Gaming briefs for March 26, 2001

Monday, March 26, 2001 | 10:34 a.m.

Singer sued by LV hotel-casino

The Rio hotel-casino sued singer Rod Stewart, his company and their law firm, alleging they breached an agreement when they refused to return a "pre-paid multi-million fee" after Stewart allegedly failed to perform at a scheduled Dec. 30 concert at the Las Vegas resort.

The defendants could not be reached for comment.

Company posts loss for 2000

Casino Journal Publishing Group Inc. posted a slight loss for the year ending Dec. 31 -- an improvement over its 1999 results.

The Las Vegas media company reported a loss of $27,000, or 1 cent per share, compared to a loss of $1.68 million, or 34 cents per share, in 1999. Revenues sank 3 percent to $13 million, as a 6 percent gain in advertising revenues was offset by declines in subscription, trade show and consulting revenues.

Casino Journal said it expects to report a "large gain" for the first quarter of 2001 from the sale of several magazines and its trade shows to Gem Communications. Casino Journal received $2.63 million cash and $1.8 million in stock from the sale.

The company did not break out quarterly results for the December 2000 quarter.

Fire breaks out in casino boat

GULFPORT, Miss. -- A fire at the Copa Casino in Gulfport forced the evacuation of about 200 guests and 70 employees, but left no extensive damage, officials say.

The casino remained closed most of Sunday to allow the riverboat to air out from the early morning fire. The 503-foot-long luxury cruise liner reopened Sunday night.

"There was no immediate danger to any guests," said Battalion Chief Pat Sullivan of the Gulfport Fire Department.

The fire started around 6 a.m. when a construction worker using a cutting torch ignited insulation in a wall on a deck of the ship used mostly by employees, said Sullivan.

The fire blazed up after reaching a room where uniforms are stored. Gulfport firefighters contained it there, Sullivan said.

The fire damaged a storage room.

Sullivan said state Gaming Commission investigators inspected the casino's fire detection and safety systems to ensure they weren't damaged by the fire.

Rick Carter, a co-owner of the casino, could not estimate the cost of the damage or the value of a lost day of business.

"This is just one of those things that happen when you're in business," he said.