Richard N. Velotta

Story Archive

Southwest marks 30 years in Las Vegas with celebration, Twitter contest
Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012
Southwest Airlines commemorated 30 years of service in Las Vegas with a celebration Wednesday at McCarran and the kickoff of a contest on Twitter.
Panamanian airline establishes route to Las Vegas
Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012
Copa Airlines, Panama’s leading air carrier, will begin nonstop flights between Panama City and Las Vegas in June, the city’s first international service to Central America and the first new air carrier in McCarran International Airport’s Terminal 3 era.
Lucky Cab ordered to rehire 6 workers, allow new union vote
Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012
A National Labor Relations Board administrative law judge has ruled that a Las Vegas taxi company must allow a new union representation vote and ordered the company to rehire six employees it terminated for union activities.
2011 a banner year for Las Vegas cab companies
Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012
The local taxi industry was running on all cylinders in 2011 with a double-digit increase in revenue for the 16 companies operating in Clark County, according to statistics released today by the Nevada Taxicab Authority. Eight other categories monitored by the authority also showed gains for the year.

Extra cabs OK'd for Super Bowl, fashion convention
Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012
The Nevada Taxicab Authority is finding that it’s getting more difficult to gauge just how many additional taxis it needs to allocate for special events as the economy improves. The board approved more cabs for the Super Bowl and Magic Marketplace fashion convention.
Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air to offer flights to Bay area
Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012
Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air will establish a new operations base in Oakland, Calif., and begin offering flights to the Bay area in late April.
Airlines fear new disclosure rule will give passengers wrong impression
Monday, Jan. 23, 2012
McDonald’s doesn’t have to disclose how much a consumer must pay, taxes included, to buy a Big Mac. And if you buy a brand new car at a local dealership, you won’t see ads that break down taxes or the cost of dealer prep, whatever that is. But the U.S. Department of Transportation is forcing airlines to fully disclose the total price of an airline ticket in rules that take effect Thursday.
For sale on eBay: Las Vegas-area radio station
Friday, Jan. 20, 2012
Some people sell antiques and collectibles on eBay. Others try to move cars and trucks. Scott Mahalick is offering a 100,000-watt FM commercial radio station in Moapa, about 60 miles northwest of Las Vegas. “It’s a little unconventional, but this is Vegas, so I thought I’d give it a try.”
Why security was so tight at this diversification meeting
Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012
It isn’t often that you have to give up your driver’s license to attend a public meeting. In fact, it’s probably never happened — until Thursday. The state Board of Economic Development may have played fast and loose with the state’s open-meeting law when it conducted its January meeting at Switch Communications’ SuperNap facility.
Businesses noticing Nevada's economic development efforts, Sandoval says
Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012
Gov. Brian Sandoval is getting the vibe that companies looking to relocate or expand are taking a closer look at Nevada now that the state is overhauling its economic development policies. While the prospect of getting more attention from corporate relocation consultants is promising, Sandoval admitted Thursday that there’s no hard evidence yet and he’s going on what he’s heard from executives and other government leaders.
Nevadans applaud President Obama's tourism initiative
Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012
Tourism industry leaders from across the country applauded President Barack Obama today for signing an executive order and announcing initiatives that should increase travel to the United States.
Southwest Airlines reports dip in profits
Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012
Dallas-based Southwest Airlines reported a decline in fourth-quarter profits on Thursday but still beat analysts' estimates while contending with high fuel costs.
Travel mag: Las Vegas one of America's rudest cities
Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012
Travel + Leisure magazine has rated Las Vegas No. 12 on its list of America's 20 rudest cities.
Alaska Airlines subsidiary cutting nonstop Vegas-Sonoma flights
Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012
A subsidiary of Alaska Airlines will end its nonstop flights between Las Vegas and Sonoma, Calif., beginning in June.
Southern Nevada competing for debt-collection company, 2,000 jobs
Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012
Southern Nevada is in the running to be the home of an expanding credit card debt-collection company that could eventually provide 2,000 jobs in a call-center environment. CFS II won approval from the Nevada Commission on Economic Development for sales and business tax abatements and sales tax deferrals.
Southwest touts new seating as more comfy, but what will passengers think?
Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012
What passengers will think of it remains to be seen, but there's no question that Southwest Airlines' plan to add seats to most of its Boeing 737 jet fleet will have a side benefit for Las Vegas and every other city the airline services.
Mob, neon, nukes: Las Vegas museums capture unique history
Monday, Jan. 16, 2012
While the Neon Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement and the National Atomic Testing Museum will never be mistaken for the Louvre, all three will be home to significant happenings in 2012.
Exec sees online video content further dominating Internet traffic
Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012
Robert Kyncl, vice president of content at Google and one of the people who pushed Netflix from a DVD-by-mail operation to online streaming, made a convincing case in an address at the International Consumer Electronics Show Thursday that entertainment on the web is going to change radically in the next five years, just as it has in the past five.
Executives at CES say U.S. must improve education
Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012
A panel of CEOs at the International Consumer Electronics Show talked philosophically Wednesday about innovation and what they agreed to be a formula for success — a plan that would likely get high fives from residents of Nevada.
What better time to show off new tech recycling center than during CES
Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012
Thousands of people are in town this week to see how consumer electronics are born. Some of them took a little side trip to see where they go to die. U.S. Micro Corp., a computer recycling company formerly based in Smyrna, Ga., officially opened its new 130,000-square-foot plant and headquarters in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
Sandoval at CES: 'I can see so many things I'd like to have'
Governor to network with tech execs as part of economic development thrust
Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012
Gov. Brian Sandoval made his first visit to the floor of the International Consumer Electronics Show on Wednesday and, like many visitors to the annual gadget showcase, saw lots of stuff he'd like to have.
Intel wows CES crowd with ambitious plans
Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012
The world’s largest semiconductor chip maker used the big stage of the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas Tuesday to announce plans to get into the smartphone business with a Chinese multinational company and an established American company.
Build a real ‘Star Trek’ tricorder, win $10 million
Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012
On “Star Trek,” doctors were able to diagnose ailments with the quick scan of a tricorder. Now, the organization that developed the X Prize series is offering a $10 million prize to anyone who can develop a diagnosing tricorder.
In Microsoft's final CES keynote, Steve Ballmer touts Windows 8
Monday, Jan. 9, 2012
Microsoft Corp. made its International Consumer Electronics Show swan song — or maybe it didn’t — on the eve of the kickoff of the 2012 show that begins Tuesday in Las Vegas, where more than 140,000 people will begin poring over thousands of gadgets and gizmos for four days. Latecomers to Steve Ballmer’s CES-opening keynote address were turned away from the packed ballroom.
More taxis on the streets for upcoming conventions
Monday, Jan. 9, 2012
The Nevada Taxicab Authority had a special meeting last week to reverse a cab allocation decision involving additional taxis during the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show and the Adult Entertainment Expo.
Press gets first peek at the new toys and technology showcased at CES
Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012
Consumer electronic trade press from around the world had their appetites whetted for gadgets great and small Sunday as the Consumer Electronics Association unveiled what it considers some of the best devices to be shown at this year’s International Consumer Electronics Show.
Board lets cab companies boost fleets for January traffic
Friday, Jan. 6, 2012
The Nevada Taxicab Authority on Friday reversed an earlier decision on cab allocations for concurrent trade shows later this month, giving Las Vegas’ 16 cab companies the opportunity to temporarily add vehicles to their fleets.
Las Vegas eager for midweek visitor boost from CES
Consumer electronics industry's premier trade show to kick off next week
Thursday, Jan. 5, 2012
North America’s largest trade show — the biggest consumer electronics gathering in the world — makes its annual appearance in Las Vegas next week with a gift to the city, courtesy of the convention calendar, and a touch of industry intrigue.
State officials studying feds' ruling on online poker
Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012
The Nevada Attorney General’s office has begun studying the U.S. Department of Justice’s surprising new interpretation of online gambling to determine what effects it might have on the state.
Small businesses in Las Vegas will boost hiring this year, analysts say
Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2012
A new analysis says small businesses in Las Vegas are more likely to hire new employees now than a year ago, but wages in the sector are forecast to decline. Glenview, Ill.-based SurePayroll said hiring and wage data signal the end of nationwide downward trends heading into 2012.
Marilyn Spiegel is making a name for herself
President of Wynn and Encore working to maintain five-star experience
Monday, Jan. 2, 2012
Marilyn Winn had planned to change her legal name to Marilyn Spiegel three years ago after she got married. But when she was named president of Wynn Las Vegas and Encore, she knew a change was essential. Today, the confusion has been averted, and she’s officially Marilyn Spiegel.
New McCarran terminal among tourism highlights for 2012
Monday, Jan. 2, 2012
Here at the Sun and its business publication, VEGAS INC, we like to look forward instead of backward. With that in mind, here are some of the top tourism news stories you’ll be seeing in 2012.
$54.3 million on the line in jackpot dispute
Friday, Dec. 30, 2011
The case of a Swiss man who claims he was wrongly denied a $54.3 million slot machine jackpot points out some key differences in the way disputed jackpots are handled in Nevada and elsewhere.
NASA says small Las Vegas contractor the best
Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2011
Las Vegas-based Arcata Associates has been selected NASA’s 2011 Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year. It’s the second time in four years that Arcata, a 32-year-old engineering services and information technology firm, has won the award.
Traffic surge at McCarran points to tourism recovery
Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2011
A 3.9 percent increase in passengers at McCarran International Airport in November virtually assures the nation’s eighth-busiest airport will serve more than 40 million passengers this year — a benchmark offering further evidence of the Las Vegas tourism industry’s recovery. McCarran officials reported this morning that 3.3 million passengers passed through the airport’s gates in November.
The surprising group that could move online poker forward
Monday, Dec. 26, 2011
Those witnessing last week’s Nevada Gaming Commission meeting got a sense that they saw history being made when the board unanimously approved the nation’s first regulations for online poker.
Commission clears way for Las Vegas Hilton to pursue receiver
Thursday, Dec. 22, 2011
The Nevada Gaming Commission today allowed lenders and investors of the Las Vegas Hilton to pursue the appointment of a receiver to operate the property’s casino while a legal dispute plays out in court.
Nevada approves nation's first regulations for Internet poker play
Thursday, Dec. 22, 2011
The Nevada Gaming Commission approved the nation’s first regulations for Internet poker play today, opening the door to the licensing of companies to offer online play within the state.
Best Buy taking Las Vegas store design nationwide
Thursday, Dec. 22, 2011
The Best Buy stores in the Las Vegas Valley have tested a store design and marketing concept that will now be used nationwide by the 45-year-old, Richfield, Minn.-based retailer. The concept is to provide one centralized runway to easily access products and displays.
Toyota looking at building plant in North Las Vegas, blogger says
Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011
A post by a local blogger suggesting that the Toyota Motor Corp. is considering building a manufacturing and distribution plant in North Las Vegas has generated some buzz, but economic development leaders statewide say they don’t know anything about it.
Tax abatements approved for DrVita Inc. to locate in Las Vegas
Dietary supplement maker to bring in 41 jobs
Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011
The Nevada Economic Development Commission today approved more than $350,000 in tax abatements for a new dietary supplement manufacturer locating in Las Vegas despite the company not meeting statutory requirements for tax incentives.
Las Vegas exec to appear on 'Undercover Boss'
Monday, Dec. 19, 2011
Stephen Cloobeck, chairman and CEO of Las Vegas-based timeshare company Diamond Resorts International, will be the subject of CBS’ “Undercover Boss” in the program's 2012 season debut. The episode is scheduled to air at 8 p.m. Las Vegas time Jan. 15.
Is Nevada still the national leader in gaming regulation?
Monday, Dec. 19, 2011
By the end of this week, Nevada is expected to be the first state in the nation to have regulations in place for Internet poker play. It’s historic. It’s indicative of the state’s leadership role in the gaming industry.
How monorail’s fate might have been different
Monday, Dec. 19, 2011
I’ve always maintained that the Las Vegas Monorail had little chance for success because it has operated despite being incomplete. Critics have continually battered the 3.9-mile elevated work-in-progress transportation system because it doesn’t go where most people want to be.
McCarran wired for tech-savvy travelers
Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011
You don’t have to be tech savvy to make your way around McCarran International Airport — but it helps. McCarran officials on Thursday reminded the public of some of the innovations at one of the nation’s most technologically friendly airports.
Rapid-screening lanes open for trusted travelers at McCarran
Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011
The security screening process at McCarran International Airport will get easier for customers of four airlines as the Transportation Security Administration opened its first TSA Pre-Check trusted traveler lanes Tuesday.
Oscar Goodman rolling out the red carpet in Las Vegas
Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011
Former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman hasn’t been in the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority limelight for six months, since his term as mayor and board chairman of the LVCVA came to an end.
Southwest Airlines to buy $19 billion worth of jets
Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011
The busiest air carrier at McCarran International Airport today announced plans to be the first customer for Boeing’s newest version of the twin-engine 737 jet.
Las Vegas' McCarran makes list of most social airports
Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011
McCarran International Airport has made the top 10 on a list compiled by Facebook of the world’s most social airports.
Southwest Airlines, Santa Claus snub Las Vegas
Monday, Dec. 12, 2011
Of all the bad lists Las Vegas is on top of and good lists of which it's left off, this one has to be the worst. Southwest Airlines announced it is transporting Santa Claus for visits to 21 airports and three other locations — but not Las Vegas.