American Vantage casino plans approved

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- American Vantage Companies (OTCBB: AVCS.OB ) and its subsidiary, Brownstone GoldTown CV, LLC ("Brownstone GoldTown"), today announced that, effective January 3, 2008, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners (the "County Commissioners") approved Phases I and II of the planned GoldTown Hotel and Casino Resort project ("GoldTown"). As previously announced, the planned 300-room/suite resort with 105,000+ square feet of casino space, restaurants, entertainment venues and convention facility is to be constructed in Douglas County (minutes from Carson City, Nevada's state capital) on 45+ acres fronting Highway 395.

At the January 3, 2008 public meeting, the County Commissioners approved (i) a major variance for a building height of 100'; (ii) an amendment to the existing special use permit for the casino, hotel and retail operations; and (iii) zoning map amendments. The approval is contingent upon completion of specific development and/or construction criteria for permitting, notice of completion, certificate of occupancy and/or the life of the project.

Robert F. Gross, Brownstone GoldTown's Chief Executive Officer, commented, "We are pleased with the Douglas County approval of the GoldTown project. The predevelopment work is currently in the final design phase including pulling of permits. We have also received dry utilities input and approvals required to service the property and have started the FEMA report and GeoTech work. We expect that we will begin moving dirt in the second quarter of 2008 and, once begun, construction of the hotel and casino is expected to take approximately 15 to 18 months."

During the January 3, 2008 public meeting, the County Commissioners also introduced an ordinance to relocate the gaming district overlay and tourist commercial zoning district, as well as a reclassification of the remaining project site to "general commercial." Adoption of the ordinance requires the County Commissioners' approval and a second reading scheduled for February 7, 2008.

Brownstone GoldTown was assisted in this approval process by James R. Cavilia, Esq. with Allison, MacKenzie, Pavlakis, Wright & Fagan, Ltd. (Carson City, NV) and Group West Companies PLLC, a Seattle, Washington architectural and master planning firm