Las Vegas business briefs

NEVADA NO. 3 IN JOB GROWTH -- The Nevada economy continues to grow rapidly, but it's no longer the fastest growing in the nation. After growing at rates of 7.2 percent in 1996 and 5.5 percent in 1997, Nevada job growth is now running at an annual pace of 4.3 percent. That's according to Arizona State University's Western Blue Chip Economic Forecast. It says South Carolina led the nation in job growth in June, followed by Arizona and Nevada.

LV BOAT DEALER SOLD -- MarineMax Inc. of Clearwater, Fla., said it acquired Sea Ray of Las Vegas, a recreational boat retailer with annual sales of about $4.6 million. MarineMax, a company with stock traded on the New York Stock Exchange, said it's the nation's largest recreational boat dealer. It sells products like Sea Ray and Boston Whaler boats through 36 retail stores in eight states. The store purchased today is its first in Nevada. Sea Ray of Las Vegas has been owned by Roger Baker for 19 years. Baker has signed a consultant agreement to stay on during the ownership transition, said manager Chip Speegle. No personnel changes are planned at the store, which employs about 20, Speegle said.

THREE HOSPITALS SUE SIERRA FOR PAYMENTS -- Valley Hospital Medical Center, Summerlin Hospital and Desert Springs Hospital sued Sierra Health Services Inc. in Clark County District Court, seeking to recoup money they claim they are owed. The three hospitals had service agreements with Sierra to provide care to each other's patients. The suit alleges Sierra has withheld money due the plaintiffs in an attempt to resolve a dispute with Northern Nevada Medical Center.

MANDALAY BAY SETTLING COST PEGGED AT $6 MILLION-PLUS -- The cost of halting uneven settling at Mandalay Bay, the $950 million Circus Circus Enterprises Inc. hotel-casino being built at the south end of the Las Vegas Strip, "should fall within the range of $6 million to $8 million," a Circus Circus spokeswoman said Monday. "There's been miniscule additional sinking, something on the order of tenths of inches," over the past month, Sarah Ralston said. That number was confirmed by county building inspections supervisor Ron Lynn, who said portions of the 43-story, 3,700-room structure have settled another one-tenth to two-tenths of an inch in places over the past several weeks. The latest figures mean the building has settled anywhere from two to 18 inches into the ground as its weight squeezes moisture out of an underlying aquifer. The company hired specialists to install 536 "pin piles -- metal cylinders buttressed by high-pressure grouting -- to support the building and keep it level. Ralston said the installations should be completed by mid-October and Mandalay Bay remains on schedule to open the first week of March 1999.

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

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