Las Vegas Review-Journal (Las Vegas, NV) articles from December 2002

Las Vegas Review-Journal (Las Vegas, NV) archives from December 2002

Las Vegas Review-Journal Nevadan At Work Column.
December 1, 2002... Byline: Matthew Crowley Dec. 1--Leslie Parraguirre's career path started in the doll house. Although the president of Las Vegas interior design firm Colours Inc. once had Mattel's manufactured dwellings and standard-issue furnishings...

Caesars Casino Again Sponsors Major Heavyweight Boxing Matches.
December 1, 2002... Byline: Rod Smith Dec. 1--Caesars, once known for creating modern boxing spectacles, is getting back in the proverbial ring as the sponsor of two heavyweight matches set for December and March. The spectacles are more than boxing...

Fortunes Are Better for Once-Struggling Las Vegas Casino.
December 1, 2002... Byline: John Gurzinski Dec. 1--What a difference a year has made for the operators of Summerlin's JW Marriott and its leased Rampart Casino. Last November the former Regent Las Vegas was purchased in a U.S. Bankruptcy Court auction for...

Wall Street Analysts Foresee Respectable Growth for Gambling Companies in 2003.
December 1, 2002... Byline: Rod Smith Dec. 1--Like automobile dealers, Wall Street analysts are offering a first look at the lineup of gambling companies for 2003, and their reviews, while positive, are tempered with caution. "We're projecting earnings...

Las Vegas Review-Journal Gaming Chips Column.
December 1, 2002... Dec. 1--PARK PLACE STUCK IN NEUTRAL: Casino industry insiders have been busy speculating about possible changes in store at Park Place Entertainment Corp., the industry's top revenue producer, after Chief Operating Officer Wally Barr took over...

Las Vegas Review-Journal Business Calendar Column.
December 1, 2002

Las Vegas Review-Journal The Online Guy Column.
December 2, 2002... Byline: Al Gibes Dec. 2--SAMSUNG EXEC BUILDS BRAND ONLINE: Peter Weedfald gets it. He understands the power of the Internet to build brand awareness and grow profits for Samsung Electronics (www.samsungusa.com), where he is vice...

Las Vegas Review-Journal Inside Business Column.
December 2, 2002

Soaring Prices for Land Drive Cost of Las Vegas-Area Housing Upward.
December 3, 2002... Byline: Hubble Smith Dec. 3--The median price of a new home in Las Vegas rose nearly 7 percent in October to $182,670, compared with the same month a year ago, Home Builders Research reported. That's down from a high of $183,456 in...

Executives for Bankrupt Las Vegas Resort Get More Time for Reorganization Plan.
December 3, 2002... Byline: Jeff Simpson Dec. 3--A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge on Monday granted Aladdin executives another three months to produce a plan to sell or reorganize the bankrupt property. Judge Clive Jones' order extended the Aladdin's...

Nevada Sen. Reid Will Push for Outright Ban on Internet Gaming.
December 3, 2002

Las Vegas Review-Journal Inside Business Column.
December 3, 2002

Las Vegas Airport Plans to Beat Federal Baggage Security Deadline.
December 4, 2002... Byline: Chris Jones Dec. 4--Despite a new loophole that could extend Congress' Dec. 31 deadline requiring all checked passenger baggage to be searched for explosives, the head of federal security at McCarran International Airport said...

Funeral Held for Las Vegas Businessman, Philanthropist.
December 4, 2002... Byline: Jeff Simpson Dec. 4--Hundreds of the late Ralph Engelstad's friends and family members turned out Tuesday to pay their final respects to the Imperial Palace founder. Engelstad, who died at his Las Vegas home on Nov. 26 after a...

Nevada Chapter of Real Estate Association OKs Study on Tax Effects.
December 4, 2002... Byline: Hubble Smith Dec. 4--The Southern Nevada chapter of a national real estate association has commissioned a study by UNLV to determine how the proposed gross receipts tax will affect the local commercial real estate industry, an...

Ground Broken on New Holiday Inn Express in Las Vegas.
December 4, 2002

Park Place Entertainment Hopes to Have $8 Million Award Overturned.
December 5, 2002... Byline: Jeff Simpson Dec. 5--Park Place Entertainment lawyers plan this week to ask a judge to overturn a jury's decision awarding more than $8 million to a California gambler who claimed he was defrauded by the company's Paris and Las...

New Las Vegas Sheriff Warns Terrorists Could Ruin Community.
December 5, 2002... Byline: Rod Smith Dec. 5--Las Vegas's gaming industry is extremely vulnerable to possible terrorist attack, the county's sheriff-elect told a group of casino security officials Wednesday. "If we have any terrorist attack in Las Vegas,...

Las Vegas Review-Journal Business Briefs Column.
December 5, 2002

Las Vegas Review-Journal Inside Business Column.
December 6, 2002... Dec. 6--BROKERAGES LAUNCH WYNN COVERAGE: Four investment brokerages on Thursday launched coverage of Wynn Resorts, the company led by developer Steve Wynn that's building the $1.63 billion Le Reve project on the Strip. Bear, Stearns & Co....

MGM Mirage Teams Up with Developer to Build Condominiums on Theme Park Site.
December 6, 2002... Byline: Jeff Simpson Dec. 6--MGM Mirage announced Thursday that it's teaming up with the developer of Turnberry Place to build a luxury condominium and hotel complex on the site of the now-closed Grand Adventures theme park northeast of...

Las Vegas-Based Mandalay Group Offsets Losses with Gains at Flagship Resort.
December 6, 2002... Byline: Jeff Simpson Dec. 6--Strong third-quarter performance at Mandalay Bay enabled Mandalay Resort Group to offset sluggish results at its other Strip resorts, the company reported Thursday. Mandalay Resort reported record...

Nevada's Proposed Tax Plans Seem Kind to Casinos, Analysts Say.
December 6, 2002... Byline: Rod Smith Dec. 6--The Governor's Task Force on Tax Policy's recent proposals to address the state's fiscal crisis let gaming companies off lightly enough to escape serious consequences, analysts and academics agree. Last...

Navajo Group, Virginia Firm Team Up on Electric Transmission Line Project.
December 6, 2002... Byline: John G. Edwards Dec. 6--A Navajo organization and Virginia company are planning to build a 470-mile, high-voltage transmission line that will link the Las Vegas area with northwestern New Mexico. The 500-kilovolt, $600 million...

Four Las Vegas Malls Report Strong Holiday Business.
December 6, 2002... Byline: Chris Jones Dec. 6--Fueled by strong sales over the four-day Thanksgiving weekend and an expected sense of urgency among consumers, executives from four local shopping malls said Wednesday they're expecting double-digit sales...

Nevada Power Says Cost of Wind, Geothermal Power Is Close to Other Contracts.
December 8, 2002... Byline: John G. Edwards Dec. 8--The price of wind power and geothermal power comes close to those of conventional power, Nevada Power Co. says. The Las Vegas-based utility is asking the Public Utilities Commission to approve six...

Las Vegas Review-Journal Nevadan At Work Column.
December 8, 2002... Byline: John G. Edwards Dec. 8--Peggy Pierce, a newly elected Democratic assemblywoman from Las Vegas, has loved politics since childhood. One of her earliest memories is of marching in front of Boston City Hall, protesting a school...

Investors Accuse Las Vegas Broker of Failing to Pay Back Loans.
December 8, 2002... Byline: John G. Edwards Dec. 8--Retiree Walter Stiegman knows he may not recover all $100,000 he and his wife invested with Global Express Capital Mortgage a year ago. But he said he will keep complaining to the brokerage and regulators...

International Game Technology's Stock Price Lifts Gaming Index.
December 8, 2002... Byline: Rod Smith Dec. 8--Local gaming stocks' market value generally rose in November, buoyed by an exceptionally strong performance by International Game Technology, the leading manufacturer of slot machines. The Applied Analysis...

Las Vegas Review-Journal Gaming Chips Column.
December 8, 2002... Dec. 8--INSIDER RAPS NEW BLACKJACK PAYOUT: Gambling insiders are criticizing a recent trend on the Strip. Many major resorts are now offering single-deck blackjack games that pay naturals at 6-to-5 instead of the traditional 3-to-2, a trend...

German Group to Meet in Las Vegas; Conference Should Boost Tourism.
December 8, 2002... Byline: Chris Jones Dec. 8--Las Vegas will host next year's DerTour Travel Academy, an event expected to significantly increase German tourist visits to city in 2004 and beyond. Each fall, DerTour, a Frankfurt-based travel...

Law Boosts Oversight of Mortgage Industry.
December 8, 2002... Byline: John G. Edwards Dec. 8--In recent years, the mortgage brokerage industry has produced some colossal failures in Las Vegas, including Harley L. Harmon Mortgage in 1997. Harmon was managing $22 million in mortgage loans when it...

Las Vegas Company Says It Can Help Construction Firms in Litigation.
December 8, 2002... Byline: Hubble Smith Dec. 8--A small Las Vegas business believes it can help slow the onslaught of construction defect litigation by providing builders with easy-to-access documentation they can use to defend their construction methods....

Resorts, Retailers Say Rodeo Rush Helps Them Rope In Revenue.
December 8, 2002... Byline: Chris Jones Dec. 8--Although the competition will take place exclusively at the Thomas & Mack Center, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo's economic impact will be felt by businesses throughout the Las Vegas Valley. Now in its...

Las Vegas Seeks Foreign Tourists.
December 8, 2002... Byline: Chris Jones Dec. 8--Stagnant economies, terrorism and the threat of war between the United States and Iraq continue to prevent many foreigners from visiting Las Vegas, but local tourism officials still believe the time is right to...

Las Vegas Review-Journal Business Calendar Column.
December 8, 2002

Las Vegas Area Partnership Reaches Settlement in Construction-Defect Case.
December 8, 2002

Chief at Harrah's Entertainment Outlines Strategy.
December 8, 2002

Mortgage Loans Differ from Stocks, Bonds.
December 8, 2002

Las Vegas-Area Casinos, Paper Manufacturer Want to Leave Nevada Power System.
December 8, 2002

Las Vegas-Based Herbst Gaming Aims to Acquire IGT's 1,100-Machine Slot Route.
December 8, 2002

Las Vegas Review-Journal Inside Business Column.
December 9, 2002... Dec. 9--LV RANKS HIGH ON TRAVEL LIST: Hotwire.com, a discount travel Web site, said Las Vegas ranked among its top 10 most requested cities for holiday travel. In a statement, Hotwire said December holiday bookings are up 47 percent from...

Las Vegas Review-Journal The Online Guy Column.
December 9, 2002... Byline: Al Gibes Dec. 9--Size does matter. Especially in digital photography where smaller cameras are producing larger images and the excuses for not having a camera always handy are vanishing. The Casio Exilim Wearable Card...

Company Plans to Redevelop Las Vegas' Gaughan Casinos.
December 10, 2002... Byline: Jeff Simpson Dec. 10--A Barrick Gaming Corp. executive Monday said the company's $82 million deal to buy a collection of downtown casino and motel properties was a vote of confidence in the future of downtown. Barrick...

Las Vegas Hotels See Weak Room Rates for Coming Holidays.
December 10, 2002... Byline: Rod Smith Dec. 10--Christmastime room rates are way down this year, giving Strip operators little to be cheerful and merry about, according to new data collected by Wall Street broker Bear, Stearns & Co. Based on advance...

Las Vegas Area's Million-Dollar Home Count Grows.
December 10, 2002... Byline: Hubble Smith Dec. 10--Ken Lowman walks into a $4.5 million home for sale at Canyon Gate Country Club and notes that the drapery around the expansive picture window in the great room probably costs $75,000. This is a...

Las Vegas Doesn't Expect Tourism to Be Affected by United's Bankruptcy.
December 10, 2002... Byline: Chris Jones Dec. 10--United Airlines' bankruptcy filing had no discernible effect on local air traffic Monday and should result in few short-term changes for travelers, sources at McCarran International Airport said. Despite...

Commission Approves Contracts for Laughlin, Nev., Development Appraisal.
December 11, 2002... Byline: Hubble Smith Dec. 11--The Colorado River Commission approved contracts Tuesday for two independent appraisers to determine the value of 110 acres owned by the commission near Laughlin. A contract price of $3,500 was approved...

Ergonomics Can Expand Productivity, Profit Potential.
December 11, 2002... Byline: Matthew Crowley Dec. 11--Ergonomics is a big word describing a big idea: the science of how things are designed so people can use them efficiently. But experts at Tuesday's National Ergonomics Conference and Exposition said...

Las Vegas Looks to Boost Tourism in New Year.
December 11, 2002... Byline: Chris Jones Dec. 11--New Year's Day is more than three weeks away, but Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority board members on Tuesday got an early look at two strategies that could dramatically affect the local tourism...

Las Vegas Casino Earnings Are Up but Still 'Disappointing'.
December 12, 2002... Byline: Rod Smith Dec. 12--Cash flow at Las Vegas' top publicly traded casino companies continued rebounding in the third quarter although most of the improvements were the result of heavy cost-cutting and easy comparisons to the...

Incoming Boss Maps Out Plans for Harrah's Entertainment.
December 12, 2002... Byline: Rod Smith Dec. 12--The future of the gaming industry rests on effective education programs, at least according to Gary Loveman, incoming chief executive officer at Harrah's Entertainment Inc. That's not too surprising coming...

New Head of Nevada Home-Builders Group Calls for Reform.
December 12, 2002... Byline: Hubble Smith Dec. 12--Legislative reform is needed to keep the American dream of home ownership alive in Las Vegas, the new president of the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association said. Steve Hackney, president of...

Las Vegas Plans $500,000 Fireworks Display for New Year's Eve.
December 12, 2002... Byline: Chris Jones Dec. 12--For the third consecutive year, New Year's Eve in Las Vegas will include a large-scale fireworks display over the Strip. Dubbed "America's Party," the upcoming holiday display will include more than 65,000...

Nevada Casinos Report Higher Gaming Revenue in October.
December 13, 2002... Byline: Jeff Simpson Dec. 13--Nevada's casino revenue numbers were up in October, but state officials and industry insiders were quick to note that the monthly results benefited from comparison with the depressed figures that followed the...

New Housing Luring Retail Development to Las Vegas, Report Says.
December 13, 2002... Byline: Hubble Smith Dec. 13--The Las Vegas retail market will continue to benefit from the region's strong population and residential growth, according to a fourth-quarter report from Marcus & Millichap, a real estate investment...

Advocacy Group Calls for Higher Minimum Wage for Nevada Workers.
December 13, 2002... Byline: Matthew Crowley Dec. 13--An advocacy group, citing a new report suggesting the state's median wages failed to keep pace with inflation during the past decade's business boom, wants Nevada to establish a higher minimum wage level...

Las Vegas-Based Slot Maker Alliance Gaming Moves to New York Stock Exchange.
December 13, 2002... Byline: Rod Smith Dec. 13--When the opening bell rang Thursday, signaling the start of the day's trading on the New York Stock Exchange, Alliance Gaming Corp. came out swinging. With a troupe of costumed characters from its line of...

Interior Secretary Pushes Rule Enforcement for Tribal Casinos.
December 13, 2002... Byline: Tony Batt Dec. 13--Interior Secretary Gale Norton, responding to national publicity about problems in Indian gaming, said Thursday the benefits of tribal casinos will be undermined without effective regulation. "As we have seen...

Las Vegas Review-Journal Inside Business Column.
December 13, 2002

Chef at Las Vegas Restaurants Resigns from Aqua Development Corp.
December 13, 2002

Anniversary of Legendary Las Vegas Casino's Opening Nears.
December 14, 2002... Byline: Jeff Simpson Dec. 14--Sunday marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Sands, the legendary Strip casino imploded to make way for Sheldon Adelson's The Venetian. The Venetian plans no ceremonies to commemorate its...

Room Rates to Rise at Las Vegas Hotels after New Year's.
December 14, 2002... Byline: Rod Smith Dec. 14--After hefty holiday discounting to hold the line on hotel occupancy over the holidays, casino operators are raising room rates for the post-New Year's weekend. Average weekday rates across the Strip increased...

Land Developer Serious About Acquiring Las Vegas-Area Parcels.
December 14, 2002... Byline: Hubble Smith Dec. 14--Garry Goett makes it perfectly clear he's a serious land developer in Las Vegas, bidding millions of dollars for some of the larger parcels offered at recent BLM auctions. In November, he marched into the...

Mexican Congressional Committee Approves Watered-Down Gaming Legislation.
December 14, 2002... Byline: Rod Smith Dec. 14--The outlook for Mexican casino gaming is not good, at least in the near term, meaning the prospect of competition for Las Vegas from south of the border is just about dead. A congressional committee in the...

Las Vegas Review-Journal Nevadan At Work Column.
December 15, 2002... Byline: Jeff Simpson Dec. 15--Las Vegas Little League official Mike Aker runs one of the valley's two Little League districts, supervising thousands of kids, hundreds of volunteers and dozens of umpires and other support staff members. ...

Las Vegas Economy Gauge Slides in November.
December 15, 2002... Byline: Hubble Smith Dec. 15--The Southern Nevada Index of Leading Economic Indicators dropped to 127.79 for November, giving back the gain from the two previous months, a local economist said. Though eight of the 10 series data, as...

Las Vegas Review-Journal Gaming Chips Column.
December 15, 2002... Dec. 15--NO BIG NAMES FOR ALADDIN? NO SHOCK: The lack of well-known casino operators among the names of those bandied about as possible bidders for the bankrupt Aladdin is no surprise, one casino industry analyst said. "The spread of...

Indian Casinos in Southern California Compete with Las Vegas Attractions.
December 15, 2002... Byline: Rod Smith Dec. 15--In a reversal of fortunes, American Indians may finally be winning a battle with the white man. Heading into 2003, downtown Las Vegas is being left in the dust by the glitz of a new generation of tribal...

Las Vegas Tourism Is Still Recovering.
December 15, 2002... Byline: Rod Smith Dec. 15--The tourism industry's seesaw performance continued in October with the visitor head count up 4.2 percent compared with last year, but down 4 percent compared with pre-terrorist attack October numbers. ...

Las Vegas Review-Journal Business Calendar Column.
December 15, 2002

Las Vegas Review-Journal Inside Business Column.
December 16, 2002... Dec. 16--PUBLIC RADIO GROUP NAMES NEW OFFICERS: Nevada Public Radio Corp., the owner and operator of KNPR-FM (89.5), recently elected board officers for the 2003-2004 term. Newly elected officers are: Louis Castle, chairman; Mickey Roemer, vice...

Experts Say Cell Phone Users Must Relearn Manners.
December 16, 2002... Byline: Matthew Crowley Dec. 16--David Dahan remembers how being a cell phone hotshot caused quite a hang-up. In his early days as a cell phone user, Dahan, now the chief executive officer of Las Vegas insurer Orgill & Singer, said he...

Las Vegas Review-Journal The Online Guy Column.
December 16, 2002... Byline: Al Gibes Dec. 16--READERS THINK ILL OF MICROSOFT CHIEF: Now I know what gets your blood pressure up: Bill Gates and Microsoft. My recent call for ideas on how to help Bill find ways to help the rest of us told me that many of...

Las Vegas Review-Journal Inside Business Column.
December 17, 2002... Dec. 17--LV RANKS HIGH AMONG SEARCH TOPICS: Las Vegas ranked as the most asked-about vacation destination in searches done on the Ask Jeeves search engine in 2002, Ask Jeeves Web Properties reports. In a statement, Ask Jeeves said Las Vegas...

Pieces Fall into Place for Wynn Resorts' Casinos in Macau, Las Vegas.
December 17, 2002... Byline: Jeff Simpson Dec. 17--Plans are almost finalized for his casino resort in Macau and construction is under way at his $2 billion Le Reve, and Steve Wynn no longer has to worry about lining up financing for Wynn Resorts. Life is...

Food 4 Less to Open Two Recently Acquired Grocery Stores in Southern Nevada.
December 17, 2002... Byline: Chris Jones Dec. 17--A top Food 4 Less official said Monday his company this week plans to re-open two of the eight Southern Nevada grocery stores it recently acquired from Raley's, a Sacramento, Calif.-based food and drug store...

Holiday Bonuses Missing but Parties Plentiful in Southern Nevada Offices.
December 17, 2002... Byline: Matthew Crowley Dec. 17--Joe Vassallo, owner of Las Vegas-based Paragon Pools, loves the holiday season, valuing it as a time for home, hearth and happiness. So this year, when holiday week arrives, he'll let his two employees have...

Pennsylvania Firm Settles in Trial over Bid for Las Vegas-Based Southwest Gas.
December 17, 2002

Etiquette Expert Discusses Cell Phone Manners.
December 17, 2002

Las Vegas-Area Casino Company Reports Strong First Year.
December 18, 2002... Byline: Jeff Simpson Dec. 18--Green Valley Ranch Station Casino turns 1 year old today, and for owners Station Casinos and the Greenspun family, it's a very happy birthday. Station Casinos operates the $300 million locals casino, and...

Casino Developer Looks to East Coast States.
December 18, 2002... Byline: Jeff Simpson Dec. 18--Steve Wynn is keeping tabs on possible moves to bring casino gambling to cash-strapped Eastern states, but the Le Reve developer said he's focusing on his Strip and Macau projects. Recent news stories have...

Nevada Commission Approves SBC's Long-Distance Plans; FCC Has Yet to Weigh In.
December 18, 2002... Byline: John G. Edwards Dec. 18--SBC, formerly known as Nevada Bell, hopes to start offering long-distance, and possibly local, telephone service in the Las Vegas area by April. The telephone company currently provides local telephone...

Las Vegas Airport Traffic Increases in November.
December 19, 2002... Byline: Chris Jones Dec. 19--Passenger traffic at McCarran International Airport was up 6.8 percent in November, the Clark County Department of Aviation said Wednesday. Approximately 2.71 million travelers arrived and departed at the...