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Las Vegas Review Journal (NV)

GLOBALLY CONNECTED

Author: Hubble Smith
September 26, 1998

Larry Casey has immersed himself in Chinese culture and lifestyle for the past 20 years to gain a greater understanding of a country that plays such a pivotal role in the world economy.

As a principal in Las Vegas-based Global Intelligence Network, he bases his work on the premise that knowledge is power.

'Facts aren't necessarily the answer,' said Casey, a former senior official in both the Reagan and Bush administrations.

'It's being able to find the information, analyze it and find the right way to present it so that it means something, because you can make a lot of mistakes by just looking at only one piece of information.'

Global Intelligence Network gathers information for a variety of business clients, including the gaming industry, insurance companies, law firms and corporate decision-makers.

As the new millennium approaches, acquiring fast, accurate and complete business intelligence is a critical tactic in the strategic plan of any major business, explained Tom Lorentzen, another network principal.

Lorentzen brings economic, business and political expertise from senior positions with the U.S. Small Business Administration in Washington during two presidential terms. As a consultant, his clients have included the American Gaming Association, International Game Technology and the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association.

He said Las Vegas executives have great interest in the Asian market and the potential impact of its downturn of the past couple of years.

'They want to know their ability to honor financial commitments,' Lorentzen said.

His company also ferrets out information on potential Asian-American partnership ventures.

Lorentzen formed the Global Intelligence Network with Robert Maheu, the alter ego of Howard Hughes for many years and his business confidant.

The company uses data resources, human intelligence, and political and government sources from around the world to provide assistance and consultation to businesses.

'We have friends we've known for 40 or 50 years,' Maheu said. 'People are sometimes fearful about telling all, but with our contacts, they don't hold anything back.'

Maheu said Global Intelligence Network has worldwide associates, many of them former Central Intelligence Acgency and Federal Bureau of Investigation agents and former intelligence officers from foreign agencies such as the KGB and Mossad.

Casey, whose uncle, William, was director of the CIA under President Reagan, brings a background of close affiliations with members of the intelligence community.

He said businesses need the economic information and intelligence his company provides to ensure they're dealing with the right people and looking at the right markets.

'It's like going into a dark room with furniture all around,' Casey said. 'We turn the lights on so they can see where they might stumble.'

Global Intelligence Network is uniquely positioned in Asia, with a special focus on China, to provide direct assistance, consultation, introductions and access to proper government officials and local leaders.

Casey ranks Las Vegas with Shanghai and south Florida as the fastest-growing corporate intelligence markets in the world.

'There's always been an interest (among Asians) in Las Vegas as a destination, but not as a location for investment opportunity,' Casey said.

'I think Las Vegas has always missed the boat that way. I don't think (officials) have made an effort to work with Asians to develop a plan that can utilize Las Vegas as a source for business development.'

Las Vegas possesses great land value and entertainment value for Asians, Casey said, but they won't move here until there's a good comfort level like there is in other cities.

'You know where Chinatown and Asian-American communities are in Los Angeles or SanFrancisco,' he said. 'They can find their own restaurants and markets and video stores. There's no residential area for them here, but there would be if enough of them came.'

Japan is the linchpin to the Asian economy, Casey said, and with the Nikkei stock market down 60 percent in the past several years and the real estate market down 90 percent, younger Japanese businessmen are looking for U.S. venture partners to invest with them in Japan.

Copyright (c) 1998 Las Vegas Review-Journal
Record Number: LINTELLIGENCE8284422

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