LOOK AT LAUGHLIN BY VICKI TORRES

Festive Holiday Dining at Aquarius
If you are in town for Christmas you will find special dinners being prepared at several of the properties restaurants. Vineyard Ristorante will be serving a four-course feast from 4 to 10 p.m. for just 32.95 per person with an ace I PLAY card and $36.95 for non-card holders. Reservations are highly recommended. Call (702) 298-5111 extension 420. A more casual setting will be at Café Aquarius where Christmas favorites will be available from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Players club members pay $12.95 and non-members are $14.39. To really dig into the food, check out the Buffet that will be moved into Aquarius Pavilion from December 23 to December 26. A Holiday Buffet Brunch ($6.95 with an ace I PLAY card and $9.27 without) will be offered December 23-26 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. On Christmas Day, the hours are 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The Holiday Buffet Dinner is available 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on December 23, 24 and 26 for $8.95 with a card and $11.95 without. On Christmas Day, the buffet will offer special selections for $11.95 for ace I PLAY members and $15.93 if you don’t have a card. The buffet will be served from 3 p.m. until 9 p.m. with live piano entertainment featuring holiday favorites and seasonal music during the brunch service. There will also be great dining for those of you lucky enough to be visiting over New Year’s Eve weekend. The Vineyard Risotrante will serve a four-course gourmet New Year’s Eve dinner from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. for $35.75 with player’s card, or $39.33 without. Reservations are recommended by calling (702) 298-5111 x 420. At Café Aquarius, a NYE special including steak and lobster is $17.99 (4 p.m. to midnight) with your player’s card or $19.99 without. Windows on the River Buffet will offer a Seafood & Prime Rib Buffet special from 5 p.m. to midnight for $19.99 or $26.65. The buffet will also be serving a New Year’s Day special from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. for $14.99 or $19.99.

AVI Kicks off “Start Your Year with Cash” promotion and “$17,000 New Year’s Day Bingo”
Tomorrow, December 20 and continuing through January 1 is the resort’s “Start Your Year with Cash” promotion. Drawing tickets can be earned through casino play for the New Year’s Day giveaway at 4 p.m. at Promotions Central. The person having their name drawn will take home a cool $2,012. Plan to spend New Year’s Eve at the Avi where they will host their exciting “$17,000 New Year’s Bingo.” Two sessions, scheduled at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. will pay a total of $5,000 each. Another two sessions on New Year’s Day (1 p.m. and 4 p.m.) will dole out $3,500 each. See the Bingo Hall for pricing, etc. If you would rather be dancing then playing bingo, the Avi’s Native Harvest Buffet will be the scene for their “Rockin’ the River New Year’s Eve Party!” with music by DJ Grace Black. Hot and cold hors d’oeuvres, desserts, champagne toast, a cash bar and more will complete the evening’s fun. The fun begins at 9:30 p.m. with tickets for singles just $15 and couples in the door for $25. To book the party, call (866) 495-0061.

Rooms Still Available for New Year Eve at Aquarius Casino Resort
Two affordable New Year’s Eve getaways are being offered at Aquarius Casino Resort. Reserve the NYE Special #1 starting at $329 and you will enjoy two nights, Friday, December 30 and Saturday the 31st, admission for two into the New Year’s Eve bash being held at Splash Cabaret and party favors for two. Entertainment in Splash will be provided by the band The Goodfellas from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. For reservations, call (800) 662-5825 and ask for code: NYE112. Take an extra day and request the NYE Special #2 which includes accommodations for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, December 29, 30 and 31 or Friday, Saturday and Sunday, December 30, 31 and January 1. This package also allows you to spend NYE at Splash Cabaret and the party favors. Call the same number but ask for code: NYE113. You may also book on line by visiting AquariusCasinoResort.com and click on “Special Offers.” Taxes will be added to both packages. There will be a spectacular balloon drop and complimentary champagne toast at midnight on the casino floor.   

“Seasonal Sensations Holiday Pull Tab Promotion and Fireworks at Edgewater and Belle
ACCESS Players Club members of the Edgewater and Colorado Belle are eligible to participate in their “Seasonal Sensations Holiday Promotion” in play now through December 30. Up to $1,000 in cash, comps, free play and other gifts are up for grabs. Club members will receive a pull tab for every 750 base points earned through casino play, every Monday through Friday during the giveaway. Each tab is a guaranteed winner! On New Year’s Eve, ring in the New Year at the Edgewater’s Inferno Night Club or Pints Brewery at the Belle with favors, balloon drops,  and champagne toasts. A beautiful fireworks display will light up the sky at 8 p.m.  

“Unwrap a Week Full of Joy” at the Tropicana
Beginning Friday, December 23 and going through December 28, Tropicana Laughlin will be giving out a variety of gifts, bonus points and other surprises during their “Unwrap a Week Full of Joy” promotion to TropAdvantage Players Club members when they pick up bonuses through regular casino play. Everyday during the promo mystery gifts will be given away for earning 50 points on your cards. Check with the club booth for further details.  

Rat Pack Room, Dinner and Show Packages at The E Center
If you are headed up to the river for New Year’s you will find a couple of good room and dinner show packages available at the Edgewater and Colorado Belle. Rates for guests staying Friday, December 30-Saturday, December 31 begin as low as $349.99. With the deal you will receive accommodations for two-nights and two tickets to the 6 p.m. live Rat Pack Surf & Turf Dinner Show, two complimentary Entertainment T-shirts and two free cocktails. Save a few bucks by planning to spend Thursday, December 29 and Friday, December 30. Rates for this package begin at $279.99 and come with all the amenities as the first. Room taxes are extra. A limited number of individual tickets (without the room package) to the Rat Pack Surf & Turf Dinner Show either Friday or Saturday night are priced at $65, $75 and $85. For reservations, call (866) 352-3553.      

Nutcracker Ballet and Mel Tillis Performing at the Riverside
The timeless production of “The Nutcracker Ballet’ will be performed at the Riverside by the Anaheim Ballet from December 20-23 at 7 p.m. with an added 3 p.m. matinee scheduled for Friday, December 23. Tickets are priced at $28.50. The legendary Mel Tillis is in the house December 27-January 1. Tickets are going for $37.50, except for two New Year’s Eve shows priced at $42 for the 7 p.m. show and $44 for the 10:30 gig. For another New Year’s Eve party, you can dance the night away beginning at 8 p.m. in the Riverside’s Starview Room where the Starlight Serenade Band will play your favorite tunes. Admission is just $22.  For reservations to any of the entertainment, call (800) 227-3849.   

River Palms Continuing with December Promotions
Continuing for just a couple of more days, through December 22 is the River Palms Snow Buddies Giveaway for club members who earn 1,000 base points each week, Sunday-Thursday. Simply swipe your card at a kiosk to receive a Snow Buddy Voucher, which may be redeemed at the Trop Advantage Club from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. There is a max of two gifts per promotional week. Here’s a chance at winning more cash during the properties December Tinsel Time $1,000 Slot Tournaments which are held every Thursday through Sunday through December 25 from noon to 6 p.m. Club members must earn 25 base points for entry with a re-buy available for an additional 50 points. The tourney pays to 20 places, with the top daily winner pocketing $250. No registration is required; just show up in the tournament area, earn your points, swipe your card and get a score slip and you are good to go. It’s bingo time at the River Palms on NYE at 11 p.m. The buy-in is just $10 per pack or $2 per card with 9 games paying $200 each and the double action coverall awarding a generous $2,012. TropAdvantage members will also receive a free gift. The final event at the River Palms for the year is their International Gift & Craft Show taking place December 30-January 1. The show features a wide variety of merchandise to even wedding gowns and prom dresses. The hours are Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is no charge to browse.

Check with resorts for all current offers published. Hotels have all rights and can cancel or modify at anytime. On your drive up to Laughlin tune your radio to The Highway FM 98 & 99 for Bart Torres’ up-to-date Laughlin reports. GOOD LUCK!