Richard N. Velotta

Story Archive

After hiatus, scaled-down tourism conference gets back on track
Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2010
When the Great Recession began to take its toll on Nevada in 2008, the tourism industry was one of the first to feel its effects. But the Nevada Commission on Tourism feels the time is right to bring the Governor’s Conference on Tourism back.
Public fed up with TSA’s ‘grope discounts,’ but still let Opt-Out protest fizzle/
Friday, Dec. 3, 2010
The holiday season is the time of the year that I get all misty-eyed and nostalgic about the good old days.
Q&A: Pat Christenson
Friday, Dec. 3, 2010
In Las Vegas, it used to be that most people who could took December off.
Regulatory board OKs company to run Herbst Gaming
Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010
The state Gaming Control Board on Wednesday recommended approval of the licensing of a new company that will run the Herbst Gaming empire, which is expected to emerge from bankruptcy protection later this month.
JetBlue, Allegiant waging airfare war in Las Vegas
Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010
Fifteen bucks will buy you a buffet dinner at a Strip hotel. Or, it can get you a one-way ticket on Allegiant Air between Long Beach, Calif., and Las Vegas.
Allegiant Air dispatchers to seek union representation
Monday, Nov. 29, 2010
A second employee group at Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air has filed for union representation with the National Mediation Board.
New season of politics could affect travel, transportation
Friday, Nov. 26, 2010
The people elected this month to represent their constituents have begun learning their new jobs and getting familiar with some of the lower-tier issues that weren’t discussed in debates and pre-election news stories.
Q&A: Jodi Myers, president of customer development for Light Group
Friday, Nov. 26, 2010
One of the ways Las Vegas has reinvented itself over the years is to develop innovative ways to attract customers.
Southwest Airlines positioning itself as national juggernaut
Friday, Nov. 26, 2010
Count on Southwest Airlines being both juggler and juggernaut in the months ahead. The discount air carrier is by far the busiest airline at McCarran International Airport, with 44.1 percent of each day’s commercial flights.
With new leaders, a revival of maglev high-speed rail?
Issues await positions of Sandoval, Heck
Thursday, Nov. 25, 2010
We may soon learn how our newly elected officials in Carson City and Washington will side on issues that involve the big pillar of our economy, tourism. For instance, how will Gov.-elect Brian Sandoval come down on the duel between competing high-speed train proposals?
Allegiant Air launches Las Vegas-Long Beach route
Friday, Nov. 19, 2010
Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air announced today it would begin flying nonstop routes next month between Las Vegas and Long Beach, Calif.
Oil spill one more hurdle for Katrina-ravaged Gulf Coasti
Friday, Nov. 19, 2010
It’s a busy Saturday morning at the Waffle House on Beach Boulevard, the main drag along this town on the Gulf of Mexico.
Giving back boosts Raising Cane’s franchise
Bucking downward economic trend, brothers are cookin’
Friday, Nov. 19, 2010
Giving back to the community has always been the motto of the Micatrotto Restaurant Group.
Gaming commission adds 1, removes 1 from state’s ‘gray list’
Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010
The Nevada Gaming Commission on Thursday removed one man from the so-called “gray list” of denied applicants minutes after putting another man on it.
Travelocity chooses McCarran for live Thanksgiving updates
Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010
McCarran International Airport will be among a dozen major airports nationwide from which Travelocity.com correspondents will post real-time traffic and crowd congestion information during next week’s busy Thanksgiving travel period.
Report calls out McCarran as more airports go smoke-free
Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010
McCarran International Airport remains a holdout among the nation’s largest airports on a smoking ban, according to the latest survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Nevada tourism commission director resigns
Monday, Nov. 15, 2010
Dann Lewis, who has served as director of the Nevada Commission on Tourism since early 2009, has resigned.
Moves should keep McCarran seventh busiest through 2015
Friday, Nov. 12, 2010
Even with a decline in passenger numbers this year, McCarran International Airport is destined to remain the seventh busiest airport in the nation over the next five years.
LVCVA tailors marketing strategy to post-recession visitors
Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2010
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority plans to refine its marketing and advertising strategy next month as experts zero in on the changing characteristics of typical Las Vegas visitors and how to reach them.
British Airways to use larger jet, notes London-Las Vegas route’s success
Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2010
Buoyed by the success of its year-old London-Las Vegas route, British Airways will use a bigger aircraft on its daily flights beginning next summer. Airline officials announced today that beginning June 1, BA would use a four-class Boeing 747 jumbo jet on the route instead of the three-class Boeing 777 it currently uses. The change will add 124 seats per flight and add a first-class cabin of 14 seats. That’s a potential increase of 22,000 additional passengers a year.
Expert: Vegas on right path looking for global partners
Friday, Nov. 5, 2010
If aviation expert Mike Boyd is right about the direction air transport is headed — and he usually is — Las Vegas should be in a good position with its strategy to attract more international flights.
Board recommends man's removal from 'gray list,' denial of another's license
Thursday, Nov. 4, 2010
The state Gaming Control Board recommended removing a man from the so-called “gray list” of denied applicants minutes after approving another recommendation that could land a new person to the list.
Board suggests licensing approval for Tropicana owner
Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2010
The state Gaming Control Board has recommended approval of the licensing of the companies that control the storied Tropicana hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
Former Global Experience Specialists exec named president
Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2010
A former executive with Global Experience Specialists has been named president of the Las Vegas-based exhibition services company.
Allegiant flight attendants petition to join union
Saturday, Oct. 30, 2010
Flight attendants at Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air have filed a petition with the federal National Mediation Board requesting representation from the same union that represents flight attendants at Southwest Airlines.
Dina Titus, Joe Heck debate U.S. tourist entry fee
Friday, Oct. 29, 2010
When the Travel Promotion Act was under consideration last year, every member of Nevada’s congressional delegation was on board to get the legislation approved.
Southwest Airlines decides fee for inflight Internet service: $5
Thursday, Oct. 28, 2010
DALLAS – Southwest Airlines has settled on a price point for its inflight Internet service: $5 per flight, regardless of the length of the trip. The company announced at its Media Day event today that it has 32 jets equipped with the satellite Wi-Fi system.
Allegiant increases profit, but notes summer slowdown in travel
Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010
Las Vegas-based Allegiant Travel Co., the parent company of Allegiant Air, reported its second-best third quarter since 2005 and its 31st consecutive profitable quarter, but still didn’t meet executives’ expectations on revenue projections because of a late-summer dip in leisure travel and higher-than-expected fuel costs.
Travel expert: Environmental policies loom as tourism threat
Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2010
NEW ORLEANS – Seventy-two government agencies have cut their travel budgets because of environmental concerns, a top travel executive said, leading him to conclude that overzealous environmental policy could be the next roadblock facing the tourism industry.
United, Continental hammering out details on merger
Monday, Oct. 25, 2010
NEW ORLEANS – United Airlines, the third busiest air carrier at McCarran International Airport, next spring will begin announcing details of how service will change with its merger with Continental Airlines, one of the airline’s executives said today.
Pressure on DesertXpress in first run at high-speed rail
Friday, Oct. 22, 2010
After spending a good chunk of last week on assignments involving high-speed train developments, my biggest surprise was how supportive industry leaders are of the much-maligned DesertXpress proposal that would link Victorville, Calif., to Las Vegas.
LVCVA cuts back as its financial position declines
Friday, Oct. 22, 2010
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority’s financial position declined in the 2010 fiscal year, but aggressive efforts to respond to the recession with pay and hiring freezes and other cutbacks is keeping the organization fiscally stable, the LVCVA board of directors’ audit committee was told Thursday.
Southwest Airlines reports earnings record in 3Q
Airline is the market leader at McCarran, expects strong fourth quarter
Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010
Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, the market leader at McCarran International Airport, reported record third-quarter revenue and earnings today.
Panel OKs tax breaks for Las Vegas company to expand
Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2010
The Nevada Commission on Economic Development has approved a tax-abatement incentive package for a Las Vegas-based company that is investing $120 million to expand its local operation.
Utah senator touts benefits of national rail network
Friday, Oct. 15, 2010
Utah Sen. Bob Bennett today challenged high-speed rail backers to defy critics and continue their efforts to build a national transportation network because the end result would be a fundamental economic change for the country.
Reid, Sandoval square off on taxes, state budget, economic diversification
Friday, Oct. 15, 2010
When Southern Nevadans go to the polls to pick a new governor next month, they’ll choose from two major candidates with similar views on taxes — neither says he’ll raise them — and on the diversification of Nevada’s economy.
Maglev tech backers not invited to transportation forum
Friday, Oct. 15, 2010
An impressive list of dignitaries has been in town this week for a transportation trifecta.
Panelist: Region ignored too long on transportation issues
Friday, Oct. 15, 2010
Scott Smith, the mayor of Mesa, Ariz., recalled the day when he and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper first saw the U.S. Department of Transportation’s map showing preferred high-speed rail corridors in the United States.
High-speed rail backers urged ‘to get everybody on board’
Thursday, Oct. 14, 2010
Supporters of high-speed rail need to take an evangelistic approach to convert doubters and skeptics, speakers at the first-ever Western High Speed Rail Alliance conference agreed today.
High-speed rail project a priority for Harry Reid
Getting state leaders on track will be senator’s focus after election
Thursday, Oct. 14, 2010
If Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is re-elected, one of his first tasks will be to lean on Nevada officials to shift their support for a high-speed train linking Las Vegas and Southern California from maglev to the more conventional DesertXpress.
Victorville? Crowd at hearing perplexed by train's proposed route
Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2010
For most of the more than 60 people attending, Wednesday night’s public hearing on the supplemental environmental impact statement for the proposed DesertXpress high-speed rail system was an exercise in frustration.
Harry Reid hopeful DesertXpress gets support from next governor
Officials outline federal loan guarantees company will pursue
Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2010
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said today that he would meet with Nevada’s new governor after the Nov. 2 election to convince transportation leaders to support the DesertXpress high-speed rail project. “I think they (the state) better join the team and work on something that is doable,” Reid said in an interview.
Airline with local presence enters secondary markets
Monday, Oct. 11, 2010
A Suwanee, Ga., airline with a major presence in Southern Nevada’s air tour industry will begin offering low-fare flights between Atlanta and Louisville, Ky., in December, the first step toward growing the company’s business plan of providing scheduled service in underserved secondary markets.
Locals casino clears a room for nonsmokers
The going theory is that smoking bans lead to less business from gamblers. But ...
Monday, Oct. 11, 2010
Arizona Charlie’s executives make a point of listening to their customers. But when a large number of players at the locals casino near Decatur and Charleston boulevards suggested they wanted a smoke-free slot room, General Manager Ron Lurie had to think it over.
Company shows off air cargo center
Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010
When Las Vegas tourists eat Maine lobster or Alaska king crab at some of the city’s best restaurants, they owe some thanks to Marnell Properties.
Arizona Charlie’s clears the air, provides smoke-free room
Friday, Oct. 8, 2010
Arizona Charlie’s, the locals casino on Decatur Boulevard near Charleston, has long prided itself as a place with executives who listen to their customers.
Southwest adds 2 Las Vegas flights in new schedule
Thursday, Oct. 7, 2010
Southwest Airlines’ newly announced spring schedule adds two flights to and from Las Vegas at a time when the airline is cutting its national schedule by 22 flights.
Vegas thankful for Korean Air today, hopeful for future
Friday, Oct. 1, 2010
At McCarran International Airport last week, a group of old friends celebrated Chuseok at one of the Terminal 2 gates.
Software pioneer has game-changing plan
Friday, Oct. 1, 2010
One of the pioneers of the video game industry has a new way to play — and Las Vegas is the home of one of his new company’s studios.
Conference laying out latest trends in blogging
Friday, Oct. 1, 2010
How rapidly is the use of social media and blogging expanding?