Las Vegas business briefs

sgreen@lasvegassun.com

Friday, Sept. 4, 1998 | 11:47 a.m.

...MIKOHN TO FILE NEW SUITS AGAINST SHUFFLE MASTER -- Mikohn Gaming Corp. said subsidiary Progressive Games Inc. was issued two patents Aug. 18 for methods of including a bonus or jackpot component in live casino table games. Progressive Games has been fighting Shuffle Master Inc. in court over alleged patent violations involving Shuffle Master's Let It Ride Bonus game. Progressive Games now intends to file new suits against Shuffle Master alleging infringements of the new patents.

LV CLERGY TO MARK LABOR DAY -- The Las Vegas Interfaith Council for Worker Justice will hold a Labor Day worship service and pancake breakfast at 10 a.m. Monday at Cashman Field Theater. The service will include speakers from various faiths and worker testimonies.

ADULT BOOKSTORE SUES CITY, METRO -- A downtown adult bookstore sued the city of Las Vegas and the Metro Police Department in U.S. District Court Thursday, alleging police have been harassing customers because of refusals to sell the property to the city for redevelopment. The suit filed by Media Shops Inc. alleges customers are being harassed at Main Street Theater and Bookstore, 601 S. Main. The defendants declined comment.

OASIS APARTMENTS OWNER BUYING BACK STOCK -- Camden Property Trust of Houston, owner of the Oasis Residential apartments in Las Vegas, said its board approved the buyback of up to $50 million of Camden's common shares.

NEVADA POWER MERGER DETAILS SOUGHT -- The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada on Thursday ordered Nevada Power Co. and Sierra Pacific Resources to provide more detailed information on their merger proposal so the state agency can consider the deal. A meeting is set for Sept. 21, at which time a schedule may be set for hearings on the merger.

BUYER OF WYNN'S TAHOE ESTATE IS IDENTIFIED -- Mirage Resorts Chairman Steve Wynn's Lake Tahoe estate was sold for $19 million to Robert Martini, the Wall Street Journal reported today. Officials have declined to identify the buyer, but the Journal said local brokers are saying Martini bought the property through a trust. Martini, chairman of pharmaceutical distributor Bergen Brunswig Corp., has owned another Lake Tahoe home for more than 20 years.

FIRST USA CREDIT CARD OFFERED FOR LAS VEGAS, EXPANDS NATIONWIDE -- Banc One Corp.'s First USA credit card unit bought Chevy Chase Bank's credit card business, making it the No. 2 U.S. credit card company. Columbus, Ohio-based Banc One said First USA bought $4.9 billion of card loans, will hire 1,300 Chevy Chase Bank employees and take over its Frederick, Md., credit card facilities. The purchase will give First USA about $46.5 billion in card loans, vaulting it over MBNA Corp. and placing it behind No. 1 Citicorp. First USA also issued the Visa Las Vegas Platinum card. It's a promotion featuring 17 Las Vegas hotel-casinos and seven publicly traded and closely held companies.

To contact Sun Business Editor Steve Green, call 259-4083 or e-mail sgreen@lasvegassun.com