Man implicated in Internet sex site may get a break

Nevada gaming regulators appear ready to give James Gish a break.

Gish, general manager of Sassy Sally's, 32 E. Fremont St., and of Coin Castle Casino, 15 E. Fremont St., was denied by the state Gaming Control Board earlier this month in his application for licensure as general manager at both casinos.

But the Nevada Gaming Commission Thursday agreed to refer back to the Board Gish's request to withdraw his application. The move, likely to be supported by the Board, would require Gish to leave the gaming industry for at least one year, but would carry a far less severe stigma than a denial.

Gish has been licensed as general manager at the properties for two years. His license was scheduled to expire this month to give the Board a chance to review problems they identified in 1996 with tip hustling at the casinos.

At it's July 1 meeting, the Board declined to re-approve the license, citing Gish's involvement in an Internet sex site business.

At Thursday's meeting, Gish disavowed his involvement in the Web site.

"After working in the industry for 20 years, I made a very poor judgement and a terrible mistake," Gish said.

If the Board allows Gish's application withdrawal, he will work at Glitter Gulch, a topless cabaret owned by Sassy Sally's and Coin Castle owner Herb Pastor. Glitter Gulch does not offer gaming. Gish will be eligible to reapply for a general manager's license in one year.

Board members also said they were investigating Pastor's involvement in Netcard LLC, a company that would have handled credit card payment to the Web sex site. Gish maintained the site made no money and that therefore Pastor never received any money from Netcard.

In other action, the Commission:

--Approved the transfer of a 17.67 percent interest in Joe G. Maloof and Co., owner of the Fiesta hotel-casino, from Michael J. Maloof to a partnership owned jointly by nine members of the Maloof family.

--Approved an application by Green Valley Gaming Inc. of Las Vegas to operate a slot machine route. However, the board denied Green Valley applications to operate slot machines at two MacFrugal's stores. MacFrugal's is a discount store, not a traditional licensee, such as a grocery store or convenience mart, the commissioners ruled.

--Approved Bradly Exber as a trustee of The Mel Exber Family Trust, which has an ownership interest in the El Cortez, Western Hotel & Casino, Union Plaza Hotel & Casino and Las Vegas Club. Exber was also approved as an officer of the Las Vegas Club.

--Approved a nonrestricted slots-only gaming license for Cheyenne Saloon & Gambling Hall Inc., doing business as Fort Las Vegas, 2428 E. Cheyenne in North Las Vegas.

--Approved a nonrestricted gaming license for Village Pub & Casino-Summerlin, 2610 Regatta Drive.

--Approved Craig Hodgkins as president, director and general manager of the Sahara hotel-casino and as president of Big Jackpot Slots Inc., 2535 Las Vegas Boulevard South. Both casinos are owned by Gordon Gaming Corp.

--Approved Morris Goldstein as president, chief executive and director of Alliance Gaming Corp. and seven Alliance subsidiaries.

--Approved an application by The Poker Palace, 2757 Las Vegas Blvd. in North Las Vegas, to conduct pari-mutuel wagering.

--Authorized participation in pari-mutuel race books operated by American Wagering Inc., doing business as Leroy's Horse and Sports Place, by several Nevada casinos, including Stratosphere Gaming Corp., Riviera Operating Corp., Ramada Express Hotel Casino, Tropicana Resort & Casino, Lady Luck Casino Hotel and Hotel Ramada of Nevada.

--Approved the participation of Finger Lakes Racetrack, in Farmington, N.Y., and of Penn National Race Course, in Grantville, Pa., in Nevada pari-mutuel race book wagering.

--Approved a restricted gaming license for Tequila Reds, 1590 E. Flamingo, and approved Martin Kerkorian as president, treasurer, secretary and owner of Tequila Reds. Kerkorian's license was limited for two years due to a 1992 drunk driving arrest.

--Approved a restricted license for Aziz Kaddo, owner of a Kwiky Mini Mart, 2645 S. Nellis Blvd., on the condition his son, Maseer Kaddo, not participate in the store's operations. Maseer Kaddo can apply for a license once he resolves unspecified problems with immigration authorities.

--Approved until October an emergency application by Peak Corp. to manage The Cadillac Grille, 2801 N. Tenaya Way, until its new owners, Gerald and Mitsuko Simmons, can be licensed.

--Approved the transfer of a 20 percent interest in H.O.K. Inc., which does business as Noreen's, 2799 E. Tropicana, and D.K.O., which does business as Dean's Den, 4808 S. Nellis Blvd., from Donald O'Connor to Sean O'Connor. Sean O'Connor was also approved to participate in operations and as a shareholder.

--Approved Ok Su Yu and Eun Mi Yu to receive gaming revenues from United Coin Machine Co. slots at a 7-Eleven store at 3500 S. Rainbow.

--Approved Robin and Steven Starr to receive gaming revenues from United Coin slots at a 7-Eleven store at 5008 Boulder Highway.

--Approved the transfer of a 50 percent interest in Office #5 Lounge & Restaurant, 3775 E. Russell Road, from the estate of Phyllis Rademacher to Steven Thielman.

--Approved the transfer of a 1 percent interest in Dada Inc., doing business as Chris's Place, 1725 E. Warm Springs Road, and in Sundance Kid Cafe LLC, 4325 W. Craig Road, from Daniel Kashiwamura, deceased, to Winona Kashiwamura.

The commission also approved restricted gaming licenses for:

-Bullfeathers Bar and Grill, 3787 E. Lake Mead Blvd., owned by Peter Flangas.

-Budget Suites of America, 1500 Stardust Road, owned by Robert and Diane Bigelow.

-Crawford Coin Inc., doing business at Motel 6 at 195 E. Tropicana.

-Cactus Club, 4061 N. Rancho Drive, owned by Robert and Linda Wojewoda.

-Four Chiefs LLC, doing business as Mulligans, 2312 E. Craig Road in North Las Vegas, owned by Richard Stevens, Richard Pollack, Keith Lyon and Stanley Wasserkrug.

-A & J Consolidated Enterprises Inc., which does business as Carollo's Dining & Gaming, 2301 E. Sunset Road, owned by Arturo Cossini and John Flavell.

-The Roadrunner, 1591 N. Decatur Blvd., owned by Hugh Canady.

-A Qwiky Mini Mart, 4583 W. Flamingo, owned by Hyun Ae Park.

-Clean Center Laundromat and Cleaners, 1202 W. Owens, owned by Yong-I Christianson.

-Senor Hoggs, 3100 E. Lake Mead Blvd. in North Las Vegas, owned by Estanislad Chavira.

-United Coin Machine Co., doing business at a 7-Eleven store, 3201 N. Rancho Drive.

-Cardivan Co., doing business at Murphy's Bar & Grill, 2850 E. Tropicana.

-E-T-T Inc., which does business at King Ranch Market, 840 N. Decatur Blvd.

-Las Vegas Paiute Tribe, doing business as Snow Mountain Smokeshop, 1 Paiute Drive.

--Gave final approval to a new table game, Colorado Hold'Em Poker. The game was tested at Fitzgerald's hotel-casino.

archive