Las Vegas business briefs

FIRST SECURITY BUYS CALIFORNIA BANK -- First Security Corp. announced a deal to buy Irvine, Calif.-based Marine National Bank, a unit of Shinhan Bank of Seoul, Korea. Terms were not disclosed. Marine National has $238 million in loans and other assets. First Security, based in Salt Lake City, has $19.4 billion in assets and owns First Security Bank of Nevada.

FINES ASSESSED AGAINST FOUR NEVADA COMPANIES -- The Transportation Services Authority of Nevada leveled fines of more than $13,000 against four companies operating in the state without certification. The largest fine, $7,000, was levied against Nevada Charter, which was illegally operating a bus that enforcement officers impounded. It was the first time a bus had been confiscated by the agency, which monitors bus and limousine services, tow trucks and moving companies. Other fines: $2,500 against Best Services, which was using a rented vehicle for illegal intrastate runs; $2,500 against Sphinx Inc., whose impounded limousine was released to a lien-holder after an impound fine was paid; and $1,250 against Friel & Associates, which used a private vehicle to transport people from a Las Vegas resort to the Convention Center as part of a convention booking business.

DEBARTOLO TO BE FINED IN CASINO SCANDAL -- San Francisco 49ers owner Edward DeBartolo Jr. will pay a $250,000 fine and avoid prison under a plea agreement with prosecutors investigating former Gov. Edwin Edwards, a Louisiana newspaper reported today. DeBartolo testified before a federal grand jury after reaching an agreement in a scheme to illegally influence the awarding of the state's last riverboat casino license, according to an unidentified source quoted by The Times-Picayune of New Orleans. DeBartolo paid Edwards $400,000 in cash one day before his partnership with Hollywood Casino won the state's last riverboat casino license.

To contact Sun Business Editor Steve Green, call 259-4083 or e-mail [email protected]

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