Around the State - March 2008

Nevada Briefs

Kortek Services and Connecting Point Merge

Kortek Services Inc., a Las Vegas-based technology solutions provider, merged with Ron Cook’s Connecting Point, a technology business continuity company. Kortek will be relocating to Connecting Point’s Fremont Street facility. Ron Cook has been named chairman of Connecting Point, Lester Keizer will be CEO and Lyle Epstein will be president. The company’s customer focus will remain making technology a business accelerator for their clients. The merger will create a firm with more than 50 years of computer industry management experience. The company will focus on small to medium-sized business networking with specializations in business continuity and disaster recovery, computer telephony, secure thin-client computing and compliance with Federal HIPAA and GLBA network security regulations.

McCarran International Completes Busiest Year

McCarran International welcomed approximately 47.7 million arriving and departing passengers last year, making 2007 the busiest year in the airport’s 59-year history. The total marked a 3.1 percent increase from 2006, which previously was the busiest year with nearly 46.2 million passengers. Work continued throughout 2007 to expand McCarran’s infrastructure in order to handle additional air traffic growth that’s expected to occur as a result of additional hotel rooms over the next several years.

Douglas County Approves GoldTown Hotel and Casino Resort Project

American Vantage Companies and its subsidiary, Brownstone GoldTown CV, LLC, announced the approval of Phase I and II of the planned GoldTown Hotel and Casino Resort project. The planned 300-room/suite resort with 105,000 square feet of casino space, restaurants, entertainment venues and convention facility is to be constructed in Douglas County on 45 acres fronting Highway 395.

Carry-On Trailer Company Opens in Winnemucca

Carry-On Trailer Corporation, a manufacturer of tow-behind utility and cargo trailers, recently opened its manufacturing plant in Winnemucca, the company’s first facility on the West Coast. This manufacturing plant marked a milestone in economic development and diversification efforts in Winnemucca and Humboldt County which depends primarily on gold mining, agriculture and tourism. More than 100 new jobs have been created at the new facility and the plant is expected to employ more than 200 people as production increases.

Boy Scouts Event Raised More Than $200,000

The Boy Scouts of America Las Vegas Council organized The Sporting Clays Classic an event at Desert Lake Shooting Club, which had fifty-five corporate teams entering at $5,000 and higher. The teams, comprised of members from sponsoring businesses, competed on the clay course in gun rack-equipped golf carts and participated in Smith & Wesson, as well as Land Rover events. The Las Vegas Boy Scouts raised more than $200,000 to support the 34,000 Boy Scout members in Las Vegas. The money will be used to support scouting events throughout the year.

Acquisition of Las Vegas Hotel-Casino Completed

The Siegel Group Nevada, Inc. and Tippins Holdings, LLC announced the completed acquisition of the Gold Spike Hotel & Casino located in Downtown Las Vegas. The hotel, which is a non-restricted gaming facility containing 1125 rooms, restaurant and lounge is comprised of four parcels situated on 1 acre, was purchased for $21 million. A third party gaming operated will continue to manage the Gold Spike which will operate during the renovation period.