Most of us have already celebrated the beginning of 2012, but the end of this month marks the beginning of Chinese New Year. The Chinese culture celebrates each New Year according to the lunar calendar which is why the date fluctuates from year to year. January 23 marks the beginning of the celebration for the auspicious Year of the Dragon.

The Dragon is the most powerful of all 12 signs in the Chinese Zodiac, which associates an animal to each calendar year. Everyone born in 2012 will be considered a Dragon. Dragons are said to be dominant, ambitious, driven, willing to take risks and unafraid of challenges. These strong character traits are said to cause an increase in births for every Dragon Year. Dragons are also said to be charismatic leaders. In the year 2000 the birth rate in China spiked and is expected to do the same this year.

Each Dragon Year is also associated with one of the five elements (metal, water, wood, fire and earth). 2012 is the year of the Water Dragon. Water Dragons are able to see things from other points of view. They don't have the need to always be right. Their decisions, if well-researched, are usually better since they allow others to become involved.

To kick-off the two week celebration a traditional Dragon Dance will be held on Monday, January 23 at 6pm to bring good luck and fortune for our guests. A 63 foot-long dragon will feature adult and baby lion dancers, buddhas, musicians and festive flags and will make its way through our entire casino.

Studio B Buffet will feature eight hard-to-resist New Year specialties. Until February 6 you can feast on Meatballs with Bok Choy, Poached Chicken with Ginger and Scallions, Spinach and Bamboo Shoots, Beef Lo Mein, Tofu and Eggplant with Black Bean Sauce, Lettuce Wraps, Mandarin Oranges with Leaves and Spring Rolls. Our bars will also be serving up specialty cocktails, a Lychee Martini and a Mulan cocktail.

Starting this Friday our limited edition Year of the Dragon gaming chip will be available. Keep the good luck coming and purchase the chip at our casino cage for $8. The chips will be available until supplies last.

You can use your commemorative Dragon Chip in our Poker Room for their Live Poker Lucky 8's promotion. From January 23 – 30 enjoy 8 days of great poker action. Flop four 8's and win $888. Make four 8's and receive $88. Plus, the first 88 players that make 8's full receive a collectible Year of the Dragon Gaming Chip. Play live poker every day at 8:08am and 8:08pm and a random lucky player will receive $88!

If you've celebrated Chinese New Year before or if this is your first time for the occasion we hope you take part in the festivities at our resort!

Party

We think cover charges are overrated so we invite our guests to celebrate without waiting in line or paying an entry fee. We'll be offering complimentary party favors, and cake and champagne stations throughout our casino. Toast the New Year with us and enjoy live entertainment beginning at 9pm in Lobby Bar, Ravello Lounge, M Bar and Hostile Grape. See which venue is the right fit for your celebration style.

Ravello Lounge - The New Year's evening will kick off in our lounge with go-go dancers and a DJ spinning hits to get the party started, beginning at 9pm. At 10pm, 80's tribute band Loveshack will take the stage and sing the best of the 80's and 90's and some NYE-style party music. The entertainment in Ravello will be going all night long and is ideal for our high-energy party goers.

Lobby Bar - Relax at Lobby Bar and take in a performance by Lowkey Junction. The band is a unique blend of masterful music mixes, live percussion and saxophone. With the best people-watching views, Lobby Bar is the perfect fit for a relaxed New Year's celebration.

M Bar - For those who like to be at the center of all the action, M Bar is for you. Located in the middle of our casino floor, DJ Simon and go-go dancers will be kicking off this party at 9pm. Get there early for a seat on M Bar's cushy couches or get your groove on to the tunes DJ Simon will be spinning.

Hostile Grape - Take a sip of more than 160 wines by the glass in our underground wine hideaway. Veteran DJ Art will be mixing up the music for the night for the oenophiles.

Play

End the year with good luck here at M! We'll be giving away $24,000 in free pay randomly beginning at 8pm on New Year's Eve. Every 15 minutes we'll be drawing 10 winners. Two players will win $300, four players will win $150 and another four will win $100. All you have to do is play with your iMagine Rewards Card to be eligible.

Not to be outdone, our poker room will be giving away a grand share of money as well. Play with us and you could win the following: Heart Royal = $2,012; Club Royal = $2,012; Diamond Royal = $2,012 and Spade Royal = $2,012. All Four of a Kinds = $212 and the poker room will have $2,012 in cash giveaways. Complete details can be found in the M Poker Room.

Dine

Our restaurants will be ready for you to kick-off the New Year's festivities. Marinelli's, our authentic Italian restaurant will be offering a la carte specialty items in addition to its regular menu beginning at 4pm and our steakhouse, Anthony's will be serving up a limited menu for the holiday starting at 5 pm. And of course, Studio B Buffet will be serving specialty dishes all day.

No matter which way you decide to spend your holiday night, we hope to have you at M to celebrate 2012! We wish all of our guests a happy and safe New Year.

It sure is - March Madness. If you haven't tried In-Running Wagering technology from Cantor Gaming here at M, the tournament is the perfect time. The folks over at Cantor asked themselves "Why should the betting action stop when the game starts?" The simple answer was that it shouldn't. From one of the betting stations in the book or from a mobile tablet you can use in areas beyond the book here at the property, the betting action at M matches the action on the court.

If sports betting isn't your thing though, have no fear. The property is filled with great venues which are in turn filled with lots of TVs for all your basketball viewing pleasure. On select dates between March 17 - April 4, you'll also be able to join in some viewing parties in Ravello Lounge hosted by Mike O'Brian from KKLZ 96.3. With drink deals, contests, prize giveaways and of course the lovely Bud Girls, it's going to be party after party. Check out the graphic for specific dates and time and join us here at M - bring on the Madness!

The reality is that M Resort Spa Casino is celebrating its second anniversary. We opened our doors on March 1, 2009 and have been open for business 24/7/365 since. It's been a remarkable two years for us - like the rest of Vegas, we've experienced our ups and downs, but fortunately most have been ups.

As another year has passed, we want to take the opportunity to say thank you. First and foremost, we'd like to express our gratitude to our wonderful guests - we know that without you there is no M Resort. You have continued to visit our property time and again and we cannot thank you enough for your continued patronage of the resort. We also have to say thank you to our amazing Team Members who once again have exceeded expectations a second year in a row and continue to challenge themselves and each other to even greater levels of guest service and exemplary performance in the many roles they fulfill every day.

If you'd like to join us in a little celebrating, we'll be doing some here at M this Saturday, March 5. You'll find free cake and champagne on the casino floor from 4-8 pm, a great promotion going on in our poker room, and you may be able to get your hands on a commemorative second anniversary shirt and casino chip. Don’t forget to take advantage of our most popular hotel room package deal too. We’d love to hear your “M” moments and memories from the last two year – share away!

Happy Birthday M.

Your happy hour options are almost endless here in Vegas - just about everybody has one (or several) and everyone is trying to get you to come to theirs. Isn't it a bit confusing though? Don't you hate having to plan your schedule around the happy hour or even happy hours? "We have to get there by 6 or we'll miss happy hour!" "Would you like to order another drink - happy hour ends in a few minutes?"

At M Resort you won't miss it and you won't be scurrying to find a server and order another before the magic hour is over, watching as the "spare" one you got just in case gets warm. Ours friends, is Happy Hour Guaranteed. What does that mean? Simple. Happy hour. Every bar. Every day. All the time. $5 for premium drinks, $3 for bottled beer and 1/3 off bottles of wine. It's simple, it's a great deal and it starts today. Sapphire and Tonic? Captain and Coke? Goose Martini up, extra dirty? Bottle of Stella? Bottle of your favorite cab? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. You call it, we pour it.

Thirsty?

Lobby Bar - M Bar - 32 Draft Bar - Red Cup Bar - Ravello Lounge Bar - Bar Veloce - Marinelli's Bar - Terzetto Bar - Hostile Grape Wine Bar

*Must be 21 years of age or older. Some restrictions apply. Management reserves all rights.

Offered 5-7pm now through the end of February, the upscale steak and seafood restaurant is delivering delectable half-price premium cocktails and half-price appetizers in their bar and lounge area. We weren't able to capture everything that was being served when we dropped by, but what we did see looks, smells and tastes delicious. Add that to a hip and stylish atmosphere and you've got a must-experience this weekend.

If you haven't had a chance to visit Terzetto yet, now is a perfect time. If you have had a chance to visit Terzetto, this is certainly a great reason to come back for seconds.

*Management reserves the right to alter or cancel this promotion at any time.

Ravello Lounge isn't just a great place to see live entertainment - it's also home to some pretty amazing technology. Not only are there more than 40 screens built into the walls that can showcase the onstage entertainment, but the large panels next to the screens can be programmed to visually match audio beats and more through visual representation.

Spring will be sprung in the not too distant future and you know what that means?! Wedding season. If you're looking for a spectacular custom cake creation for your special day or other special occasion, we can make just about anything you can dream up.

And speaking of cake, let's talk Baby Cakes. These are some of the custom tiles you'll find here inspired by European patisseries. It's the details that make all the difference, not to mention some unbelievably good pastries!

With warmer weather on the way, it's almost time to start enjoying dining al fresco. Veloce, Marinelli's, Terzetto and Hash House all feature great outdoor terraces where you can enjoy your meal, the weather and spectacular views of the pool area and Strip.

Hmmm, what to enjoy out on the terrace? How about some of the amazing cocktails Veloce is offering for Happy Hour in their bar & lounge? Red Sangria, Peach White Sangria and Rocks Margaritas with a superb selection of top-shelf tequilas for just $5 are all excellent choices.

Back to those details. When we have meeting/conference groups here with us at M, we do our utmost to show them we appreciate their choosing M Resort. From custom welcome messages on our marquee to these super-cool light-logos displayed in the water features behind check-in, we want you to feel welcome and appreciated.

And when you're in those meetings? Let's face it, meeting rooms can be a bit dull at times, but like the rest of M, we did our best to incorporate some amazing fixtures and fittings that add a little extra something.

Okay, so more d?cor, but you have to admit this is cool. These backlit, woven-metal walls can be found outside Studio B and also inside Spa Mio.

Nobody likes to have to go to the doctor, but it sure is nice to have one right down the corridor. M Family Care is like any other doctor's office, it's just located inside M Resort!

Gaming: 50 cash and dining prize winners selected each Wednesday at 4 pm with a $1,000 top prize available.*

Dining: Buy-one, get-one free buffet at the award-winning Studio B Buffet every Wednesday with a 50% discount for single diners.

Free pastry with purchase of a Medium coffee at Baby Cakes every Wednesday.

Buy-one, get-one free lunch entr?e at Hash House A Go Go every Wednesday from 1-5 pm.**

Salon: 30% discount on salon services at Spa Mio every Wednesday.

Entertainment: Special performance by classic crooner Mark O'Toole from 2:30-5:30 pm in Ravello Lounge every Wednesday.

So what's the catch? Well, there isn't any other than you have to be an iMagine Rewards member (which of course is free) and you have to be age 50 or more. No need to sign-up for a new card either - if you already have an iMagine Rewards card, you're good to go.

*Earn entries through new iMagine Rewards Member sign-up and on every 100 same day base points earned. Visit iMagine Rewards Club for complete rules and details.

**Free item must be of equal or lesser value of item purchased. Must purchase two beverages.

Management reserves the right to alter or cancel this promotion at any time. Visit M Resort for complete details.

We'll be hosting a property-wide Super Sunday Big Game viewing party on Sunday, Feb. 6 where the excitement is guaranteed to go beyond the sports book. View the game in a fun, upbeat atmosphere throughout the property with a live radio remote with KKLZ 96.3, prize giveaways including a ski trip and tickets to a professional football game, food and beverage specials and the lovely Budweiser girls.

Our celebration kicks off at 1 pm with a public viewing party inside Ravello Lounge. Equipped with 42 TVs, you can relax in the lounge's comfortable seats while enjoying $10 buckets of Bud and Bud Light, $3 Cuervo Orange Margaritas on the rocks and $2 Cuervo shots. Stadium-style food specials start at 2 pm with favorites including hamburgers, buffalo chicken wings, Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches, potato chips and more available for purchase with items starting at just $1.50!

If you're looking to stay close to the best race & sports book in Vegas or the casino gaming action you'll find drink specials at 32 Degrees Draft Bar, Lobby Bar and M Bar. Lobby Bar will offer its standard food menu starting at Noon. Drink specials include:

• $10 buckets of Bud and Bud Light 12 oz. bottles
• $3 Cuervo Orange Margaritas on the rocks
• $2 Cuervo shots

For those of you with a serious appetite, Hash House A Go Go will offer guests a big game special of 1 lb. stuffed Burgers and Fries with a domestic bottle of beer (or non-alcoholic beverage) or Two Giant Bratwursts with Fries with a domestic bottle of beer (or non-alcoholic beverage) for just $10.95. The restaurant will also offer additional beer and appetizer specials in the dining room from 3-11 pm.

For guests looking to bet on the game, the Cantor-operated race and sports book at the M Resort offers the perfect location. Guests are free to bet traditionally or use Cantor's In-Running wager, allowing them to bet continuously throughout the game.

The fun doesn't start or stop with the game however, as New Year's Eve entertainment headliner Wes Quave returns for encore performances on Thursday and Friday from 9 pm to 1 am and Saturday from 6:30 pm to 2 am in Ravello Lounge.

We hope you'll make M Resort your place for the Big Game! See you Sunday!

29 January 1903 - 15 February 1904

14 February 1915 - 2 February 1916

2 February 1927 - 22 January 1928

19 February 1939 - 7 February 1940

6 February 1951 - 26 January 1952

25 January 1963 - 12 February 1964

11 February 1975 - 30 January 1976

29 January 1987 - 16 February 1988

16 February 1999 - 4 February 2000

3 February 2011 - 22 January 2012

People born in the Year of the Rabbit are articulate, talented, and ambitious. They are virtuous, reserved, and have excellent taste. They are admired, trusted, and are often financially lucky. They are fond of gossip but are tactful and generally kind. People born in the Year of the Rabbit seldom lose their temper. They are clever at business and being conscientious, never back out of a contract. They would make good gamblers for they have the uncanny gift of choosing the right thing. However, they seldom gamble, as they are conservative and wise. They are most compatible with those born in the years of the Sheep, Pig, and Dog.

Now about that celebrating. As one of the only locals casinos celebrating the Chinese New Year, we're inviting locals and tourists alike to celebrate the Chinese New Year with some with festive d?cor including tangerine trees, welcome banners, lanterns and 8 selections of Asian favorites like Satsuma, spring rolls, Beef Lo Mein and more at our award-winning Studio B Buffet beginning February 3.

In addition a Year of the Rabbit collectible chip is available for purchase at the casino cage for $8 while supplies last. The poker room will offer special promotions including flop four 8s and win $888, make four 8s and receive $88 and the first 88 players that make 8s receive a collectible Year of the Rabbit Gaming Chip. Plus, play live poker every day from 8:08 am to 8:08 pm and a random lucky player will receive $88.

On Friday, February 11, M will host a traditional Chinese lion and dragon dance performed by the Lohan School of Shaolin. The dance will include a 30-person assembly with a 63-foot dragon including adult and baby lion dancers, Buddhas, musicians and festive flags. It will begin in the lobby to chase away evil spirits, continue through the casino floor, past the High Limit Salon, buffet, poker room and table games and end back at the lobby.