Casino Industry Icon Elaine Wynn Passes Away at 82
Elaine Wynn, a pioneering force in the casino industry and a driving influence behind Las Vegas’ transformation into a luxury gaming destination, died on Monday at her Los Angeles home.
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Elaine Wynn was 82 and passed away peacefully after a short illness, according to the Elaine P. Wynn & Family Foundation. As the co-founder of both Mirage Resorts in 1976 and Wynn Resorts Ltd. in 2000, Elaine Wynn played a critical role in shaping modern Las Vegas. Alongside her former husband, Steve Wynn, she helped bring the concept of high-end, megaresort casinos into mainstream success and, in doing so, defied skeptics who believed the market was already oversaturated.
Wynn Resorts’ flagship property, Wynn Las Vegas, opened in 2005 with a $2.7 billion price tag, making it the most expensive resort ever built at the time. The project was a massive success and laid the foundation for Wynn Resorts' global expansion, including into the then-emerging Macao market.
Her strategic instincts and design influence were integral to the brand’s identity and helped to build what many consider the most prestigious name in the luxury resort sector. Wynn Resorts credited her for being a visionary partner whose impact is still visible throughout its properties.
From Maryland Bingo to Las Vegas Casinos
Elaine Wynn’s entrance into gaming began in the 1960s when she and Steve Wynn invested in the Frontier Hotel, using profits from a Maryland bingo hall. The couple moved to Las Vegas in 1967, and while Steve Wynn became the public face of their ventures, Elaine quietly became a powerful figure in her own right. Mentored by legendary banker E. Parry Thomas, she came to see her independent value in the male-dominated world of high-stakes gaming.
In later years, she asserted her autonomy more publicly. After their second divorce in 2010, Elaine sued Steve Wynn in 2012 to regain control over her shares in Wynn Resorts. Following his resignation amid sexual misconduct allegations in 2018, she regained her shareholder rights and became the company’s largest individual stakeholder. She later played a key role in convincing Massachusetts regulators to allow the opening of Encore Boston Harbor.
While she stepped back from the Wynn Resorts board, Elaine remained licensed as an investor and moved her focus to philanthropy. Forbes estimated her net worth at $2 billion at the time of her death.
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Dedicated to Education
Wynn’s contributions went beyond the gaming floor. She was a national chair of Communities in Schools, supported numerous education initiatives in Nevada, and held leadership roles with the UNLV Foundation and the Kennedy Center. In 2013, she famously purchased Francis Bacon’s Three Studies of Lucian Freud for over $140 million before loaning it to the Portland Art Museum.
At the time of her passing, she was championing the creation of a new art museum in Las Vegas, a project she considered her personal legacy.
Elaine Wynn is survived by her daughters, Kevyn and Gillian Wynn, and seven grandchildren.
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