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IN BUSINESS COURTS FIRED CASINO HOST CALLS SUIT 'RETRIBUTION' By Steve Green senior staff writer A 227-HURT (4878) autoaccidentlasvegas.com casino host fired and accused of wrongdoing by the Palms is alleging the company is retaliating against her be- cause of an alleged sexual harassment issue. The Palms filed suit this month against Jessica Hemingway, claiming she was fired after misappropriating for her own use important data includ- ing lists of hundreds of high rollers and other gamblers. The Palms claims Hemingway emailed this information to her person- al accounts a few months before she was fired July 9. The Palms is seeking a court order blocking Hemingway from using the data or providing it to any competing casino for which she may go to work. Hemingway suggested July 19 she'll fight the allegations. "This is retribution for a sexual ha- rassment complaint I filed. I just found out about it and have just contacted an attorney," Hemingway said. The Palms on July 18 and July 19 is- sued this statement about both its law- suit and about Hemingway's sexual THE ECONOMY harassment claim: "As a matter of com- pany policy, we do not comment on pending litigation." The Palms, in its suit, said the state Gaming Control Board is investigating Hemingway's alleged emailing of the lists to her personal email addresses. VEGAS INC FILE Jerry Markling, enforcement chief for the board, said he couldn't comment on a pending investigation. But he said that generally, the mis- appropriation of company data like customer lists can result in criminal charges. HIGH-END BUSINESS APPEARS STEADY ON STRIP By Steve Green senior staff writer T he first financial results issued by Wynn Resorts Ltd for the second quar- ter suggest business remained steady in the high-end segment on the Strip. Competition increased in Macau while gamblers in Las Vegas played luckier during the quarter versus the second quarter of 2011. Complete health care for your personal injur y clients. 15 Locations Valley Wide to Serve You. Each offi ce is individually owned and operated. But drilling into the Las Vegas results shows that Wynn Las Vegas and Encore more than held their own in their high- end market during the quarter amid indications that consumers overall con- tinue to limit spending in the face of economic uncertainties. Wynn Resorts said the resorts, which have a combined 4,750 rooms and suites, generated room revenue of $96.2 mil- lion during the quarter, up 5.6 percent from the 2011 period. The average daily rate was up 5.6 per- cent to $254, though occupancy dipped from 89.2 percent to 87.6 percent. While the Las Vegas casinos played unlucky, they were busy. The amount wagered at their table games grew 7.6 percent to $575.6 million while slot play increased 3.2 percent to $707.8 mil- lion. "Last year (during some months), all we did was win. And that makes me un- comfortable because I really don't like uted to baccarat and other table games winning just 15 percent of the amount wagered, down from an expected range of 21 to 24 percent and well off the 27.6 percent won in the 2011 quarter. Baccarat tables won just 9 percent of the money wagered during the quarter. Net slot win was flat, Wynn said. Wynn Resorts CEO Steve Wynn said this type of volatility at the tables is something he doesn't like to see, though it's not something the casinos can con- trol. "In April, for the first time in 45 years, I saw baccarat go minus (against the casino) for the month. But on the other hand, last year I saw a 37 percent hold (won by the casino),'' Wynn said. "Those are the kinds of swings that can take place. A big chunk of the decline was attrib- more than they like the money. They like the game. It's their hobby. It's an in- dulgence, like some people buy bottles of wine for $20,000. These are people who like to gamble. "What's best for them is to have the normal ups and downs and normal swings. They don't expect to win, but they like to get lucky once in a while and have fun.'' Factoring out lucky play by gamblers, the Wynn results in the second quarter for Las Vegas are in line with statistics from the Las Vegas Convention and Vis- itors Authority showing visitation to the city so far this year has been stronger than during the corresponding period of 2011. The LVCVA this month said visitor vol- ume in May grew 2.4 percent from May 2011 while hotel room occupancy was up 0.5 percentage points to 86.6 percent, and the average daily room rate was up 3.7 percent to $112.43. Food and beverage revenue increased 9.8 percent to $138.4 million thanks to strengths in the nightclub business. Still, second-quarter net revenue at the resorts fell 11.6 percent from the 2011 quarter to $345.6 million. the customers to bump into such ter- rible bad luck. "This business is about amusement — self-indulgence on a very special level. The people who come here and do these things are here because they like that