IN BRIEF

DALLAS

Chief says Southwest Airlines could have record revenue

Last year Southwest Airlines shrank for the first time ever. Now the chief executive officer says it could rebound with record revenue in 2010.

Southwest, the leading carrier at McCarran International Airport, said Thursday that January traffic rose 7.1 percent from a year ago, and CEO Gary Kelly said the nation's biggest discount airline had strong bookings for February and March.

If that trends holds, Southwest should finish 2010 with revenue much higher than 2009 and "it can even surpass the revenues we had in 2008," Kelly said Thursday at an investor conference in New York.

Southwest sales peaked in 2008 at $11.02 billion. A streak of six straight years of rising revenue ended in 2009, as the recession and a decline in business travel led to a 6 percent drop in sales.

He said his airline is taking customers away from other carriers -- traffic grew even as Southwest offered fewer flights -- and he partially credited Southwest's heavily advertised bags-fly-free policy. Kelly added that the company is overhauling its Web site and frequent-flier program to generate more revenue.

Hawaii lawmaker introduces bill to legalize casinos in state

A lawmaker in Hawaii has introduced a bill that would legalize casinos in the state, one of only two in the nation without any form of legalized gambling.

The House Committee on Hawaiian Affairs passed the bill through to the entire legislative body on Wednesday.

The bill amends the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act to authorize casino gambling operations on Hawaiian homelands.

Proponents believe Hawaii's fiscal crisis made lawmakers more supportive of casino gaming.

"I think when we have these economic hard times, things like this that people don't want to touch because of the politics, I think it's a great opportunity," said Rep. Mele Carroll, D-Lanai-Molokai, chairwoman of the Committee on Hawaiian Affairs.

Hawaii and Utah are the only states without any form of legalized gaming.

NEW YORK

Hollywood Video parent files for bankruptcy, will close stores

Movie Gallery Inc., owner of the Hollywood Video movie rental chain, has filed for Chapter 11 protection and plans to close 805 stores -- about a third of its total.

Its the second trip through bankruptcy court in just three years for Movie Gallery. The company is struggling with competition as more people choose to stream videos online from Netflix Inc. and other services or pick up $1-per-night rentals at Redbox kiosks.

Movie Gallery's Web site lists 10 Hollywood Video stores in Southern Nevada. On Thursday, four were marked "closing sale: storewide savings." The stores are at 75 S. Valle Verde Drive in Henderson, 5570 Camino Al Norte in North Las Vegas, and 4001 S. Buffalo Drive and 2875 S. Nellis Blvd. in Las Vegas.