Tag Archives: Casino. Hotel

Reserve Casino Hotel in Central City, Co: Music Line Up for the Lava Room

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The Reserve Hotel Casino
321 Gregory Street
Central City, Colorado 80427
303.582.0800 | 1.800.924.6646

The Reserve sent me some comped show-tickets for the Lava Room. Juice Newton’s picture/name on the ad struck true. I had a total crush on her back in the day. Her persona was wild and free-spirited.

Juice Newton
Juice Newton

70s – 80s Pop Singing Diva, Juice Newton, is playing The Reserve Hotel Casino for two shows: 7PM and 9Pm on April 20, 2013.

“Born in New Jersey and raised in Virginia, Judith Kay Newton first picked up the guitar as an adolescent, inspired by the Byrds, Bob Dylan and folk artists like Tom Rush and Ian & Sylvia. By age 13 she was performing professionally (for the extravagant sum of $10), curving her small hand around the wide neck of her nylon-stringed axe and assaying folk and country tunes with her already impressive voice . Before long she’d partnered with some older teen musicians. “I’d written some songs but they weren’t very good,” she recalls, “so I mostly focused on my singing.” She would return to songwriting later, though, with some powerful results.”

“She, Otha Young and Tom Kealey formed the country-leaning group Silver Spur; they were signed and relocated to Los Angeles in short order, releasing their debut LP on RCA Records in 1975. By the time they moved to Capitol Records a few years later it was as Juice Newton and Silver Spur. In her capacity as a solo artist, she saw action on the charts with songs like “It’s a Heartache,” “Let’s Keep It That Way” and “Sunshine,” among others. Meanwhile, the Newton-Young composition “Sweet, Sweet Smile” became a hit for pop icons the Carpenters in 1978.”

“But it was with 1981′s Juice that the singer exploded into the mainstream, thanks to the enormous hits “Angel of the Morning,” “Queen of Hearts” and #1 country smash “The Sweetest Thing (I’ve Ever Known).” Delivering tearful, wall-of-sound pop, sprightly country-rock and everything in between with crystalline tone and infectious energy, Newton brought a sparkling authenticity to an era dominated by artifice. Juice went platinum and became an international monster, “The Sweetest Thing” spent 18 weeks in the Top 40, and Juice Newton earned two Grammy nominations for Best Female Vocalist.”

“Her 1982 album, Quiet Lies, was certified gold within months and spawned the hits “Love’s Been a Little Bit Hard on Me” (which scored Newton another Best Pop Female Vocalist Grammy nomination) and “Break It to Me Gently” (#1 AC, #2 Country, #11 Pop), which landed her a Grammy statuette for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. Among the other nominees in that category: Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Rosanne Cash. The disc also featured “Heart of the Night” (#4 AC, #25 Pop). She added a Country Music Award for Best New Female Artist, back-to-back Billboard Female Album Artist of the Year honors and Australian Music Media’s #1 International Country Artist win to her trophy cabinet.”

Other acts coming to the Lava Room in the foreseeable future: Dave Mason
April 27, 2013
Two shows: 7PM and 9PM

Little Texas
May 26, 2013
Two shows: 7PM and 9PM

Gwen Sebastian
Gwen Sebastian

Gwen Sebastian– SHOW’S OVER
February 17, 2013
Two shows: 7PM and 9PM

“Many voices contributed to Gwen Sebastian’s sudden and long-sought career growth, but which played the biggest part? Certainly her run on NBC’s hit singing competition The Voice was a huge boost. The sound of her coach and country superstar Blake Shelton offering a spot on his tour was equally sweet. One came in the form of a relative’s phone call, suggesting she attend an audition. There’s also the inner voice that brought her through a career crossroads before the show was even a consideration. Most recently, there’s the one that led her to a powerfully uplifting new single called “Met Him In A Motel Room.”

Reserve Casino Hotel Central City, CO

The Reserve Casino Hotel in Central City, Colorado

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Originally published June 21, 2012
New information/photo added July 12, 2012.
****New Gaming information below.

The Reserve Casino Hotel
The Reserve Casino Hotel

The Reserve Casino Hotel
321 Gregory St
Central City, Colorado
(800) 924-6646

In the space previously occupied by Central City’s long struggling FORTUNE VALLEY Casino Hotel, THE RESERVE Casino Hotel is making a stand – just a minute from the west-end of Central City Parkway, which is an entry point into the gaming, mountain-town of Central City, Colorado – 45 minutes from Denver. Fortune Valley struggled for years against the “big-boys” on the other-side-of-town (a five-minute drive) in Black Hawk. The big-boys were, at that time, The Ameristar and The Riviera.

Central City had the lock on mom & pop gaming until neighboring gaming-town Black Hawk started building Las Vegas-style casinos down the mountain. Then Black Hawk was getting the lion’s share of business – so… Central City – of Colorado Opera fame – fought back with a new road direct from I-70 into Central City: Central City Parkway (four-lane, 8.4 miles) which is an easy drive from I-70. It’s a safe(r), mountain-valley type, scenic road that passes by old, gold mines and gold/green pasture – and in the winter-time bypasses the sometimes dicey (when snow or other winter conditions are present) Highway 6, paralleling Clear Creek. Now Black Hawk is fighting back: building a four-lane road up/down Highway 6, but that’s another story for another day. I’ll report when the road is finished. The two main entrees into the area are: Highway 6 approaching from the east, paralleling Clear Creek, entering the east end of Black Hawk – at The Riviera! And from the west on Central City Parkway, down from I-70 east passing a few casinos then passing in front of The Reserve! As one can see, both are strategically located – hence the Highway Wars fighting for **the richest square mile on earth.

The Reserve sent me a hotel-room-comp with a chit-for-a-small-amount-of-playing-cash, food discounts and more. I graciously accepted the offer and took a break with the free room.

The hotel has been rethought as a vintage rock & roll showcase with scores (no pun intended) of 60s, 70s music-posters, such as The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Mothers of Invention etc. as well as (authentic) celebrity-autographs on guitars, like Eric Clapton’s, as well as someone’s Gold Record. I recall seeing a photo of Willie Nelson, can’t remember if it was autographed. Willie items are certainly appropriate since Willie Nelson used to live just over the hill near Evergreen, Colorado back in the day. I don’t think the guitars or the gold records are authentic, but was told that there is provenance with the autographs. Besides dozens of guitars, there are also American bike replicas like Captain America’s/Peter Fonda’s) American-Flag motorcycle from the great film classic, EASY RIDER. And to boot there is a huge 15-20 seat tabletop, video-poker bar shaped like a guitar, appropriately called The Guitar Bar (see below.) The Reserve is definitely an authentic, vintage rock & roll casino hotel. It’s a little bit like the Hard Rock in Las Vegas, but just to the extent that there are rock memorabilia everywhere. The theme seems to work and it seems to be the real deal. 60s and 70s groups like POCO, THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS and FOGHAT are currently booked in The Lava Room.

The Guitar Bar at The Reserve
The Guitar Bar at The Reserve

“Colorado’s Only Casino Showroom”
“This 300 person showroom is home to National music acts, local bands, comedians, UFC viewings, sports parties and club type feel in the evenings.”

“The Lava Room is fully equipped with a state-of-the-art sound system, HD TVs at every turn, dance floor, private bar, sunken stage with three levels of seating and standing area, specialty VIP sections, and new outdoor patio conveniently located opposite of the stage.”

The Lava Room
The Lava Room

The Reserve’s website shows basic room-rates from around $90.00 to $180.00. On the upper-end, suites run $140.00 to $200.00.

The rooms are definitely rock & roll: done-up in ***black/orange, yellow/black etc. That took a while to digest, but knowing the black/orange, black/red are all about the “color of fire” makes sense. The important things are that the rooms are clean and secure with flat-screens, coffee-makers, iron/ironing boards, hair dryers, shampoo/conditioner etc. and ice-makers/vending machines just down the hall, small refers and acceptable carpeting. It seems as though Fortune Valley was not in perfect condition when The Reserve took over. All in all it’s acceptable lodging, in my opinion. The beds are extremely comfortable.

Basic room at The Reserve
Basic room at The Reserve

The thing that’s more than acceptable is the little cafeteria/restaurant that serves, in my opinion, one of the best all-things-considered breakfast-buffet ever. $1.99 w/players card gets you: scrambled eggs – in several varieties, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, ham/sausage/bacon, hash-browns, fruit, muffins, bagels with a schmear and all of the rest of important basic American breakfast fare. The buffet is very compact compared to the bigs, but it’s really very adequate. I’ve not sampled the lunch or dinner yet but will in due time. Even if I stay at a different hotel, I’m sure I’d do The Chef’s Kitchen for breakfast.

Lil Buffet at The Reserve
Lil' Buffet at The Reserve

Here are the current prices and hours:
Breakfast: Monday through Friday, 7am – 11am, $5.99 – $1.99 w/players card
Lunch: Monday through Friday, 11am – 4pm, $7.99*
Dinner: Sunday through Thursday, 4pm – 8pm, $10.99*
Champagne Brunch: Saturday and Sunday, 7am – 4pm, $10.99*
Specialty-Dinner: Friday, Steak & Shrimp and Saturday, Prime Rib, 4pm – 8pm, $10.99*
*No discount with players card

There is also a little sandwich shop called Java Express that offers several Panini sandwiches for $5.99;
they also serve salads for about $4-bucks, beverages and Pizza slices ($1.99 or $.99 w/players card)
and whole pies for $5.99 and $10.99, or Calzones $7.99. Beer is available here by the glass or pitcher.

The Reserve also sports a fine-dining Tuscan steak house. Ardore, the Italian restaurant at the casino and hotel, features a 500-bottle wine display. This upscale restaurant is open Friday – Sunday evenings. Dinners are $16.00 – $23.00 – visit the website for complete menus. “Tom Celani is one of the owners of Reserve Casino Hotel, and has a commitment to provide Ardore Tuscan Steakhouse-Seafood-Wine Experience with the highest quality wine, food and guest service. Celani Family wines are featured in Reserve’s gourmet room, named after the Celani Family vineyards prestige wine Ardore.”

****I really can’t comment on the gaming since I really don’t know the casino yet other than saying that they have the standard electronic slots, including video-poker, Keno, Double Bonus and all of the Micky Mouse machines that are so prevalent today. Live tables include poker, blackjack, craps and roulette. ****New gaming information below.

**”The Richest Square Mile On Earth:” “The Colorado Gold Rush began in 1858, leading prospective miners and settlers to discover modest gold deposits in the South Platte River and Cherry Creek in the modern-day Denver area.” “In May of 1859, a major gold strike was found close to Clear Creek in the Rocky Mountains, and Central City was born. By July over 10,000 people lived in the new town of Central City and the surrounding areas.” “By the end of 1859, between $1-1/2 & $2 million in gold was estimated as having been discovered, and the region quickly became known as “The Richest Square Mile On Earthread more…

***After spending another comped night at The Reserve, I was delighted to find that they also have more tastefully decorated rooms like the room with Robin-blue walls in the photo below.

****Well I finally tasted the gaming at The Reserve, and it tasted pretty damn good. Usually I don’t like to comment on gaming since it can be a dicey situation if someone reads an article and looses cash. I’ll just lay it out as it was, but please don’t “bank” on the information leading you to winning hands. I searched for a particular type of machine. I like to play Video Poker and Keno machines, usually in small denominations like pennies or nickels. I found a machine and it was smoke’n. In a two-hour stretch, I hit several four-of-a-kinds, one of which was four-4s which, as you may know pays pretty good. This was a Multi Game slot with variable coin choices of $.05, $.25, $.50 and $1.00. This could be a fluke or as is usually the case I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Whatever the reason, it’s always better to win than to loose. I reserve the right to not reveal the slot or the location – other than saying that I was on the lower floor. Are the slots in the Colorado mountains finally loosening up a bit?

The Reserve - Blue Hotel Room
The Reserve, Blue Hotel Room - photo by WCCarbone

On my last trip up to Central City I snapped this cool (and wet) photo with my little Canon SD 1200 IS. A very welcome rain was saturating the mountain-side. FYI: Those mounds of golden-hued earth are tailings from the gold mines.

Central City in a summer rain
Central City in a summer rain - photo by WCCarbone

Some photos are from The Reserve. See more photos on The Reserve’s website.

Visit The Reserve’s Official Website
Visit the Main pages of LasVegasBuffetClub.Com

Casinos raise stakes in Colorado

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LVBC Ace of Spades

At 12:01 a.m. Thursday, July 2, 2009, Colorado casinos raise gaming stakes a notch: raising wager limits from $5 to $100, adding Roulette and Craps, and extending hours to a full-blown 24/7. Prior to the passing of amendment 50, the casinos closed at 2 a.m. and the only (table) games in town were: poker, blackjack and let it ride.

From ColoradoGamingNews:
“24/7 gaming will be available soon”
“Are you ready to gamble?”

“Gamblers and casino operators alike are anxiously anticipating 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, July 2, when Amendment 50 goes into effect and high stakes gaming becomes a reality in Colorado.”

“That’s the exact minute when craps tables and roulette wheels will be unveiled. Five-dollar limits will be a thing of the past. And when 1:45 a.m. rolls around, gamblers won’t hear that ominous loudspeaker voice announcing that it’s time to cash out and head to their rooms or, for day gamblers, head home.” read more from ColoradoGamingNews… or click here for the CGN home page…
Visit the LasVegasBuffetClub’s Colorado Gaming pages…

The M RESORT Is Scheduled To Open March 1 In Henderson, Nevada

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M Resort Pool
M Resort Pool

“Located in Henderson on the southeast corner of Las Vegas Boulevard South and St. Rose Parkway, M RESORT is scheduled to open March 1, 2009.

M RESORT is eight miles south of Mandalay Bay on So. Las Vegas Blvd.”
M Resort
12300 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Henderson, Nevada 89044

M Resort Phase One:
-Shopping mall consisting of 1,000,000 square feet
-400 room hotel
-Casino containing almost 100,000 square feet of space
-9 Restaurants
…..Baby Cakes
…..Marinelli’s
…..Red Cup Cafe
…..Studio B
…..Terzetto
…..Veloce Cibo
…..Vig Deli
-5 Bars
-Pool
-Spa
-Meeting and Convention Space

More Information From [By Jeff Pope] LasVegasSun.Com
Sat, Feb 28, 2009 (2 a.m.)
“M Resort banking on reasonable prices in tough economy.”

“As of Sunday, residents will have a new place to eat, rest and play south of the Strip.”

“M Resort opens its doors with all nine of the property-owned restaurants and five bars serving guests, a full-service spa and 92,000 square feet of indoor and poolside gaming.”

“Opening night festivities include a poolside musical show with fireworks beginning at 9:50 p.m.”

“Designed with an Italian theme and natural materials, the resort’s wood, stone, warm color palette and abundance of natural light — including skylights in the casino — are intended to create a different environment from a traditional casino, said chairman and Chief Executive Anthony Marnell III” read more…

Access M Resort’s Official Website
Go to the LasVegasBuffetClub’s main pages…