Welcoming 'Year of the Ram': Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino invites public to celebrate Chinese New Year

Festivities include lion dance, red envelope distribution Feb. 22

As the Chinese New Year holiday approaches, Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino is planning a grand celebration that is not to be missed.

On Sunday, Feb. 22, the lobby of the 26-story hotel tower at Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino will be transformed with a display of sights and sounds to celebrate the festive occasion. The public is invited to join in the celebration, beginning at 8:30, p.m. It will include a traditional lion dance, as well as a red envelope distribution. Guests can enjoy special limited-time dish offerings at Koi, the resort's Asian cuisine restaurant, including "Buddha's Feast," a vegetarian dish and braised lamb. Thunder Falls Buffet will feature a selection of Asian specialty dishes.

A traditional dance in Chinese culture, the lion dance is a demonstration in which dancers adorned in a majestic lion costume perform to the music of drums, cymbals and gongs. The red envelope distribution is another Chinese custom, meant to symbolize the sharing of fortune, in which envelopes containing monetary gifts are given out during special occasions. The red color of the envelope symbolizes good luck.

Since opening in 2002, millions of visitors from Western New York, Toronto, Markham, Hamilton and across the U.S. and Canada have made Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino the choice for entertainment, excitement and luxury.

"Seneca Niagara is an international resort destination and the Chinese New Year celebration is going to be a night for the community to embrace the Chinese culture," said Doni Taube, senior vice president of marketing for Seneca Gaming Corp. "This promises to be a dazzling display of sights, sounds and entertainment that those in attendance are going to remember."

Chinese New Year is a 15-day-long celebration to mark the turn of the Chinese calendar. To mark the occasion and the "Year of the Ram," Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino is planning a wide-ranging series of activities. In addition to the performances in the hotel lobby, the integrated resort is having several slot and table games promotions, including the $20,000 "Hot Seat" promotion Feb. 19, the first day of Chinese New Year, and Feb. 21. Winners will be selected every hour from 5 p.m. to midnight.

Information on all promotions and events can be found online at www.SenecaCasinos.com.