The Flamingo Hilton will begin construction on a $7 million, 25,000- square-foot ballroom, the first of its kind in Laughlin. Construction will begin in May with executives hoping for a December opening and a casino-invited guest party on New Year's Eve 2000.

The construction will more than double the meeting and convention space currently utilized by the hotel. Upon complete, the new ballroom will have the capacity to seat more than 1,200 guests for dinner and 2,000 for concerts and events. The resort plans to expand its already successful entertainment program to include year-round concerts, Broadway shows and boxing.

The new ballroom will be built over an existing structure housing the hotel's purchasing and receiving departments. The existing meeting space in the hotel will be incorporated into the new ballroom's breakout and storage area. The Flamingo will install four escalators to accommodate the increased flow of customers attending conventions and concerts.

After the ballroom is completed, the hotel will begin to refurbish the entire third-floor recreation deck that includes an Olympic-size swimming pool and three tennis courts.

Popular singer Rick Springfield will perform his Top 20 hits like "Jessie's Girl" and "Don't Talk To Strangers," along with material from his new album, "Karma," in the Rio Vista Outdoor Amphitheater at Harrah's. Tickets are $20 per person, call 1-800-447-8700 or 702-298-8510.

Country singing star Chris Ledoux will headline at Don Laughlin's Riverside, April 6-8. Tickets are $27.50, call 1-800-227-3849, ext. 616.

The Ramada Express will focus on country-western fun during the city-wide Stampede Rodeo event, April 5-9. On the gaming side, active players in the resort's premium slot lounge, Grand Junction, may be one of 20 lucky daily winners of $100 each day.

On the entertainment side, the Ramada Express will hold 8 p.m. concerts each of the four nights. Arizona Jamboree will lead off on April 5-6. Tickets are $12.95 per person. Ricochet, the Academy of Country Music's and Country Weekly Magazine's Top New Vocal Group, was named No. 1 selling group in country music for 19 straight weeks. Some of their hits are "Daddy's Money" "What Do I Know" and "Love Is Stronger Than Pride." Tickets are $19.50 per person for their shows on April 7-8.

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Additionally at the Ramada, the chuck wagon BBQ will be $6.99 and the Speaks Brothers Band will perform in the Caboose Lounge from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. There is never a cover or a minimum in the lounge.

The Colorado Belle offers four fantastic daily Dive-In Dinner Specials in four different restaurants for $8.95. Plus, through April 26, 2000, Club Belle members can receive $2 cash back on Dive-In Dinner Specials on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

The Sweet 16 special in the Boiler Room Microbrewery and Restaurant is a 16 oz. T-bone steak served from 4 to1 0 p.m. Surf and Turf, lobster and prime rib, are served in the Paddlewheel Restaurant from 3 to 10 p.m. BBQ Chicken and Ribs are reserved for Mark Twain's restaurant from 4 to 9 p.m. The Mississippi Lounge has the Catch of the Day in the ambiance of French Quarter courtyard seating from noon until 9 p.m.

If you're not already a member of Club Belle, stop by the Club Belle booth, located on the main casino floor and sign up...it's free.

The Edgewater is offering Easter getaway room packages for April 21-22. The packages begin at $69 for a two-night/three-day stay with two rime rib dinners, two breakfast buffets and two cocktails included, call 1-800-67-RIVER.

The Edgewater is also offering rodeo fans a special room package over the Laughlin River Stampede PRCA Rodeo, April 7-8. Packages begin at $125, and include three days/two nights accommodations, two rime rib dinners and two rodeo performance tickets and two T-shirts.

The Checkmates, Sweet Louie and Sonny Charles, always provide high energy, audience friendly shows. They will bring their extroverted performances to the Rivers Palms, April 4-9, from 6 to 11:30 p.m. There's no cover or minimum the Bermuda Club.

Car poolers and senior citizens will get a break on a future toll at Lake Mohave that's expected to be enforced in late May. Those over 62 years old can purchase "golden age" passports that are good for the individuals' lifetimes. The cost is $10 and allow senior citizens to bypass the vehicle fee. The passports also allow seniors to get camping spots and lake use at half price.

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