Two Honolulu residents filed a federal lawsuit yesterday contending that they contracted the Norwalk virus during their stay at the California Hotel and Casino in downtown Las Vegas in December 2003.

William Wood and Thomas Gabrowski are asking for an unspecified amount of money. They bought a travel package that included a five-day stay at the hotel, the suit said. Wood had to seek medical treatment and became so dehydrated he developed kidney stones that required surgery in Honolulu, according to the suit.

Gabrowski was later forced to be quarantined in a Honolulu hospital, the suit said.

Nevada health officials had reported that beginning in December 2003, more than 1,100 people suffered from gastrointestinal problems blamed on a Norwalk virus, or norovirus, linked to the California Hotel.

The suit is against Boyd Gaming Corp. and the California Hotel and Vacations-Hawaii, which are identified as subsidiaries of Boyd Gaming. Boyd Gaming officials could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Suit filed over ill-fated Vegas vacation in '03