Laughlin, Nevada facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Laughlin, Nevada
Unincorporated town
View of Laughlin
Location of Laughlin in Clark County, Nevada
Laughlin, Nevada Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	Nevada
County	Clark
Founded	1964
Named for	Don Laughlin
Area
• Total	17.33 sq mi (44.89 km2)
• Land	16.34 sq mi (42.33 km2)
• Water	0.99 sq mi (2.56 km2)  1.55%
Elevation	558 ft (170 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	8,658
• Density	529.70/sq mi (204.52/km2)
Time zone	UTC−08:00 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−07:00 (PDT)
ZIP Codes	89028–89029
Area code(s)	702 and 725
FIPS code	32-41000
GNIS feature ID	0856066

Laughlin is a town in Clark County, Nevada, United States. It's about 90 miles (145 km) south of Las Vegas, right at the southern tip of Nevada. Laughlin is famous as a resort town with lots of fun things to do, especially gaming (like casinos) and water sports.

In 2020, about 8,658 people lived there. The U.S. Census Bureau calls it a "census-designated place" (CDP) for counting people. Laughlin is located on the Colorado River, near the Davis Dam and Lake Mohave. It sits directly across the river from a larger city called Bullhead City, Arizona.

The area around Laughlin, including Bullhead City, Arizona; Needles, California; Fort Mohave, Arizona; and Mohave Valley, Arizona, has a total population of about 100,000 people. Laughlin is also about 286 miles (460 km) northeast of Los Angeles.

The town is named after Don Laughlin. He was from Owatonna, Minnesota, and bought the southern tip of Nevada in 1964. At that time, Don Laughlin ran a club in Las Vegas. He opened what became the Riverside Resort. He wanted to name the community Riverside or Casino, but the post office chose Laughlin instead.

History of Laughlin

Avi Resort and Casino Golf Course in Laughlin in 2007

The area where Laughlin is now was first settled in the 1940s. It was called South Pointe because it was close to the southern tip of Nevada. Back then, it had a motel and a bar. These places served gold and silver miners, workers building the Davis Dam, and people who loved to fish. In the 1950s, after the dam was finished, many workers left, and the town almost disappeared.

How Laughlin Became a Resort Town

In 1964, Don Laughlin, who owned a club in Las Vegas, flew over the area. He saw that it had great potential for tourism. He decided to buy the land. Within a few years, his Riverside Resort motel and casino opened. It started small with only 12 slot machines and two live game tables, but it quickly became very popular.

Soon, more casinos opened. The Bobcat Club started in 1967, where the Golden Nugget Laughlin is now. In 1968, the Monte Carlo casino also opened. Across the river, Bullhead City, Arizona, could see the bright lights of Laughlin's casinos. Boats would take visitors from Arizona to the resorts in Laughlin and back. The very southern tip of Nevada, where the Colorado River meets Nevada, California, and Arizona, became a popular place for tourists and gambling in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s.

Growth and Development

The 1980s were a time of big growth for Laughlin. Many new hotels and casinos were built. These included the Colorado Hotel (now the Pioneer), The Regency, Sam's Town Gold River (now the Laughlin River Lodge), and The Edgewater. Other investors saw how much the town was growing and wanted to be part of it.

This led to another building boom, with places like The Colorado Belle, Harrah's Del Rio, and The Ramada Express (now The Tropicana Express) being built. In 1987, Don Laughlin paid $3.5 million to build the Laughlin Bridge. This bridge connected Laughlin to Bullhead City and he gave it to the states of Nevada and Arizona. Today, about 30,000 vehicles cross this bridge every day. In 1990, the Flamingo Hilton, now called The Aquarius, was also built.

The Mohave Power Station, a power plant, opened in 1971 but closed down on December 31, 2005.

Attempts to Become a City

In 2012, some people living in Laughlin wanted it to become an official city. They felt that being part of Clark County was causing them to lose business chances. They also wanted more local control over their town. However, when people voted on this idea, 57 percent said no, and 43 percent said yes.

In 2019, a bill (Senate Bill 213) was proposed in the Nevada government. It would have made Laughlin a city without needing a vote from the people. This bill did not pass. In 2021, another bill (Senate Bill 79) was introduced to allow for an election to become a city in 2022. This bill also did not pass. Some residents worried that becoming a city would make Laughlin too expensive for older people, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Geography and Climate

Laughlin is a low-lying community in Nevada, sitting about 558 feet (170 meters) above sea level. The area defined as the "census-designated place" (CDP) of Laughlin covers about 89.3 square miles (231.3 km²). Most of this area, about 88.0 square miles (227.9 km²), is land, and 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²) is water.

Laughlin's Desert Climate

Laughlin has a hot desert climate. This means it gets less than six inches (15 cm) of rain each year. Summers are extremely hot. Days often go above 110°F (43°C) in July and August. Even at night, temperatures usually stay between 76°F and 86°F (24°C and 30°C).

Laughlin is one of the hottest cities in the United States during the summer. It's rare, but temperatures can sometimes go over 120°F (49°C). On June 29, 1994, Laughlin recorded the hottest temperature ever in Nevada state history at 125°F (52°C). Winters are mild, with daytime temperatures usually between 65°F and 75°F (18°C and 24°C). Nighttime lows are typically between 43°F and 52°F (6°C and 11°C).

Things to Do in Laughlin

Laughlin is the third most visited place for casinos and resorts in Nevada, after Las Vegas and Reno. It's also one of the top five places for people who travel in RVs. The casino area has more than twenty-four places to eat and drink.

In 2019, Laughlin had 1.8 million visitors.

Annual Events in Laughlin

• Talent Quest National Finals: Since 2001, the Tropicana Express Hotel and Casino has hosted this singing competition. It happens in the third week of September. Singers compete to be the best in different music styles like Pop/Rock/R&B and Country/Western.
• Laughlin River Run: From 1983 to 2019, this event brought thousands of motorcycle riders to Laughlin each spring, usually in late April.
• New Year's Celebrations: For New Year's Eve, people can celebrate twice! Bullhead City, Arizona, is one hour ahead of Laughlin. So, you can ring in the New Year in Bullhead City. Then, you can cross the bridge to Laughlin and celebrate again one hour later!

Education in Laughlin

The Clark County School District serves Laughlin. Children take buses to local schools, all located within the town. These schools are:

• William G. Bennett Elementary School (Kindergarten to 5th grade)
• Laughlin Junior High School (6th to 8th grade)
• Laughlin High School (9th to 12th grade)

The Junior High School and High School share a campus. It has many modern facilities, including a well-equipped auditorium and a gymnasium.

Community Resources

Laughlin has a Community Resources Center located in the Clark County Regional Government Center complex. Several groups offer help to the public from this building:

• The River Fund, Inc.: This local non-profit group helps individuals and families in emergencies and crises.
• East Valley Family Services: This non-profit organization supports Laughlin with programs for families, children, and seniors. They also give advice about other public assistance programs.
• State of Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services: This office provides temporary help for families, people with disabilities, and the elderly.
• The local office of the Southern Nevada Health District and the constable's office are also in this building.

Public Library

Laughlin has a public library that is part of the Las Vegas–Clark County Library District. The Laughlin Library offers full access to the district's large collection of books, magazines, and videos. It has computers with printers, internet access for public use, and wireless internet. There's also a children's library, study rooms, a community room, and a small art gallery. It is the largest rural library in Clark County, with 15,562 square feet (1,446 m²) and over 70,000 books.

Parks and Recreation

Laughlin has several parks and outdoor areas for fun:

• Colorado River Greenway Heritage Trail Park: This park is in the northern part of Laughlin. It has 9 miles (14 km) of trails for biking, walking, and horseback riding. There are restrooms, picnic spots, shaded areas, fishing piers, and a large playground with water sprays in the summer. A pedestrian bridge over State Highway 163 connects to the Colorado River.
• Mountain View Park: Located in the center of Upper Laughlin, this park is next to the Spirit Mountain Activity Center and near the town library. It has two softball fields, a playground, an exercise trail, tennis courts, basketball courts, a volleyball court, shaded picnic tables, a dog run, and a skateboard park.
• Town Pool: At the south end of Upper Laughlin, the town pool is open during the summer. It has locker rooms, shaded tables, and a large water park-style slide.
• Big Bend of the Colorado State Recreation Area: This large 2,100-acre (850 ha) park is at the southernmost part of the township, on the west bank of the Colorado River. It's a great place for boating, fishing, camping, picnicking, and hiking on 4 miles (6 km) of trails.

Transportation in Laughlin

There are no major highways that go through Laughlin. The town has about twelve traffic lights, mostly in the Casino District. Nevada State Route 163 connects Laughlin to southern Nevada and to Arizona State Route 95 in Bullhead City. This connection is made by a bridge over the Colorado River. A second bridge, south of Bullhead City, is planned to open in June 2024.

Silver Rider Transit provides bus service on two routes in Laughlin. One of these routes runs 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Silver Rider also has express buses that go to Las Vegas. The Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport (IFP) is across the river in Bullhead City, Arizona. This airport offers casino-sponsored charter flights and is also used by private planes. Private shuttle companies connect Laughlin with Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. There's also a shuttle that connects Laughlin with the Amtrak train station in Kingman, Arizona.

See also

In Spanish: Laughlin (Nevada) para niños