On Oct. 16, MGM Mirage announced that it plans on selling the Colorado Belle Hotel & Casino and Edgewater Hotel and Casino to a partnership of Anthony Marnell III and Sher Gaming. The sale price is $200 million.

The Colorado Belle is a fixed building along the Colorado River made to look like a six-deck replica of a 19th century Mississippi paddlewheel riverboat with 1,168 recently remodeled rooms in two seven-story towers. The 65,000-square-foot casino has more than 1,200 slot machines, a keno lounge, poker room and sports book on "B" deck. The resort has six restaurants, two gift shops, two pools, a fitness room, koi pond, beauty spa, arcade, and private beach on the river.

The Edgewater on the banks of the Colorado River has 1,450 rooms in a large 26-story tower, and has a casino with more than 60,000 square feet of gaming space. It has the largest race and sports book in Laughlin, plus poker and a keno lounge. The hotel also has a pool and several restaurants.

The pink-themed Flamingo Laughlin since its sales is continuing a transformation into a blue-hued Aquarius. Old signage is being replaced and name changes are plentiful. Most of the new names have either a water theme or refer to signs of the zodiac.

Some of the changes are: Zodiac Bar (Rainbow Bar); The Cove (Riverwalk Bar); Splash Cabaret (Club Flamingo); Window on the River Buffet (Paradise Garden Buffet); Caf‚ Aquarius (Flamingo Diner); Taurus Steakhouse (Beef Barron); Aqua Bella (Alta Villa); Gemini I and II conference rooms (Macaw I and II conference rooms); Aquarius Pavilion (Flamingo Ballroom); and The Wedding Chapel (Bird of Paradise Wedding Chapel).

Currently under construction is H20H! @ The Aquarius that will be an outdoor patio addition to the Splash Cabaret on the Riverwalk. Other initial changes include a new look to the Casino Cage, new ocean wave patterned casino carpet, a repainted lighter color ceiling, some new wallpaper, and new exterior signage. The property's entrance has gone from pink to blue. Next month there will be a celebration for the grand re-opening.

Over a hundred hot rods, muscle cars, and classic cars will be on display at the Ramada Express, Nov. 2 - 4, when the hotel casino hosts the 8th Annual Express Run. The free three-day car show will include a variety of auto beauties including race cars and military vehicles.

The event will be located in the north casino parking lot and be open free to the public. Amazing autos can be seen Thursday, Nov. 2 in the afternoon, all-day Friday, and Saturday until noon.

Games and contests, including the popular Fan Belt Toss and Poker Walk, will be conducted throughout the auto show. Attendees will compete for cash prizes that will be given out on Saturday.

A free dance will be held on Friday, Nov. 3 from 8 - 11 p.m. in the American Heroes Pavilion. For more information, contact Kay Furuyama at 619-993-8513.

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Country superstar Randy Travis will be headlining at the Flamingo Outdoor Amphitheater on Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30 and $35; call 800-435-8469.

In 2005, Travis was awarded a Grammy for "Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass, Gospel Album" for his "Worship & Faith" album. In April 2006, he won a Dove Award for "Country Album of the Year" for his Word Records/Curb/Warner Bros. album of traditional hymns, "Glory Train." This year, Travis is back on the big screen, this time in a thriller, "The Visitation," from 20th Century Fox. The film was directed by Robby Henson and is based on the New York Times-bestselling novel by Frank Peretti.

Early in his career, Travis, who was born Randy Bruce Traywick, was turned down by nearly every record label in Nashville, often more than once. He was finally signed to Warner Brothers Records in 1985 and record company executives changed his name to Travis.

From Nov. 8-March 31, the show "Fusion," which is a blend of magic, comedy and illusion featuring Bryson Lang, Danny Cole, Joseph Gabriel and Katalin will be performed nightly except Tuesday at the River Palms. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. performances will be $14.95.

Another new show will be Jeff McBride - "Magic on the Edge!" at the Edgewater's Kokopelli Showroom from Nov. 3-22.

Employees at the Colorado Belle and Edgewater are jumping into the holiday shopping season with an Employees' Craft Show on Saturday, Nov. 4 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be interesting and unique gifts such as snowmen, dolls, quilts, woodcrafts and much more. The show will be held on the "D" deck at the Colorado Belle.

On Nov. 11, the Monster Truck and Extreme Freestyle Motor Sports Spectacular will take place at the Avi's Special Event Arena. The event will highlight a monster trucks and daring motorcyclists show. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. show are $12 in advance and $15 at the gate.

A Veteran's Day Program will be held at the Ramada Express on Nov. 11 with Major William Mimiaga, USMC Ret. as the keynote speaker at 1 p.m. The program is free.

Singer and 1950s teen idol Frankie Avalon will take center stage at Don's Celebrity Theatre in the Riverside Resort, Oct. 31-Nov. 5. Tickets are $32; call 800-227-3849, ext. 616.

By the time Avalon was 12, he began making appearances on television for his trumpet prowess, and as a teenager, played with Bobby Rydell in a band known as Rocco and the Saints. In 1959, his songs "Venus" and "Why?" both went to No. 1 on Billboard magazine's Hot 100.

During the 1960s, Avalon became known for his roles in the beach film genre. Later, he became the U.S. national television spokesperson for Sonic Drive-In. As his music and acting career has slowed down, Avalon has turned to marketing and created Frankie Avalon Products, a successful line of health supplements and cosmetic products.

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