Printable Biography of Steve Wynn

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Stephen A. Wynn, former chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Mirage Resorts, Incorporated, was born in New Haven, Connecticut on January 27, 1942.

Mr. and Mrs. Wynn moved to Las Vegas from their Maryland home in 1967 and Mr. Wynn began his career in the gaming industry as an executive and part owner of the Frontier Hotel. In addition, between 1968 and 1972, he owned and operated a wine and liquor importing company in the state of Nevada.

Mr. Wynn’s entrepreneurial dealings included a real estate transaction with Howard Hughes, the profits from which allowed him to begin a major investment in Golden Nugget, Inc. in 1972 (which was re-named Mirage Resorts, Incorporated in 1991).

In the 27 years he served as chairman of the board, Mr. Wynn was widely credited with transforming Las Vegas into a world-renowned resort destination.

The transition began when Mr. Wynn turned the downtown Golden Nugget, once known only as a “gambling joint,” into a Four Diamond resort known for the elegant facilities and personal service.

He then oversaw the building of the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City in 1980. This resort became known for its luxurious facilities, its innovative television advertising and its superstar entertainment.

Its sale to Bally in 1987 for $440 million allowed Mr. Wynn the opportunity to focus his attention on the design and development of what would become the company’s flagship property, The Mirage, which opened in November 1989. This destination resort, with its South Seas tropical theme, quickly changed the paradigm by which all casino hotels have since been designed. The opening of The Mirage ignited a $12 billion building boom, catapulting Las Vegas into the fastest growing city in America and the number one tourism destination in the country.

In October 1993, Treasure Island opened adjacent to its sister property The Mirage. A Four Diamond resort, Treasure Island is an elegant escape for those wanting to experience the excitement and thrills of Las Vegas. Highlighted by internationally acclaimed entertainment from Cirque du Soleil and the Battle of Buccaneer Bay, Treasure Island is one of the city’s most electrifying resorts.
Opened in October 1998, Bellagio is one of the most spectacular hotels in the world. With its luxurious guest rooms and traditional European feel, Bellagio appeals to an audience that has long overlooked Las Vegas as a vacation destination.

Mr. Wynn oversaw the development of a new resort in Biloxi, Mississippi. Opened in March 1999, Beau Rivage is the centerpiece of a building boom that will propel Biloxi into the role of a regional tourism center along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Blending the beauty of the Mediterranean with Southern hospitality, Beau Rivage brings Mirage Resorts’ standard of excellence to this beautiful historic region.
In June 2000 the MGM purchased Mirage Resorts, Incorporated and Mr. Wynn stepped down as Chairman and personally purchased the Desert Inn Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas. The Desert Inn was closed in August 2000 and Mr. Wynn is currently in the design and development stages of a new resort complex on the existing Desert Inn property.

Mr. Wynn is active in a multitude of community affairs and has been the recipient of honorary doctorate degrees from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Sierra Nevada College.
On a national scale, Mr. Wynn is chairman of the Moran Eye Institute at the University of Utah and a member of the Advisory Board, chaired by Paul Volcker, at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. Additionally, Mr. Wynn is a member of the Board of Trustees of his Alma Mater, the University of Pennsylvania, on the Board of the George Bush Presidential Library and most recently, was named Vice Chairman of the Kennedy Center’s 2000 Corporate Fund Board.

Mr. Wynn enjoys skiing, golfing and spending time with his family.