Las Vegas business briefs

Tuesday, June 3, 1997 | 11:32 a.m.

* PASSENGER COUNTS FLAT -- The number of passengers using McCarran International Airport has flattened, with April's totals less than April 1996 numbers. A total of 2.5 million passed through McCarran's gates in April, a 1.3 percent decline from the total reported a year earlier. The majority of those passengers -- about 2.2 million -- were on about 800 scheduled daily flights. The total for the year to date, 10.2 million, is about 1.1 percent ahead of the 1996 pace. "Airline capacity is still growing at McCarran despite the small passenger decline in April," said Randy Walker, director of the Clark County Department of Aviation. Walker also noted that construction of the new D concourse is about half completed. The 26 new gates will be ready for occupancy next summer.

* NO TRENDS -- Growth will be lukewarm in Southern Nevada for the last half of 1997, say UNLV economists studying Southern Nevada's Index of Leading Economic Indicators. An index of 10 Clark County growth-measuring categories was gleaned from March statistics. The May report showed five components showing no changes and five showing negative changes. Gross gaming revenues was the major component pulling the index into negative territory with the $488.6 million in revenues 5.42 percent less than the previous month and 4.3 percent less than the same month a year ago. Since January, the index has shifted directions twice. "Although a lack of a clear trend is annoying, it is better than a clearly negative trend," said the report, issued by the Center for Business and Economic Research at UNLV.

* LIBEL SUIT ATTORNEYS' FEES -- A District Judge has awarded $113,000 in attorneys' fees to the Las Vegas Business Press and former reporter Paula Yakubik, following the newspaper's victory last month in a libel suit filed by local businessman Steve Rebeil. Judge Stephen Huffaker on Monday ordered Rebeil to pay 90 percent of the newspaper's attorneys' fees, noting that the suit was filed to "harass" the defendants. Huffaker on April 16 turned back a $70 million suit filed by Rebeil against the newspaper following publication of a story, which detailed various lawsuits, liens and subcontracting complaints filed against Rebeil. "I think it was the proper ruling and some vindication for the Business Press and the reporter," said Terry Coffing, attorney for the Business Press. Rebeil, who was not in court Monday, could not be reached for comment.

To contact the SUN business news desk, call 259-4083 or e-mail mike@lasvegassun.com