Southwest Airlines gave us another example of how you simply can't make up stories this good.

When 23-year-old Kyla Ebbert got booted off a flight from San Diego to Tucson, Ariz., earlier this month because her attire was too revealing, it looked like a story that would get a brief mention and then quietly go away.

A flight attendant asked Ebbert to change clothes after she was denied boarding for wearing a frayed miniskirt and a sweater. She missed the flight and ended up taking a later one, flying with a blanket over the skirt.

Ebbert then appeared on the "Today" show, letting NBC's Matt Lauer and millions of viewers decide for themselves whether what she wore was too skimpy for air travel. All she wanted, she said, was an apology from Southwest that its representatives had been too hasty in judging her dress.

The verdict in the court of public opinion came down on Ebbert's side. OK, Southwest officials must have thought, now the story can quietly go away. But the public wasn't done with it yet.

In a public appearance by Southwest President Colleen Barrett at Texas Christian University, the executive was asked about the incident.

"I'm sure she will probably have a movie contract by next week," Barrett said, according to a report by the Dallas Business Journal.

She then explained that employees are empowered to make decisions on who flies and who doesn't based on what they wear and that others have been kicked off for wearing T-shirts with lewd statements on them.

Meanwhile in Southwest's executive office, Chief Executive Gary Kelly asked in Southwest's "Nuts about Southwest" blog what he should wear for Halloween this year.

Halloween is one of Southwest's favorite holidays and Kelly, in past years, has dressed as Wild Bill Hickock, Captain Jack Sparrow of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies and Gene Simmons of Kiss.

Kelly received more than 50 replies and some of them began referencing the Ebbert incident.

"Well, whatever you do, don't wear a miniskirt ‘ you might be asked to get off your own plane!" one wag suggested.

"Whatever you do, don't put on a revealing outfit and fly Southwest," added another. "You will never get there."

Finally, Southwest did what it had to do to make the story go away ‘ it apologized publicly.

In a press release issued just before people were going home for the weekend, Southwest said it was sorry, poked a little fun at itself and threw in a pitch about its fares.

"From a company who really loves PR, touche to you Kyla!" the release, quoting Kelly, said. "Some have said we've gone from wearing our famous hot pants to having hot flashes at Southwest, but nothing could be further from the truth. As we both know, this story has great legs, but the true issue here is that you are a valued customer, and you did not get an adequate apology. Kyla, we could have handled this better, and on behalf of Southwest Airlines, I am truly sorry. We hope you continue to fly Southwest Airlines. Our company is based on freedom even if our actions may have not appeared that way. It was never our intention to treat you unfairly and again, we apologize."

Kelly also recorded some national radio ads, announcing the launch of "miniskirt fares."

Miniskirt fares are one of Southwest's frequent fare sales. In this promotion, customers can fly one way for between $49 and $109 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Saturdays between Sept. 28 and Nov. 15 with a purchase made 14 days in advance of travel. Fares on other days range from $54 to $179 one way. The sale ends Sept. 24.

How's that for making lemonade out of lemons?

In other tourism and gaming news

Moving into Macau: This looks like the smart move of the week.

Harrah's Entertainment announced last week that it had acquired the Macau Orient Golf Club.

The 7,200-yard, 18-hole course is located next to the Lotus Bridge, the new port of entry to the Cotai Strip, which means the course will be one of the first things people arriving from Mainland China will see.

The course was acquired from a Taiwanese investor and while analysts estimated the cost at $3 billion, a Harrah's official said that was "nowhere near the mark."

Harrah's has been shut out in its bids to build in Asia, unable to obtain licenses in Macau and in Singapore. The acquisition of the golf course now gives it a bargaining chip in future dealings. The company can't build a casino on the 175-acre course unless the government of Macau changes its rules again. Or, if Harrah's partners with one of the existing Macau concessionaires, which include Wynn Resorts, Las Vegas Sands and MGM Mirage. Is a deal in the works with one of them?

Owning a golf course is no stretch for Harrah's which had six of them, including the pricy Rio Secco in Las Vegas, before buying the Macau tract.

Las Vegas Sands, owner of the Venetian in Las Vegas and Macau, is building several other hotels on the Cotai Strip, which is billed as "Asia's Las Vegas." Harrah's new golf course will be about as far away from the Venetian Macau as the Las Vegas Venetian is from Mandalay Bay. As they are in Las Vegas, the Venetian and Wynn will be neighbors with Harrah's.

For those who thought Harrah's would stand pat while waiting for Texas Pacific Group and Apollo Management to finish their acquisition of the casino company, the golf course deal and other recent announcements have proven them wrong.

Harrah's isn't about to let their rivals get the best of them in Macau.

Not by a long shot.

More WHHSH: For those who have been amused by Las Vegas' "What happens here, stays here" advertising campaign, there's good news.

More ads are on the way.

Billy Vassiliadis, who heads R&R Partners, the advertising agency that created the campaign for the LVCVA, said every time he and his team think the campaign may be close to ending they get a fresh batch of reaction that ranks high among consumers.

Next, the campaign is heading for some uncharted water with the development of some new WHHSH ads in foreign languages. While "Lo que pasa en Las Vegas, se queda en Las Vegas" doesn't roll off the tongue as easily as "What happens here, stays here," those who have seen the new Spanish-language ads had the same reaction as those who view them in English: The ads are entertaining.

LVCVA officials had said they weren't sure the WHHSH ads would translate well in some cultures, so don't expect, for example, a Chinese version of the ad to appear anytime soon.

But delivering them in Spanish is an important key in taking the marketing message to Mexico as well as to the U.S. Hispanic market.

Vassiliadis also remarked in his appearance before the LVCVA board of directors that Las Vegas is forecast to be a more recognized brand than the National Football League and he wondered out loud whether the NFL might be interested in some kind of marketing alliance.

Yes, he was just kidding.

The NFL has never been overly fond of Las Vegas because of our legalized sports wagering, and in recent years the league has clamped down on local casinos that use the phrase "Super Bowl" in its advertising, prevented NFL images, including televised games, to be displayed in locations where an admission fee is charged (like a Super Bowl party) and rejected Las Vegas ads ‘ including those highly acclaimed WHHSH ads ‘ from being broadcast during the Super Bowl.