Gaming briefs for May 20, 2004

Thursday, May 20, 2004 | 10:46 a.m.

Passenger traffic up 22.1 percent

Nearly every commercial passenger carrier serving McCarran International Airport showed double- or triple-digit percentage increases over last year as the Las Vegas airport enjoyed its best April ever.

Airport officials reported 3.5 million passengers passed through McCarran's gates, a 22.1 percent increase over April 2003. Part of the increase could be attributed to the National Association of Broadcasters convention meeting in April this year and March last year, but overall visitation continues to be up sharply and March figures were nearly as robust as April's.

Of the 25 air carriers serving McCarran that also had flights last year, only American, Aloha, JetBlue, Spirit and Aeromexico didn't have double- or triple-digit percentage increases in passengers over last year. No. 1 operator Southwest Airlines served 1.1 million passengers in Las Vegas for the month, a 17.3 percent increase over April 2003.

International traffic also is faring well with Virgin Atlantic Airline's passenger count at 14,304, 107.3 percent ahead of April 2003's level, and Japan Airlines up 141.7 percent to 7,284 passengers.

In the first four months of 2004, passenger traffic is well ahead of last year's pace, with 13.2 million passengers, 14.5 percent ahead of the previous year.

Building executive joins Station Casinos board

Veteran Nevada and California development executive Robert Lewis was appointed to the board of directors of Station Casinos Inc. of Las Vegas, the locals casino giant announced today.

With the addition of Lewis, a majority of the company's board now consists of independent directors. Lewis also will serve on the company's audit committee and its governance and compensation committee.

Lewis is the president of the Nevada Division of Lewis Operating Corp. The family owned business develops and manages commercial real estate throughout Nevada and California. He was previously the president of the Nevada region of KB Home following the merger in 1999 between Lewis Homes Management Corp. and Kaufman & Broad Home Corp.

Lewis fills a vacancy created when Lynette Boggs McDonald resigned from Station's board after she was appointed to the Clark County Commission in March. She had been a Las Vegas City Council member.