Tuesday, March 18, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
The gain compares with a 4.5 percent gain for hotel-casinos in January, based on a win of $646.7 million.
Taxes on sales and casino wins account for three-quarters of the revenue needed to run state government.
Las Vegas sales totaled $1.28 billion in January, up 11.6 percent; and sales in the Reno area totaled $289 million, barely up 0.8 percent.
Eight outlying Nevada counties reported decreases, including Douglas - hard hit by winter storms and flooding - which had a 17.6 percent decrease.
Other counties with decreases included: Elko, down 3.4 percent; Lander, down 38.9 percent; Lincoln, down 9 percent; Mineral, down 3.2 percent; Nye, down 1.8 percent; Storey, down 37.4 percent; and White Pine, down 27 percent.
The biggest monthly gain was 139 percent in Esmeralda County.
A breakdown of the January sales activity statewide showed auto sales were up 6.9 percent, building material sales were down 6 percent; and general merchandise sales were up 2.4 percent.
Statewide restaurant and bar sales, indicators of tourist traffic, were up 7.7 percent. Such sales were up 1.9 percent in the Reno area, and up 9.5 percent in Las Vegas.
The January sales statewide generated $126.4 million in sales taxes for state and local governments. The state's share of the sales tax was $36.8 million.
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