Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2004 | 10:31 a.m.
Two Vegas-area stores closing
Disney Store Inc., part of the Walt Disney Co., closed its Disney Store at the Galleria at Sunset mall in Henderson on Monday. The Disney Store at the Fashion Show mall on the Las Vegas Strip is scheduled to close Monday.
The store closures are part of previously announced plans to close under-performing stores nationwide as leases expire, said Maria Gladowski, a Disney spokeswoman. The company is looking at the sale of the North American and European chain, she said. There are 351 stores in North America.
The closure of the two Las Vegas-area stores will leave two Disney Stores in the Las Vegas Valley, one at the Forum Shops at Caesars on the Strip and one at the Meadows mall, 4300 Meadows Lane in Las Vegas.
February sales rise
Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, on Monday said February sales at U.S. stores are rising at the high end of its forecast, as shoppers bought more coats, food and Valentine's Day items last week.
The discounter had forecast a sales gain of 3 percent to 5 percent from the year-earlier period for stores open at least a year. Stores in the Midwest and Northeast had the biggest increases. Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart updated results through Friday in a recorded message.
Consumers purchased more flowers, cards and candy as gifts for Valentine's Day, spokeswoman Sharon Weber said. Groceries, men's and girls' clothing and pharmacy items were also among the best-selling goods. More shoppers visited stores compared with the year-earlier period, and they spent a higher amount on average for each transaction, the retailer said.
Power plant plans announced
ELY -- White Pine Energy Associates has proposed developing a coal-fired power plant in rural White Pine County.
Construction of the plant is estimated to cost between $600 million and $1 billion could begin in 2006 and be completed in four years, the Ely Times reported.
The company estimates the plant, once built, would employ about 100 full-time workers.
White Pine County was selected for the coal plant after a region-wide search was conducted to identify suitable locations, said White Pine Energy spokesman Lawrence Willick.
Power generated by the plant would be sold to wholesale electric customers like utilities, cooperatives and municipalities. The size of the generation facility will be driven by market demands, the company said.
Mountain's Edge ready
Focus Property Group planned to break ground on its Mountain's Edge master-planned community Monday. The 3,000-acre community at Blue Diamond Road and Buffalo Drive is the first community of its size to come from lands purchased under the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act through Bureau of Land Management Auctions.
When completed, Mountain's Edge will consist of up to 12,500 residences, 320 acres of open space for parks and recreation, 670 acres of park and trail systems, four elementary schools, two middle schools and a high school. An additional 98 acres of the community are slated for commercial use and 43 acres are earmarked for offices. Models for village one are expected to open in April.
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