Las Vegas News - Page 727

The good times just keep rolling for the Las Vegas gaming and entertainment industry. Visitor volume and airline passenger traffic are reaching record numbers, putting Southern Nevada on a pace to attract 34 million people this year, up 10 percent from 1998.

There's plenty of room at the inns, but it will cost you plenty to stay there. Prices are high, and three-night minimums are required. But one expert says soft demand may lead to lower prices.

Station Casinos Inc. announced a deal to buy land in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson that was to be the site of a Santa Fe Gaming Corp. hotel-casino. The $37.25 million deal also gives Station first right of refusal to take over the Santa Fe hotel-casino in northwest Las Vegas.

The appointment of Hector Mon as president of the Las Vegas Tropicana hotel-casino, effective Jan. 6, may signal a more aggressive approach by Aztar Corp. toward reinvigorating the aging Strip resort, which hasn't been able to compete effectively with newer Las Vegas hotel-casinos.

NBA Commissioner David Stern has clearly put the ball back in Las Vegas' hands regarding a possible sports arena and basketball franchise. But it seems Mayor Oscar Goodman is facing at least a half-court shot over the hands of the towering casino sports betting industry if he really wants to sink the winning basket.

Station Casinos, operator of five casinos in the Las Vegas area, announced plans to remove two slots from all of its casinos, fearing they appeal to children. The company is removing "Three Stooges," produced by Shuffle Master, and "Betty Boop," operated by Bally Gaming and Systems.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway has negotiated what is believed to be the most lucrative single-race sponsorship in auto racing for its NASCAR Winston Cup race in March. CarsDirect.com has agreed in principle to serve as the title sponsor for the March 5, 2000 event. Sources say the fee is in the range of $1.9 million.

Las Vegas is on track to bring in a record 34 million visitors this year, up 10 percent from the 30.6 million who came here in 1998, the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority said in a recent report. The city now has more than 120,000 hotel and motel rooms, yet occupancy rates are up.

The union complains of a "vicious anti-union campaign'' at the Strip resort, which says the union is exaggerating. The Teamsers and Operating Engineers say the Strip hotel-casinos always force them to have an election to get representation of workers, while they give the larger Culinary Union the easier method of a card check procedure.

National Sports Services Inc. of Las Vegas is seeking an injunction against five former employees, prohibiting them from selling and disseminating its customer lists and trade secrets, soliciting its customers and engaging in any competing sports information business in Nevada until Oct. 15, 2000.

The new owner of the Silver City Casino intends to spend "millions" to upgrade the Las Vegas Strip property, and foresees reopening the casino next summer. Luke Brugnara, owner of Brugnara Corp. in San Francisco, said he paid "between $30 million and $40 million" to purchase Silver City.

A portrait stolen by the Nazis and later returned to the owner's heirs has been added to the masterpieces on display at the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art in Las Vegas. "Odalisque" is a vividly colored depiction of a North African harem woman painted by Henri Matisse during his "Nice period" in 1928.

The 800-room Maxim hotel-casino will be closed Dec. 6, throwing 791 employees out of work just in time for the holidays, employees were told Thursday. The receiver said the Dallas company that bought the Maxim in May, Premier Interval Resorts Inc., refused to provide operating funds for the property.

The 800-room Maxim hotel-casino will be closed Dec. 6, throwing 791 employees out of work just in time for the holidays, employees were told Thursday. The receiver said the Dallas company that bought the Maxim in May, Premier Interval Resorts Inc., refused to provide operating funds for the property.

Two Californian television producers won a court order Sept. 29 that allows them to complete filming of a bungee-jumping competition off the Stratosphere hotel-casino tower. A Stratosphere official said the event resumed Wednesday after the hotel-casino cancelled the competition on Tuesday afternoon because of concerns about wind conditions.

Two Californian television producers won a court order Sept. 29 that allows them to complete filming of a bungee-jumping competition off the Stratosphere hotel-casino tower. A Stratosphere official said the event resumed Wednesday after the hotel-casino cancelled the competition on Tuesday afternoon because of concerns about wind conditions.

Through the first 12 races of Sam Schmidt's Indy Racing League career, the Henderson resident left as many races in an ambulance (six) as he did in his race car. Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Schmidt finally left the track as a champion, the first time in 26 IRL starts.

Rates for hotel rooms on the Las Vegas Strip are currently running from $100 to $379 a night on weekends and from $69 tp $275 a night on weekdays. Price swings are more extreme and more frequent in Las Vegas than in most other cities. If your travel plans are flexible, you can find better bargains on rooms.

Rates for hotel rooms on the Las Vegas Strip are currently running from $100 to $379 a night on weekends and from $69 tp $275 a night on weekdays. Price swings are more extreme and more frequent in Las Vegas than in most other cities. If your travel plans are flexible, you can find better bargains on rooms.

Virgin Atlantic Airlines will begin nonstop service between London and Las Vegas early next year. The airline, owned by billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson, is expected to offer up to three flights a week initially. London is considered a key component in Las Vegas' efforts to generate more international flights.