BELLEVUE, WA-Looking to offset the loss of two finance officers to area banks late last year, the Portland, OR-based real estate services firm Norris, Beggs & Simpson has strengthened its local mortgage banking branch with Robert Draper, most recently a senior vice president with Citizens Bank of Massachusetts in Boston.

PORTLAND-The Seattle Times is "reluctantly" selling half the land it owns around its South Lake Union headquarters to Paul Allen's company, Vulcan Inc., as the newspaper struggles to maintain operations while it fights with the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

SACRAMENTO-A partnership of Tustin, CA-based Touchstone Investments and AG West Investors pays $80.8 million for 574,000 sf in two six-story buildings and four one-story buildings. The portfolio is about 82% leased and there is significant rollover on the horizon, the new owner tells GlobeSt.com.

CARY, NC-Ronus Properties takes advantage of the low interest rate environment to pre-pay the existing MetLife loan on its Crossroads Plaza asset here with a new $57.5-million loan from Citigroup.

PORTLAND-A local nonprofit agency is buying the 180-unit hotel at 10th and Weidler in the Lloyd District for about $5 million and will spend another $3 million converting it for use as a low-income apartment building.

LAS VEGAS-Both companies' boards sign a definitive agreement for MGM Mirage to acquire Mandalay Resort Group for $71 per share in cash. The total value of the deal is approximately $7.9 billion, including $4.8 billion in equity, $600 million in convertible debentures and $2.5 billion in outstanding Mandalay debt.

PORTLAND-The 20-acre South Waterfront parcel, worth as much as $35 million, is the largest gift in the 117-year history of Oregon Health & Science University. The land eventually will house a new dental school, medical and nursing education facilities and possibly a pharmacy school.

NEW YORK CITY-A joint venture of two prominent New York City real estate families acquires 800,857 sf in 17 medical office properties in eight states from publicly traded Health Care Property Investors of Newport Beach, CA. The buyer tells GlobeSt.com it may look to flip some of the properties.