OneEighty gets into real estate

Spokane-based OneEighty Networks has purchased a division of the Tour Factory, a company said to have created the first online virtual home and real estate tours.

OneEighty provides broadband Internet and other computer data services to clients in Washington, Idaho and Oregon.

Now, it also will host Web sites of an estimated 100 small- to medium-size area real estate companies on its network, said Zach Jeffers, who helps create Web site content for OneEighty.

A company press release said OneEighty will increase technical support to seven days a week and be available to develop and support future real estate clients’ Web sites.

Among its services, OneEighty creates and maintains Web sites for retailers, privately owned companies and others.

Ambassadors issues report

Ambassadors International Inc. reported nearly $33 million in first-quarter revenue, up from last year’s total of about $8 million, according to its most recent filings with the Security and Exchange Commission.

The company owns a Spokane-based group tour operator and two cruise ship companies, and recently purchased Bellingham Marine, a marina construction company.

Most of the parent company’s nearly $25 million in additional revenue was generated by the marine operation, which pumped about $23 million into Ambassador’s coffers, according to a company press release.

First-quarter expenses and operating costs jumped $35 million year over year, primarily due to about $19 million in new construction and shipyard operations at Bellingham Marine, according to the release.

Meanwhile, cruise operating expenses and administrative fees went up nearly $13 million over the same time last year.

“In addition, the company reported a net loss of $8.6 million, or 77 cents per share (first quarter) compared to net loss of $1.7 million or 16 cents per share (the same time last year),” according to the statement.