The City of Laughlin is located on the Colorado River, about 100 miles south of Las Vegas. The Flamingo Laughlin is the largest hotel in Laughlin with 1,907 rooms in two 18-story towers and a 57,000 sf casino. Situated on approximately 18 acres, amenities include seven restaurants, 35,000 sf of meeting space and a 3,300-seat amphitheater. The property also features an outdoor pool, fitness center, lighted tennis courts and 2,420 parking spaces.

"After extensive research, we chose Aquarius Casino Resort because it helps to convey the attributes we wanted in a new brand: luck and winning, fun and close proximity to the Colorado River," says ACEP chief executive Richard Brown. Brown recently named John Lind as senior vice president and general manager for the property.

Lind has 11 years experience in the Laughlin market, most recently as senior vice president, finance and administration for the Ramada Express Hotel/Casino. He also is a former president of the Laughlin Tourism Committee. At Flamingo Laughlin, Lind will oversee the transitional phase as well as the transformation into the new Aquarius brand.

The casino will be refurbished with extensive changes to the casino floor, slot product and systems. Guest rooms will be refurbished with an emphasis on enhancing the guest suites. Dining outlets will be upgraded with a focus on enhancing food quality and the overall guest experience. The property will continue to book headliner acts in the 3,300-seat amphitheater along with new entertainment in the indoor venues.

American Casino & Entertainment Properties owns a trio of Las Vegas properties, including the Stratosphere Casino Hotel & Tower, Arizona Charlie's Decatur and Arizona Charlie's Boulder. In mid-May, GlobeSt.com reported that Harrah's Entertainment had obtained unanimous approval from the Nevada Gaming Commission to sell the Flamingo Laughlin to ACEP, a subsidiary of American Real Estate Partners LP, for $170 million. Included in the acquisition was a 7.7-acre chunk of land on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City. The transaction was announced in November and is expected to close in June, though ACEP already has taken over property operations.