Business briefs for July 26, 2002

Friday, July 26, 2002 | 11:10 a.m.

Comdex producer's stock trading to be suspended

The company that produces the annual Comdex trade show, historically Las Vegas' largest convention, will have its stock trading suspended Monday.

Key3Media Group Inc., Los Angeles, plans a strategic review of its operations in response to economic downturns in the technology industry that have led to the New York Stock Exchange planning to suspend trading on the issue and moving to delist the company. The stock fell below the $1 minimum price required by the exchange to maintain trading on June 3.

Key3Media said today that the company will continue to produce all its major shows, which include Comdex exhibitions worldwide and the Networld+Interop computer trade shows.

The stock, which was trading in the $12.80 range in January 2001, was down 4 cents to 5 cents a share in trading this morning.

West Coast, Vegas air fare war launched

LOS ANGELES -- A post-Labor Day fare war between Southwest Airlines Co. and JetBlue Airways Corp. will slash prices in California and elsewhere to as low as $19 each way, the Los Angeles Times reported.

JetBlue recently announced plans to start service between Long Beach and Oakland on Sept. 6, with nine daily flights, and to begin six daily Long Beach-Las Vegas flights Oct. 10, the newspaper said.

Southwest responded by cutting fares on its nearly 100 daily flights between airports in the Los Angeles Basin and the San Francisco Bay Area, and on 38 daily flights between Southern California and Las Vegas, the newspaper said.

Southwest's sale covers flights starting Sept. 3 through Jan. 10 and JetBlue's sale prices are set to end Aug. 15 for travel until Nov. 5, the newspaper said. The fares carry various restrictions, the newspaper said.

Vegas builders disciplined

The Nevada State Contractors Board this week said it revoked the licenses of four Las Vegas-area contractors accused of violating Nevada construction laws and took disciplinary action against one Las Vegas roofing company.

21st Century Roofing was issued a three-year letter of reprimand and fined $1,000 for alleged substandard workmanship, failing to comply with a notice to correct, failing to include a monetary limit on a contract and failing to include a license number on an advertisement.

The companies that had their licenses revoked include:

--Tri Power Electric of Henderson, which was accused of failing to cooperate in an investigation of a complaint, failing to establish financial responsibility and keep in force a bond or cash deposit.

--Classic Landscaping of Las Vegas and Custom Business Interiors LLC of Henderson, which were both accused of failing to pay for materials and services, failing to cooperate in the investigation of a complaint and establishing financial responsibility and failing to report a change in address or personnel.

--GCO Inc. doing business as Flooring America and Carpetmax Nevada Inc. of Las Vegas was accused of failing to cooperate in the investigation of complaints, failing to comply with notices to correct, failing to include license numbers and monetary limits on a contract and failing to report a change of address or personnel.