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In business downtown Ferguson Motel being converted into taverns, retail spaces By Joe Schoenmann staff writer Built more than 60 years ago, the Ferguson Motel is one of the nicer-looking pieces of Vegas memorabilia still upright on Fremont Street. It's been closed for several months, however, after Downtown Project partners purchased it in December for $5 million. A fence surrounds the more than 1 acre of property at 1028 Fremont. When the fence comes down, according to plans submitted with the city, it won't be a motel anymore. Instead, there will be three separate taverns run by three different owners, plus nearly three dozen retail shops. The current parking lot serving three buildings, which form a horseshoe around the lot, will be converted into nearly 9,000 square feet of patio, according to the plans. In city documents, staff confirm parking requirements aren't needed for the space because it lies within the city's Downtown Centennial Plan boundar- ies. And in a justification letter, Todd Kessler, hired as part of a team to work on Downtown Project's real estate purchases, pointed out that 2.75 acres of vacant land just a block away are soon to be converted into parking by the Downtown Project. "Retail Center" patrons will be allowed to park there "for a discounted fee," Kessler wrote. The motel's 69 rooms will be converted into 31 retail outlets in sizes ranging from 280 to 1,040 square feet. According to a schematic, the motel's registra- tion office will become a coffee shop. Two buildings just north of the motel will be converted into private offices. Kessler also wrote the project would "provide a much needed amenity to the new wave of urbanites that are now living downtown, as well as attract other suburban area residents to come experience what is occurring downtown." The three tavern owners will require three separate special-use permits, which the city's Planning Commission discussed at a July 9 meeting. court Jury orders punitive damages in liquor distributors' turf battle By Bethany Barnes staff writer The Nevada wing of Southern Wine & Spirits of America should receive $1.078 million in punitive damages from a Southern California liquor distributor that infringed on its territory. A Clark County jury in June found that Orange County, Calif., resident Guy Azera, owner of Transat Trade and Chateau Vegas, knowingly stepped on Southern Wine's toes when he started selling upscale wines and champagnes in Nevada and ordered Azera to pay $267,750 in actual damages. SUMMERGATE CORPORATE CENTER On June 27, jurors decided Azera also was liable for punitive damages. They ordered Transat Trade to pay $462,882 and Chateau Vegas to pay $615,202 to Southern Wine. Additionally, Chateau Vegas must pay $136,136 in punitive damages to Maisons Marques & Domaines, a Cris- tal distributor that also was a plaintiff in the suit. Maisons Marques will receive a $69,000 cut. Larry Ruvo, best known as founder of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, is the senior managing director for Nevada's arm of Southern Wine. FULL FLOOR AVAILABLE 982 TO 26,000 SQ. FT. OF PRIME OFFICE SPACE. 7670-7674 WEST LAKE MEAD BLVD. AT BUFFALO DR. IMMEDIATE OCCUPANCY OR WILL BUILD TO SUIT 1 7 5 0 A t t o r n e y s | 3 6 L o c A t i o n s W o r L d W i d e˚ Greenberg Traurig's Las Vegas office welcomes: Jodi R. Goodheart | shareholder real estate | corporate goodheartj@gtlaw.com Russell E. Marsh | shareholder White collar criminal defense | complex Litigation marshr@gtlaw.com Nancy R. Ayala | of counsel intellectual Property & technology ayalan@gtlaw.com Greenberg Traurig's Las Vegas office provides legal services to business locally and globally. 3773 Howard Hughes Parkway | suite 400 north | Las Vegas, nV 89169 | 702.792.3773 GreenberG TrauriG, LLP | aT Torneys aT L aw | www.GTL aw.com Exclusive Leasing & Management By COMMERCIAL SPECIALISTS | 702.364.0909 10 20130722_VI10_F.indd 10 Greenberg traurig is a service mark and trade name of Greenberg traurig, LLP and Greenberg traurig, P.A. ©2013 Greenberg traurig, LLP. Attorneys at Law. All rights reserved. contact: Michael J. Bonner in Las Vegas at 702.792.3773. °these numbers are subject to fluctuation. 21762 | 2 2 J U LY 2 0 1 3 | 7/18/13 2:11:05 PM