VEGAS INC Magazine - Latest Las Vegas business news, features and commentaries about gaming, tourism, real estate and more
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IN BUSINESS TRANSPORTATION OCTOBER TAXICAB ACTIVITY ZOOMS TO RECORD AT MCCARRAN By Richard N. Velotta senior staff writer Taxicab loadings last month at McCarran International Airport hit the highest level in the airport's 63-year history, and the current pace would result in a record annual total. Airport officials said Tuesday that 322,322 taxis were loaded at McCarran's two terminals in October, breaking a record that had stood since March 2006. "We are pleased to see such robust numbers in our taxi traffic, since the number of cabs loaded is one strong indicator that the airlines are bringing an increasing number of visitors into Las Vegas," Randall Walker, Clark County's director of aviation, said in a release. "Taxi numbers are up far more significantly than our passenger numbers, which have shown 4.5 percent growth year-to-date through September," Walker said. "This tells me the surge in taxi traffic not only reflects an increased amount of arriving travelers, but changes in the ground transportation preferences of many who arrive at McCarran." McCarran officials said 2.8 million taxis were loaded at the airport in the first 10 months of the year, a 9 percent increase over 2010. If that pace continues, the airport would have a record of more than 3.2 million loadings this year.. COURTS Your Business Can Be Greener Than You Think Learn how you can make energy decisions that are Smarter Greener Better for you, your business, and the environment. Please visit us at www.swgas.com/effi ciency/nv or call 1-800-654-2765 to obtain equipment eligibility and rebate application information. Commercial Energy Audit Commercial Equipment Rebates are available for natural gas storage water heaters, griddles, steamers, fryers, and combination ovens. REBATES 50% up to $2,500 Rebates are available to industrial or large commercial customers in Nevada using at least 15,000 therms of natural gas a month. REBATES 50% up to $5,000 FORUM SHOPS SUIT YIELDS SETTLEMENT By Steve Green senior staff writer The owner of the Forum Shops at Caesars has agreed to pay $125,000 to settle a two-year-old lawsuit claiming Hispanic janitors there were subjected to discrimination. Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group Inc., owner of the mall on the Las Vegas Strip, had been sued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in federal court in Las Vegas. In the July 2009 suit, attorneys claimed at least five janitors were subjected to physical intimidation and verbal harassment, allegedly resulting in a hostile work environment. The harassment occurred in 2005 and 2006, the suit said. EEOC officials have said a supervisor allegedly involved in the discrimination had been terminated by the Forum Shops, in part because of the racial harassment claims. Simon Property Group told the EEOC it had addressed the problem even before the suit was filed, agency officials said. A consent decree filed in federal court last week and signed by Simon Property Group attorneys says the $125,000 in settlement money will be allocated by the EEOC to the janitors involved, who had left the luxury mall before the lawsuit was filed. As part of the decree, Simon agreed not to harass or tolerate harassment against employees on the basis of national origin or retaliate against employees who have complained about such discrimination. "Simon is committed to complying with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and has agreed to training and reporting requirements pursuant to the consent decree," says a notice Simon agreed to post in the Forum Shops workplace as part of the settlement. 10 | 14 NOVEMBER 2011 |