Laughlin History

This is a page in progress, some facts may be missing or incorrect.

Year Laughlin History notes
The gaming industry in Laughlin, 40+ years ago, was the Riverside Bait Shop and the Bobcat Club. The area was called "South Point", because it's location being the most southerly portion of Clark County and Nevada. Davis Dam had been completed in the 1950's with most of the housing being located on the Arizona side of the Colorado River. The Nevada side consisted of these two small clubs and some fishing camps. Basically, nothing was happening on the Nevada side of the river.

In 1965, Don Laughlin bought the Riverside and Oddie Lopp bought the Bobcat Club. The Riverside became a full sized casino with motel rooms and the Bobcat Club was renamed the Nevada Club. Parking lots were built on the Arizona side of the river and Taxi boats started carrying passengers to the casinos. Irwin Soper and Jack Cleveland built the Monte Carlo (later named Crystal Palace and later just a burnt out building owned by Don) and that was the start of Laughlin, Nevada. The casinos prospered, flourished and expanded.

1931 Gambling legalized in Nevada. Thanks Bugsy!
1942 Construction starts and stops on Davis Dam; last steamboat runs the Colorado River; last precious metal taken from Katherine Mine. Bullhead City is created.
1946 Construction resumes on Davis Dam
1953 Davis Dam finished.
1966 Don Laughlin buys Riverside Bait Shop and opens as Riverside Resort.
1967 Second casino, Bobcat Club opens in Laughlin. Later becomes the Odie Lopp's Nevada Club and evolves into Golden Nugget - Laughlin.
1968 Third casino the Monte Carlo Later becomes the Crystal Palace opens. U.S. postal inspector officially renames South Point as Laughlin.
1979 Colorado Club, later becomes Pioneer Hotel opens.
1980 Regency opens. Laughlin pop. 80
1982 Edgewater opens.
1984 Sam's Town Casino opens.
1987 Colorado Belle opens. Laughlin Bridge opens.
1988 Ramada Express opens
1990 Flamingo Hilton Laughlin opens. Laughlin population 4,791
1993 First jet lands at Bullhead City airport. Don Laughlin and Bob Cashell sign agreements with Fort Mohave Tribe to run casinos on reservation land. Laughlin population 7,500;
1995 Riverside Resort completes new tower adding approx. 1000 more rooms and a non-smoking casino area
1995 Avi Resort opens operated by the Fort Mohave Tribe.
1998 Gold River Hotel becomes the River Palms Hotel and Casino. Construction begins at the Riverside Resort for a 34 lane bowling center to be completed by Jan.1999
1999 Riverside Lanes opens Jan 29th
1999 Plans are announced for the addition of 2 new casinos. Tentative plans call for a Mall/Theater/Casino to be built south of Harrah's Del Rio Resort. The 2nd Casino will be located on the land behind the Ramada Express.
2000 Flamingo Hilton Laughlin changes name to Flamingo
2001 Regency Closes
2003 Regency reopens
2006 Flamingo closes and reopens as Aquarius
2007 Ramada Express closes and reopens as Tropicana Express