Latest news with #ElaineWynn
Travel Weekly
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Travel Weekly
Elaine Wynn's legacy will live on in Las Vegas
Although Elaine Wynn, co-founder of Mirage Resorts and Wynn Resorts, died April 14 at the age of 82, her influence will continue to be felt on the Las Vegas Strip and beyond for decades. Not only did she and her ex-husband, Steve Wynn, usher in the modern era of megaresorts, she was instrumental in encouraging more women in gaming company boardrooms and was a philanthropist who supported many education initiatives and the city's arts culture. Elaine Wynn The Wynns' first major project in Las Vegas, in the 1970s, was to transform and expand downtown's Golden Nugget, which had opened in 1946 and had been "a pretty dusty Western casino and small hotel," said Alan Feldman, a casino industry veteran, in an interview with City Cast Las Vegas. Among the many new elements that made it the highest-end property downtown were the Spa Tower and two-story suites, which Feldman said were the first of their kind in the market. Then came the opening of the Mirage in 1989 with what would become the iconic volcano, said to be Elaine's idea. Other revolutionary amenities attracting guests' attention beyond the casino floor: an 80-foot-tall atrium and rainforest, a 20,000-gallon saltwater aquarium behind the registration desk and Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat. "Steve's vision was really about the property. Elaine's vision was about Las Vegas, and I found that just absolutely dynamic," said Feldman, who worked with the Wynns on the opening. "[Steve] was describing a hotel that didn't exist before. She was describing a city that wasn't here, and the idea that these two things could be interrelated and have impact on one another was really compelling." Treasure Island (which opened in 1993), featuring a now-defunct lakefront pirate battle, and Bellagio (1998), with its breathtaking conservatory and dynamic fountains, proved to be even bigger templates for their ideas. Although the Mirage is now closed and being rebranded into the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas, Treasure Island, Bellagio, Wynn (2005) and Encore (2008) remain vibrant examples of their vision. The Elaine P. Wynn and Family Foundation, a philanthropic organization that supports education, community development and the arts, had this to say about her: "Each project reflected her creative sense and impeccable taste. But her most lasting contribution is the people-first culture she always prioritized. Her unwavering empathy for her colleagues and employees is undeniably the magic quality she infused in everything she touched." The Wynns were married in 1963, divorced in 1986 but married again in 1991. That second marriage also ended in divorce, in 2010. But Elaine Wynn remained on Wynn Resorts' board for a short time following Steve Wynn's departure from the company in 2018 amid reporting of his decadeslong pattern of sexual misconduct with employees. She continued behind the scenes to preserve the legacy of hospitality she helped create, said Feldman, now director of strategic initiatives for the International Gaming Institute at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She fostered more women in boardrooms and those with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds to bring different perspectives to hospitality and gaming. "Elaine had an incredibly profound impact on that, and that's not going anywhere," Feldman told the podcast. Also not going anywhere are the effects of her philanthropy. She was the founding chairman of Communities in Schools of Nevada (a dropout prevention organization), she helped raise millions of dollars for UNLV, and she funded the education program at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts. "Elaine was instrumental in establishing the Elaine Wynn Studio for Arts Education at the Smith Center," according to a statement provided by the performing arts center. "Through the years, its programs have provided cultural enrichment to hundreds of thousands of young people throughout Southern Nevada, a tribute to Elaine's energy, generosity and tireless dedication to arts literacy." • Related: These four museums tell the story of Las Vegas But the legacy of Elaine Wynn that visitors to Las Vegas may anticipate the most is the Las Vegas Museum of Art, what would be the city's first world-class art museum, near the Smith Center. Her landmark gift propelled a collaboration with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art on the project. Planning and fundraising continue. A rendering of the proposed Las Vegas Museum of Art, a passion project of Elaine Wynn's. Groundbreaking is expected in 2027. Photo Credit: Kere Architecture Groundbreaking for the 90,000-square foot, three-story museum, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Francis Kere, is expected in 2027. "She understood that Las Vegas was not just a destination; it was an experience -- an ever-evolving tapestry woven with threads of art, culture and the human spirit," the Elaine P. Wynn & Family Foundation statement said.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Las Vegas casino executive Elaine Wynn dies at 82
Elaine Wynn, the woman who built a Las Vegas casino empire alongside her husband, Steve, has died at 82. Wynn died Monday after battling a 'brief illness,' a family spokesperson told the Nevada Independent. 'We are all deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Elaine Wynn, and send our condolences to her daughters, grandchildren, and her many close friends,' Wynn Resorts said in a statement on Tuesday. 'Her many talents and special touches are indelibly imprinted on the company and still evident throughout our resorts.' The Wynns co-founded Mirage Resorts in 1976, eventually selling the company to MGM for $4.4 billion in 2000. After that, the Wynns founded Wynn Resorts and built two more mega-resorts, the Wynn and the Encore, on the Las Vegas Strip. While Steve Wynn was known as the eclectic billionaire, Elaine was considered the grounding force in their relationship. When Steve tried to put a dolphin habitat in the couple's backyard, Elaine convinced him to move it to the Mirage instead. 'She's very supportive when he gets a bit crazed and impatient,' lighting designer Patrick Woodroffe told the New York Times in 2006. 'She's much more centered — well, she is his center.' Born April 28, 1942, in New York, Elaine Pascal was raised in Miami and first met Steve Wynn on a blind date in 1961. They married for the first time in 1963 and moved to Las Vegas in 1967, when Steve bought a share of the Frontier Hotel. The Wynns were often credited with transforming Las Vegas, with Steve considered a visionary for building two of the early mega-resorts, the Mirage and the Bellagio. The couple divorced in 1986 but remarried in 1991. At the second wedding reception, Steve told the guests, 'We regret to inform you, the divorce did not work out.' After 19 more years together, the couple split again in 2010 — reportedly one of the most expensive divorces in American history. However, their relationship remained cordial afterward. Throughout her time in Las Vegas, Elaine Wynn poured significant time and money into charitable causes in the city. Her biggest focus was Communities in Schools, a program focused on keeping grade-school children from dropping out. In addition to Steve, she's survived by their two daughters, Kevyn and Gillian, and seven grandchildren. 'She was a tireless advocate for Las Vegas, for children and their education, and for the arts,' Wynn Resorts said. 'We're grateful that the enduring sense of philanthropy she instilled in our company continues to this day.'
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Elaine Wynn, Las Vegas casino co-founder, dies at 82
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Elaine Wynn, a prominent philanthropist who co-founded a casino empire in Las Vegas with her ex-husband Steve Wynn, passed away at the age of 82, according to a release from the Elaine Wynn and Family Foundation. 'She played an instrumental role in shaping the modern-day Las Vegas, from the Golden Nugget where she infused glitter gulch with a little luxury, to The Mirage, establishing the paradigm for everything that followed, including Bellagio, Wynn and Encore resorts,' the release announcing her death read. 'She understood that Las Vegas was not just a destination; it was an experience—an ever-evolving tapestry woven with threads of art, culture, and the human spirit.' The release, which was sent at around 6 a.m. Tuesday morning, did not list a cause of death. 'As we remember Elaine Wynn, we celebrate a life lived with purpose—a life that embracedthe extraordinary potential of Las Vegas, a city she truly loved. Her legacy will echo throughthe vibrant streets and the stories of those she touched,' the release stated. The largest individual shareholder of Wynn Resorts, Wynn's impact extended beyond Las Vegas. At the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Wynn championed accessibility to the arts, helping to enhance the cultueral fabric of the community. 'Her leadership was characterized by grace and ambition, ensuring that art remained an essential part of our shared experience,' the release read. Wynn recently announced a collaboration with Pritzker Prize-winning architect Francis Kere to build the Las Vegas Art Museum, another example of her commitment, not just to the cultural arts, but to Las Vegas itself. Through the Elaine P. Wynn and Family Foundation, Wynn supported community organizations that aligned with her passions, including improving children's lives through education. Wynn co-chaired Nevada's Blue Ribbon Education Reform Task Force in 2011 and served on Nevada's State Board of Education, even elected as its President twice. The release stated that Wynn's family was her greatest pride. She was a mother to two daughters, Kevyn and Gillian, and a grandmother of seven grandchildren. 'In the heart and soul of Las Vegas, she will forever reign, not as Ms. Las Vegas, but as a visionary who turned possibilities into realities, inspiring all who followed in her footsteps.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
