8-K

                        SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    Form 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

  Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934

         Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 12, 2001

                          RIVIERA HOLDINGS CORPORATION
             (exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


    Nevada                  000-21430                         88-0296885
(State of                  (Commission                      (IRS Employer
Incorporation)             File Number)                    Identification No.)


2901 Las Vegas Boulevard

Las Vegas, Nevada                                                 89109
(Address of principal office)                                  (Zip code)


Registrant's Telephone number,                               (702) 794-9527
    including area code






Item 5.     Other Events

     On July 10, 2001,  RHC announced that it had  purchased,  from  unsolicited
offers in three private transactions, 233,000 shares of its outstanding stock at
an average  purchase  price of $6.29 per share,  the closing market price at the
times of agreement to repurchase,  or an aggregate of $1,465,570.  87,563 of the
shares purchased were allocated to the Company's deferred compensation plan. The
purchased shares represent  approximately 6 % of RHC's  outstanding  stock which
now totals  3,546,736.  A copy of the press release  announcing this transaction
dated July 10, 2001, is filed as an exhibit hereto.


Item 7.      Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits

             (a)      Not Applicable

             (b)      Not Applicable

             (c)      Exhibits


99.1     Press Release, dated July 10, 2001, announcing RHC's purchase of
233,000 shares of its stock in three private transactions.


















SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  and Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Dated: July 12, 2001                            RIVIERA HOLDINGS CORPORATION


                                                            By: /s/ Duane Krohn
                                                            Treasurer and CFO




                              EXHIBIT INDEX

         Exhibit

         Number                                      Description

           99.1                           Press Release, dated July 10, 2001,
                                          announcing RHC's purchase of 233,000
                                          shares of its common stock.

EX-99

                           Riviera Holdings Corporation
                          2901 Las Vegas Boulevard South
                               Las Vegas, NV 89109
                        Investor Relations: (800) 362-1460
                                TRADED: AMEX  RIV
                                www.theriviera.com




FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
AT THE COMPANY:                                  INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT:
Duane Krohn, Treasurer and CFO                   Betsy Truax, Skorpus Consulting
(702) 794-9527 Voice                             (208)-241-3704 Voice
(702) 794-9442 Fax                               (208)-232-5317 Fax
Email:  dkrohn@theriviera.com                    Email:  etruax@aol.com


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:


                    RIVIERA ANNOUNCES SHARE REPURCHASE


     LAS VEGAS, NV   July 10, 2001 -- Riviera Holdings  Corporation  (AMEX: RIV)
today  announced the Company has  purchased,  from  unsolicited  offers in three
private transactions,  233,000 shares of the Rivieras outstanding common stock.
Approximately  88,000 of the shares  purchased  were  allocated to the Companys
deferred compensation plan, wherein executives have deferred bonuses in exchange
for RIV common  stock.  The  average  purchase  price was $6.29 per  share,  the
closing market price at the time of agreement to repurchase,  or an aggregate of
$1.5 million.  The shares  purchased amount to approximately 6% of the Company's
outstanding  common stock, which now totals 3.5 million shares. The Company does
not intend to bid for its stock in the open market,  however,  it may respond to
unsolicited offers in privately negotiated transactions in the future.

Safe Harbor Statement:
     The forward-looking statements included in this news release, which reflect
management's best judgment based on factors  currently known,  involve risks and
uncertainties including expansion timetables, hotel and casino market conditions
and  other  risks  detailed  from  time to time in the  Company's  SEC  reports,
including  the Report on Form 10-K for  December 31,  2000.  Actual  results may
differ.

About Riviera Holdings:
     Riviera Holdings Corporation owns and operates the Riviera Hotel and Casino
on the Las  Vegas  Strip  and the  Riviera  Black  Hawk  Casino  in Black  Hawk,
Colorado. Riviera is traded on the American Stock Exchange under the symbol RIV.