also be deemed the indirect beneficial owner of the foregoing shares of Common Stock with shared voting and dispositive power over such Common Stock. Starwood Capital Group Global, LLC ("SCGG"), as the managing member of SOF VII Management and Hotel Management, may also be deemed the indirect beneficial owner of the foregoing shares of Common Stock with shared voting and dispositive power over such Common Stock. (continued in footnote 6)
(6) (continued from footnote 5) Barry S. Sternlicht, as the President and CEO of SCGG and CEO of SOF VII and Hotel Fund, may also be deemed the indirect beneficial owner of the foregoing shares of Common Stock with shared voting and dispositive power over such Common Stock. Mr. Sternlicht also directly holds 123,200 shares of Common Stock, which represent approximately 1.0% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock as of November 4, 2008, and which, together with the 893,770 shares of Common Stock that he may be deemed to own beneficially in his capacity as Chairman and CEO of SCGG and as an executive officer of certain affiliates as described above, constitute approximately 8.14% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock as of November 4, 2008. (continued in footnote 7)
(7) (continued from footnote 6) Rivacq is the designated filer. The Reporting Persons are filing this joint Form 4 because they may be regarded as part of a group. However, each Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares owned by other persons and disclaims membership in a group, and this filing shall not constitute an acknowledgement that the Reporting Persons are part of a group.
 
Remarks:
This Form 4 is being filed in connection with a Form 4 filed on an even date herewith by SCG Hotel Management, L.L.C.; SOF
 VII Management, L.L.C.; Starwood Capital Group Global, LLC; and Barry Sternlicht.

Exhibit:  99.1  Joint Filer Information

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