Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino

Riverside Resort

Riverside Resort in 2008
Location Laughlin, Nevada, U.S.
Address 1650 South Casino Drive
Opening date August 2, 1966 (1966-08-02)
Theme Classic
No. of rooms 1,405
Total gaming space 89,106 sq ft (8,278.2 m2)
Notable restaurants Cinnabon
Dreyer's
Fatburger
Pizza Hut
Owner Don Laughlin and Family
Renovated in 1972, 1975, 1983, 1986, 1994, 1999
Website riversideresort.com

Riverside Resort is a hotel and casino located on the banks of the Colorado River in Laughlin, Nevada.[1][2]

History

Don Laughlin bought the southern tip of Nevada in 1964 (informally called South Pointe). Laughlin operated the 101 Club in Las Vegas. He opened what would become the Riverside Resort which offered all-you-can-eat chicken dinners for 98 cents, 12 slot machines and two live gambling tables, and 8 motel rooms - 4 of which were occupied by Don Laughlin's family. Laughlin wanted to call the community "Riverside" or "Casino" but the Post Office opted for Laughlin.[3]

In 1972, Don Laughlin expanded by building a west wing that added 48 rooms, and in 1975, a 52-room east wing was built. Construction of a 14-story hotel/casino tower in 1983 added 253 rooms and in 1986, a second fourteen-floor tower added 307 more rooms and an automotive museum. With free admission to the public, the Riverside's extensive collection is an offshoot of the famous Harrah's collection. The largest expansion came in 1994 with the addition of 792 more rooms in a 30-story hotel tower, which remains the tallest of the hotel towers in Laughlin. The expansion cost more than $70 million. A 34 lane bowling center, the only one in Laughlin, was constructed in 1999. Today the resort has 1,405 rooms, and a 6 screen movie theater.

The Riverside poker room is smoke-free and has a large rear window with a vista of the Colorado river and nearby mountains. The cash games are frequented by a few local players, but mostly they are occupied by motor-home driving retirees visiting Laughlin for the weekend. The $15 buy-in poker tournaments that Riverside holds 3 times daily are shoot-outs that last one hour (timed), which makes them super-aggressive "All-in" festivals. Players must choose their starting hands carefully in these tournaments because they must be prepared to call an all-in on the majority of hands, especially in the last 15–20 minutes.

The resort has a full-service RV park with 740 spaces, as well as several restaurants. The hotel has a yacht, The U.S.S. Riverside, which is available for charter.

Don Laughlin's Classic Car Collection

Don Laughlin's Classic Car Collection is a free exhibition of antique, classic and special interest automobiles, housed in two separate areas at the resort hotel. There are also some trucks and motorcycles. The first hall, located next to the main valet entrance, displays a rotating selection that includes horseless carriages, cars used in motion pictures, and a motorcycle owned by actor Steve McQueen. The main Classic Auto Exhibition Hall is located on the third floor of the south tower, and also features privately owned vehicles that are for sale on consignment.

References

  1. ↑ "Listing of Financial Statements Square Footage". Nevada Gaming Control Board. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
  2. ↑ Apgar, Blake (August 2, 2016). "Don Laughlin helps Riverside mark 50th anniversary". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
  3. ↑ "History of Laughlin, Nevada". A2zlasvegas.com. Retrieved 2012-01-05.

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