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New York Times
17-04-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Elaine Wynn, Billionaire Arts Patron Who Helped Modernize Las Vegas, Dies at 82
Elaine Wynn, who built a glamorous casino-and-resort empire with her former husband, Steve Wynn, transforming Las Vegas into a global destination, and who went on to become a powerful education advocate, arts patron and Democratic fund-raiser, died on Monday at her home in Los Angeles. She was 82. The cause was heart failure, her daughter Gillian Wynn said. By the time the Wynns arrived in Las Vegas in 1967, it had lost its Rat Pack sheen and was primed for a reset. The couple were newlyweds with a new baby, but they already knew a thing or two about the gambling business. A few years earlier, Mr. Wynn had been on his way to Yale Law School when his father, who owned a string of bingo parlors in Maryland — and had a serious gambling habit — died suddenly, leaving his eldest son with the business and a load of debt. The couple worked the bingo parlors together, paid off the debt and then moved to the desert, where Mr. Wynn had been offered a tiny stake in a hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. Within a decade — and with a few real estate deals under his belt, including buying a vacant lot from Howard Hughes, the agoraphobic billionaire — Mr. Wynn had taken over the Golden Nugget, a down-at-the-heels casino, and begun gussying it up. Soon, he was crafting an empire, helped early on by Michael Milken, the disgraced junk-bond king. The Wynns then began to remake the Strip with their capstone property, the Mirage. They envisioned it as a luxurious resort — something much more than a casino. When it opened in 1989, with more than 3,000 rooms on 65 acres, it was among the largest and most expensive resorts in the world, built for $630 million (close to $1.7 billion in today's money). The theme was tropical. The lobby had an aquarium wall. Out front, a volcano in a lagoon erupted every night. There were also exotic animals — in a dolphin habitat and research center, as well as a four-acre jungle habitat for big cats (and, at one point, an elephant), otherwise known as Siegfried and Roy's Secret Garden, after the resort's flamboyant headliners. Ms. Wynn was the aesthetic partner in the venture, overseeing the architecture, the interiors and the employee uniforms. She was the one who argued to set the resort back from the sidewalk, to give it a gracious entrance and show off its distinctive Y-shaped design, which would later be much mimicked by other casino owners. 'Don't Reno-ize the strip,' she told Mr. Wynn. And when her husband wanted to put a dolphin habitat behind their house, it was Ms. Wynn who persuaded him to move that idea to the Mirage. At a time when the wives of powerful men were decorative adjuncts, Ms. Wynn was 'an equal partner in the success of Wynn Resorts,' said Mary Boies, a lawyer at Boies Schiller Flexner and a longtime friend (with her lawyer husband, David Boies). 'Steve was the money, and Elaine did the design and the people.' Ms. Boies added: 'She set the template for all that followed in Las Vegas. Neither would have worked without the other.' The Wynns went on to build a portfolio of ever more elaborate resorts, including the Bellagio, with its collection of blue-chip art; the Wynn Macau, in China; and Encore Las Vegas. But their relationship was challenging — in ways that would not become public until much later. Mr. Wynn was charismatic, mercurial and even visionary, despite a degenerative eye disease. Ms. Wynn was the steadying force. The couple divorced in 1986, during the building of the Mirage, but continued to live and work together. 'A lot of marriages reach that critical point when the man wants the wife to stay the same as when he first met her, to be the nurturer, supporter, cheerleader,' Ms. Wynn told GQ magazine in 1990. 'There has to be a shift if that relationship is to survive.' They remarried a year later. In 1993, the Wynns' daughter Kevyn, then 26, was kidnapped from her home in Las Vegas. Mr. Wynn paid a $1.4 million ransom for her release, and she was found bound in her car in a parking garage but otherwise unharmed. He did not alert the police or his wife when the kidnapper phoned him, fearful for his daughter's safety. He waited until she was safe and in his arms, and then phoned Ms. Wynn. 'I think the height of my admiration and respect and love for Steve centers on that episode,' Ms. Wynn told The New York Times Magazine in 2012. 'I never, ever questioned that he did the right thing. He spared me.' (The kidnapper was later arrested in Newport Beach, Calif., buying a Ferrari with $100 bills.) When Mr. Wynn, in a notorious incident in 2006, stuck his elbow through the canvas of 'Le Rêve,' Picasso's 1932 painting of his mistress Marie-Thérèse Walter, it was Ms. Wynn who calmed him. He was in his office showing off the painting to Barbara Walters, the Boieses, the author Nick Pileggi and his wife, Nora Ephron, and others, when it happened. Mr. Wynn had bought the painting with Steven Cohen, the hedge-fund manager, for $139 million, the highest price ever paid for an artwork at the time. 'I can't believe I did that, but thank God it was me!' Mr. Pileggi recalled him saying before calling Ms. Wynn. Mr. Pileggi was close enough to hear her soothing tones. 'I thought,' he said in an interview, ''Wow, this is some relationship.' Elaine did not enter the frenzy. That's the kind of person she was. Nora adored her.' 'Did I create an environment that allowed him to thrive?' Ms. Wynn mused in 2012. 'Did I create an anchoring to the personality that made us have good equilibrium? That's what I'd say I hope my contribution is.' By 2010, the Wynns had divorced again, this time permanently, splitting their shares in the company, which amounted to a controlling stake of 36 percent, then valued $1.4 billion. Ms. Wynn remained on the board but stepped down as director of Wynn Resorts, and out of the shadow of her husband. She turned her focus to supporting the arts and education, as national chairwoman and a trustee of Communities in Schools, an organization that works to lower dropout rates. She also served on the Nevada State Board of Education. Ms. Wynn was an early contributor to President Barack Obama's first presidential campaign, and he appointed her to the Kennedy Center's board, where she served until the first Trump administration. The Obamas remained friends, as the former president and Ms. Wynn shared a passion — in Ms. Wynn's case, a fierce passion — for college basketball. (She was a Duke fan.) In 2016, she provided a $50 million donation to kick-start the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's $650 million expansion, designed by the architect Peter Zumthor. She also helped fund the installation of the land artist Michael Heizer's 'Levitated Mass' on the museum's campus, as well as his monumental work in the Nevada desert, 'City,' as it neared completion after many decades. She began to buy art, besting her former husband with her 2013 purchase of the Francis Bacon triptych 'Three Studies of Lucian Freud,' which she won at auction with a bid of $142.4 million, after commission, beating Mr. Wynn's record of paying the highest price for an artwork. 'First I was worried I'd want to buy it,' she told Forbes magazine in 2016, recalling when she first saw the triptych. 'Then I was worried I might not get it.' Elaine Farrell Pascal was born on April 28, 1942, in New York City, one of three children of Lee (Stollman) Pascal and Jules Pascal. She grew up in Miami Beach, where her father ran package tours. A Lauren Bacall beauty by 16, she was named Miss Miami Beach in 1960. When she was a freshman at the University of California, Los Angeles, she and Steve were set up on a blind date by their parents — the date was dinner, with their parents, at the Miami Jai-Alai Fronton, now the Casino Miami. The Pascals and the Wynns had abutting poolside cabanas at the Fontainebleau Hotel, and the husbands were gin rummy buddies. It was an instant match, by all accounts. They married in 1963 and settled in Maryland to oversee Mr. Wynn's bingo parlors. Ms. Wynn transferred to the George Washington University, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1964. In addition to her daughters, Ms. Wynn is survived by seven grandchildren and a brother, Joel Pascal. Ms. Wynn recalled the energy of Las Vegas when she first arrived, the zest of a place on the make, and the loose community of headliners and showgirls there, as she told Cathy Horyn of The Times in 2006. And yet, she added: 'I felt threatened by Las Vegas. It seemed very fast for a middle-class Jewish girl.' When the Wynns divorced for the second time in 2010 and split their shares in the company, Ms. Wynn agreed to vote her shares with her husband, so he could maintain control of the board. But after a few years she was forced off the board and had to sue to regain her shares. Then, in 2018, The Wall Street Journal reported repeated allegations of sexual harassment by Mr. Wynn from multiple employees, including a manicurist who received a $7.5 million settlement after claiming he had forced her to have sex with him. Mr. Wynn, who denied the allegations, resigned as chief executive, leaving his wife as the company's largest shareholder. 'I could just quietly sell my shares and go off into the sunset and pursue philanthropy,' Ms. Wynn told James B. Stewart of The Times that year. 'But my mantra is, it's not where you start in life, it's where you end up. And I'm not about to go off and leave this company that I helped build, as tarnished as it has become.' At her death, Forbes magazine estimated her net worth at $2 billion, and Wynn Resorts had market cap of about $7.9 billion. For years, Ms. Wynn and Michael Govan, the director of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, had been discussing building an art museum in Las Vegas. It would be the city's first. Last year, she told him, 'It's time.' The museum, in partnership with LACMA, will be built in the city's new arts district, Symphony Park, and designed by Francis Kéré, a Pritzker-Prize winning architect from Burkina Faso. 'My days are numbered,' Ms. Wynn told Robin Pogrebin of The Times in September. 'I thought, What's my final gift? I want to leave an imprint other than my name on a hotel casino.'
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.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Yahoo
Golden Nugget Casino in Danville warns of scam account
DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — The Golden Nugget Casino in Danville is warning the public of a scam in the form of a Facebook page impersonating them. Thursday morning, the casino made a Facebook post about a post circulating from a scam page that is impersonating the casino under the name 'Golden Nugget Online.' The real casino came out and said that this post, which claims that the Golden Nugget is officially online, is not affiliated with the casino or Landry's in any way. Danville's comprehensive growth, development plan getting finalized They are urging Facebook users to be cautious and not engage with any suspicious links or offers claiming to be from the Golden Nugget. In the scam post, the imposter account shows a welcome offer bonus as well as 150 free spins for new users of the fake online casino. And, while the fake page shows the casino's correct address, they list a phone number with a +27 area code, which is the international country code for South Africa. The Golden Nugget said that for all accurate updates and promotions, always check their official pages. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
$1 million winner picked at New Jersey Lottery Million Dollar Replay. Here's who won
A Middlesex County man walked away with a $1 million on Friday at the New Jersey Lottery's Million Dollar Replay drawing at the Golden Nugget Atlantic City Hotel, Casino and Marina. 'They called my name and I didn't know what hit me. I just won a million dollars, and I can't believe it,' Joe DeSanto said. 'Maybe I can retire a little earlier.' Fourteen other players (see the list below) won between $10,000 to $100,000 on Friday as part of the Million Dollar Replay, which players entered by submitting non-winning scratch-off tickets online. Each quarter, 100 people were picked and given a $250 prize and an entry into Friday's second-chance drawing. 'I look forward to this event every year. The energy that was in this room was incredible. It is always a highlight of my career to celebrate people on what is one of the happiest days of their lives," said James Carey, New Jersey Lottery Executive Director. Also awarded on at the Friday's event, which was streamed live on the New Jersey Lottery's Facebook page, were one $5,000 prize, five $1,000 prizes, five Scratch-Off packs valued at $300 each and five gift baskets. $1 million: Daniel DeSanto, Middlesex County $100,000: Daniel Brown, Essex County $100,000: Diane Hackney, Passaic County $50,000: Duane Sulo, Ocean County $50,000: Charles Strine, Cumberland County $50,000: Francisco Flores, Passaic County $25,000: Florence Novatkowski, Ocean County $25,000: Pat Bailey, Cumberland County $25,000: Samuel Kyeremeh, Hudson County $25,000: Ernesto Luna, Hudson County $10,000: Louie Cortazzo, Union County $10,000: Sharon Riggi, Passaic County $10,000: Judith Redd, North Carolina $10,000: Inez Ponton, Bergen County $10,000: William Hays, Union County This article originally appeared on $1 million winner picked at NJ Lottery Million Dollar Replay
Fox News
09-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
'Mony Mony' singer Tommy James ended Las Vegas concert early from 'exhaustion'
"Mony Mony" singer Tommy James had to abruptly end his concert in Las Vegas last Friday after suffering from exhaustion. James was performing at the Golden Nugget casino on March 7 when he was reported to have stopped performing about an hour into the show. Carol Ross-Durborow, a representative for James, told Fox News Digital he stopped the show "due to exhaustion." Ross-Durborow also said he was up early to catch a five-hour flight to Las Vegas and went from his hotel to sound check to the show, and is now back in New Jersey and "fine working on his Sirius XM radio show." James is scheduled for a show next weekend in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Ross-Durborow said he would be arriving the day before. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported audience members saying he stopped singing during "Do Something to Me," about an hour into his 90-minute show, before his signature song, "Mony Mony," and the show's encore. The 77-year-old began to breathe heavily and sat in front of the drums to recover. Representatives for The Golden Nugget told the outlet that paramedics and casino security treated James on site, and he left without incident. James has released 12 solo studio albums, beginning in 1970, and eight with Tommy James and the Shondells, who released the hit singles "Crimson And Clover" and "I Think We're Alone Now." He performed "Crimson And Clover" with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts during the latter's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremony in 2015. Jett and her band had a hit single with a cover of the song, and James told Billboard at the time, "It's meant a lot. She had a No. 1 record with it, just like we did, and it has ended up being probably the biggest-selling single we ever had, so I'm thrilled. I'm thrilled to be here." In an interview with Jersey Sound last year, James reflected on his career, saying, "I look at my career and I see how I've been so blessed in so many different ways. And that's really the truth. The idea of actually doing what I love doing for this long, and the fans moving right along with me…"
