Las Vegas business briefs

GOLD STRIKE SEEKS OK TO REBUILD CASINO -- Boulder City's Gold Strike Inn is requesting approval from county planning regulators for plans to rebuild its casino and other public areas destroyed by fire in June. The Inn's hotel was not damaged. The plans call for a reconstruction of the casino and public areas, and a new porte cochere at the casino's front entrance. According to a Clark County planning staff report, "the plans also show existing propone tanks will be relocated away from the building. It is the applicant's desire to reopen the hotel and casino as quickly as possible."

INDIAN GAMING COMMISSION CHAIR APPROVED -- A Senate committee approved a Kansas prosecutor and Muscogee Creek Indian as chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission. Montie Deer was approved Wednesday by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee to head the Commission, which is charged with regulating many forms of gambling on Indian lands. Deer is currently an assistant U.S. attorney in Wichita, Kan. He also serves as a special tribal district judge for the Muscogee Nation. He is a former state district court judge. A Commission spokesman said Deer will likely be approved by the full Senate by Oct. 9 and sworn in as chairman by the beginning of November.

PUC APPROVES MERGER RULES -- The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada approved rules for mergers, acquisitions and changes in control of utility companies today. The rules are another set of regulations preparing the state for the restructuring of the utilities industry for competition by the end of 1999. The new rules outline information that has to be submitted by merger applicants, including effects on costs and rates, the impact on competition, how facilities would be disposed of and the effects on transmission lines. Having the rules in place is important to Nevada Power Co. and Sierra Pacific Resources Inc., which filed for a $2.3 billion merger in July. The PUC has until January to decide on the request.

LV RETAIL UPDATE -- A Jitters Coffee Ranch franchise opened in Green Valley at Lake Mead and Valley Verde. Aggreko opened a rental equipment outlet in Las Vegas on East Alto Avenue. Jack in the Box restaurants now accept debit and credit cards. Kitchen Fancy II, a tabletop and gift boutique, opened at the Trails Village Center in Summerlin. Also opening there was T-Bird Jewels. Walgreens opened a drugstore on East Tropicana. A Payless Clearance Center opened at the Maryland Square Shopping Center. It sells items not carried by the new owner of Payless, Rite Aid Corp. Sears Hardware opened a store on East Tropicana. Carpet Barn started a shop at home service allowing people to see flooring samples in the comfort of their homes. Nail Trix, a specialty nail salon; and jewelry seller Piercing Pagoda opened at the Galleria at Sunset mall. Vasetto Di Ceramica opens next month in the Green Valley Town Center. It sells classic Italian ceramic designs and silver items.

LV COMPANY SUES OVER INTERNET WORK -- Travelscape.com of Las Vegas sued Reservision, a Michigan company, in Clark County District Court, seeking to recoup money it paid under a terminated contract. Reservision was hired to design a web page. But Travelscape alleges that after poor work and missed deadlines, it fired the company. It seeks to recoup $105,000 out of a $210,000 contract it has paid Reservision. Reservision could not be located for comment on the allegations.

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

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