STAR-BULLETIN / 2001
The Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas has been
able to avoid major layoffs, due in no small part
to visitors from Hawaii.

Isle tourists to Vegas
are not slowed, but
other spots in Sin
City are hurting

Only the destinations favored
by Hawaii visitors are avoiding
massive job layoffs

---

By Gary T. Kubota
gkubota@starbulletin.com

More than 10,000 out of an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 hotel and casino workers in Las Vegas have been laid off because of fewer visitors in the aftermath of terrorist attacks on the East Coast.

But some Las Vegas hotels frequented by Hawaii visitors have virtually no layoffs, said Rob Stillwell, a spokesman for Boyd Gaming Corp., which runs California Hotel & Casino, the Fremont Hotel & Casino, and Main Street Station, Hotel, Casino & Brewery.

Stillwell said the once-daily Hawaiian Airlines chartered flight from Honolulu to Las Vegas with more than 300 passenger seats has been close to full.

"It isn't full every single time," Stillwell said. "Generally speaking, it's close to full most of the time."

STAR-BULLETIN / 1999
Sam Boyd's California Hotel & Casino in Las
Vegas is a favored gambling and vacation
destination for Hawaii visitors.

Stillwell said the flights were held up for about a week after the Sept. 11 attacks but have returned to normal.

"We hope Hawaiian tourism returns just as quickly because a lot of our customers work in the Hawaiian tourism business," he said.

Stillwell said out of 6,000 employees at Boyd hotels in Las Vegas, some 200 people have been laid off, and most of them have been from restaurant-related work at other properties, including the Stardust.

James Gomes, a former Manoa resident and a Las Vegas housing developer, said many former Hawaii residents are employed in construction and that the building activity in Las Vegas is continuing.

"None of that has slowed down," Gomes said.

Marybel Batjer, chief of staff for Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn, said construction of two hotels in Las Vegas was continuing and that developer Steve Winn was also rebuilding the Desert Inn.

Batjer said the number of visitors are rising, although there have been some convention cancellations.

Mel Ozeki, a former Hilo resident and publisher of Ohana Magazine in Las Vegas, said more than 30,000 former Hawaii residents are estimated to live in Las Vegas, and one out of six work in the culinary field, including positions as waiters, waitresses and cooks.

He said the culinary workers union is trying to decide if working members are willing to reduce their employment days from five to four to give work to laid-off employees.