New Las Vegas website to be launched

Wednesday, Sept. 8, 1999 | 11:06 a.m.

Cox Interactive Media, a subsidiary of Cox Communications Inc., will launch a Las Vegas Internet website in October.

Cox, the nation's fifth largest cable television operator, operates the dominant cable TV system in Las Vegas with 319,000 residential customers and 105,000 hotel units.

Las Vegas will be the 30th city site in the Cox system. CIMedia is launching a site in Oklahoma City today and will add one for Tulsa, Okla., Thursday. Eight sites have a No. 1 ranking in their markets.

Steve Becker, group vice president for CIMedia, said about 10 employees will develop local content for the Las Vegas site, which will feature banner and classified advertising. He said the company has no media partners for local news content yet, but may make an announcement at a later date.

Becker said the site will have more emphasis on entertainment and community and less on news. Other sites within the CIMedia system have content on events, places to visit, personal ads and interactive games like blackjack.

CIMedia will enter a crowded arena in Las Vegas, where several city sites are operating. The Greenspun family's vegas.com site includes the Las Vegas Sun's website.

The Greenspun family sold most of its interest in the local cable system to Cox last year, but maintained a minority interest in the business.