IN BRIEF

Tropicana Las Vegas hires Cantor to operate sports book

Tropicana Las Vegas has signed an agreement with technology company Cantor Gaming to run the Strip resort's new sports book when it opens this fall, the companies announced Thursday.

Cantor Gaming, an affiliate of global financial services provider Cantor Fitzgerald, will offer mobile gaming through eDeck, Cantor's mobile wagering program.

The device allows gamblers to wager on sporting events and play mobile casino games such as blackjack and baccarat. The device will be offered throughout the property, including in bars, restaurants and the pool.

The new sports book is part of Tropicana Las Vegas' $165 million renovation of the property scheduled to be complete in April.

WASHINGTON

SEC approves new rules to prevent further 'flash crashes'

Federal regulators on Thursday put in place new rules aimed at preventing a repeat of last month's harrowing "flash crash" in the stock market.

Members of the Securities and Exchange Commission approved the rules, which call for U.S. stock exchanges to briefly halt trading of some stocks that make big swings.

The major exchanges will start putting the trading breaks into effect as early as Friday for six months.

The Nasdaq stock market plans to have the new program fully in place on Monday.

Under the new rules, trading of any Standard & Poor's 500 stock that rises or falls 10 percent or more in a five-minute period will be halted for five minutes. The "circuit breakers" would be applied if the price swing occurs between 9:45 a.m. and 3:35 p.m. Eastern time.

Spirit Airlines cancels flights
as strike deadline approaches

Spirit Airlines says it has begun canceling some flights as a strike deadline approaches this weekend.

Also, a check by The Associated Press shows that Spirit is not selling tickets for any flights on Saturday or Sunday. It wasn't clear what Spirit's plans were for passengers who had bought tickets to fly those days.

Spirit pilots could walk off the job as soon as 12:01 a.m. Saturday.

Spirit spokeswoman Misty Pinson says the airline has canceled some flights in an effort to protect customers from the impact of a strike. She would not provide details. She says the airline is offering alternatives to customers.

DETROIT

General Motors puts brakes on memo to scrap nickname

Relax, Chevrolet fanatics. Turns out you can take your "Chevy to the levee" or any other darn place you please.

General Motors Co. on Thursday backed off what it called a "poorly worded" internal memo that asked employees to refer to the brand only as "Chevrolet" instead of its long-standing and well-known nickname.

GM said in a statement that it "in no way" is discouraging anybody from using the name Chevy. The internal memo was part of an effort to develop a consistent brand name as it tries to broaden its global presence.

"We hope people around the world will continue to fall in love with Chevrolets and smile when they call their favorite car, truck or crossover 'Chevy,' " the statement said.

GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson said the statement was meant to make clear that the company is "honored and flattered" that the brand is so popular, regardless of what people call it.

WASHINGTON

Bill aims to extend contracts for Hoover Dam electricity

Contracts for electricity generated at Hoover Dam would be extended for another 50 years under a bill moving through Congress.

The House on Tuesday approved the legislation that would renew relationships between Nevada, Arizona and California users and the Western Area Power Administration, the federal agency that markets power from the dam.

A Senate subcommittee heard testimony Wednesday on the bill. In a statement, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., the majority leader, called for its passage as soon as possible.

Current contracts, which expire in 2017, would be extended to 2067. Reid said Nevada will retain its share of almost 25 percent of the dam's hydropower.

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