2003

Thursday, June 10, 2010 | 2 p.m.

Big stories

Mandalay Bay – The resort opened its $236 million convention center, bringing more competition to the Las Vegas Convention Center and the Sands Expo Center.

Westin Casuarina – The long-vacant Maxim hotel-casino was renovated and reopened as the Westin Casuarina.

The Jitters – The coffee shop chain, founded in 1991, filed for bankruptcy protection.

Investigation – The FBI started interviewing executives at PurchasePro.com, the once high-flying technology company that had filed for bankruptcy.

Iraq War – Travel agents, convention operators and casinos said their business plans were largely unaffected by the U.S.-led attack on Iraq on March 19, 2003, that launched the second Persian Gulf War.

Planet Hollywood – A May 2, 2003, our story noted Planet Hollywood was considered the weak link in the plan for investors to take over the bankrupt Aladdin. The Planet Hollywood-led group obtained and held onto the Aladdin until 2010, when the property defaulted on debt payments and was taken over by Harrah’s Entertainment.

Meadow Gold – The company broke ground for a dairy in North Las Vegas, joining Ken’s Foods and Interstate Brands’ Hostess Bakery in opening local food plants.

Notable Q&As

Tony Marnell, whose company Marnell Corrao Associates was building Le Reve (now Wynn Las Vegas), was asked about problems with construction companies not getting paid and having to file liens against projects.

“We work with owners that pay their bills and we work with owners that have the money to pay for the projects that they want to build. It’s that simple,’’ Marnell said in a Q&A interview.

Award winning journalism

Nevada Press Association awards won in 2003

First Place

• Community Service – Yucca Mountain Coverage

• Best Business Story – Jennifer Shubinski

• Best Business Coverage

• Best Special Section – Editorial

• Best Page One Design

• Best Overall Design

Second Place

• Best General News Photo – Steve Marcus

• Best Business Story – Liz Benston

• Best Headline Writing – Steve Green

40 Under 40: Where are they now?

Frank Gatski: Class of 2003

Gatski was recognized on our 2003 list when he was president and owner of Equus Management Co. Equus Las Vegas Associates was founded in 1991 to manage its Las Vegas commercial real estate portfolio.

Gatski had previously served as vice president of Equus and bought out the firm’s existing partners and took the helm of the company in early 1999. He shaped Equus into a property management firm that provided landlord services such as in-house leasing and building and landscape maintenance.

Today, Gatski is the chief executive officer of Gatski Commercial Real Estate Services. He has been in a Las Vegas resident for 35 years – 20 of which have been in the commercial real estate profession.

He majored in business at UNLV.

Gatski holds the Certified Property Manager and Certified Commercial Investment Member designations and has been a licensed Nevada real estate broker since 1988.