The father of new Las Vegas, billionaire Steve Wynn.
Want to know who’s responsible for the more resort feel of Vegas nowadays? Take a look at Steve.
Steve Wynn, who’s real name is Stephen Alan Weinberg, is a Las Vegas casino mogul and developer that has been one of the driving forces in the development of Vegas in the past 20 years. And he has his hand in some of the top casino projects in Nevada. You like the Bellagio Hotel? That’s Steve’s work. Golden Nugget? Steve Wynn. The Mirage? Uh-huh, Steve again. The pirates doing their thing at Treasure Island? Steve Wynn.
Who is Steve Wynn
Wynn was born in 1942 to a middle-class family in New Haven, Connecticut and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1963, with a degree in English Literature. English Literature, yup. It’s always crazy to me to see people who have a certain career path and then their college major is completely different from what they do for the rest of their lives. How could English Literature possibly help in his casino business? Perhaps to be more articulate? Since we’re so cultured here at CasinoSmack, here’s a quote:
For most men (till by losing rendered sager)
Will back their own opinions by a wager.
~George Gordon, Lord Byron, “Beppo”
Back to Steve. Time Magazine called him “not only a great salesman of insane ideas and a clever real estate player but also the gaming industry’s most brilliant designer”.
He has casino in his bloodÂ
His dad ran bingo parlors as Steve was growing up, so he got intimate knowledge of the gambling market. Unfortunately, his dad passed away when Steve was in college. Steve then took over his father’s business and used the profit to invest in the Frontier Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, his first foray into the Vegas casino market. That was the start, and it makes you wonder if he knew how far he was going to go. From what I’ve learned, most entrepreneurs have a vision of what they want. Maybe not to the extent of where he is now, but he had to have seen success coming.
The 1970′s were good for Steve Wynn
Through real estate investments, he used the return on his investments to get control of the Golden Nugget, and subsequently expanding and renovating the casino into a four diamond resort. Steve later sold the Golden Nugget for $440 million and began his work on the Mirage, opening in 1989.
You can pretty much trace the opening of all these huge casinos on the Strip in Vegas to the Mirage. Back in the day all you saw were straight up casinos. Now you get these entertainment locations like New York, New York with rollercoasters. This is the moment when Vegas got more of that amusement park feel.
Into the 1990′s
1993 brought the opening of Treasure Island by Steve. Every time you check out the “Battle of Buccaneer Bay” with the pirates and all that, give a little shout out to Steve.
1998 brought the badass hotel, the Bellagio. It’s got an eight acre artificial lake with the Fountains of Bellagio, at an original construction cost of $1.6 billion. Inside the Bellagio you can check out Dale Chihuly’s Fiori di Como, which is composed of over 2,000 hand-blown glass flowers and covering 2,000 square feet of the lobby ceiling. One of the most amazing shows I’ve ever seen is “O” by Cirque du Soleil at the Bellagio. You have got to check that out if you haven’t already.
The new millenium
2000 and Steve sells his company Mirage Resorts to MGM Grand Inc for $6.6 billion in June 2000. The new company is now known as MGM Mirage.
2004 comes and Steve Wynn officially becomes a billionaire, with a net worth at $1.3 billion. Billion dollars, daaaammmmnnn.
2005 and the arrival of Wynn Las Vegas Resort and Country Club, a five diamond resort on the Las Vegas Strip by Steve Wynn in Paradise, Nevada. 215 acres, this resort is HUGE. It’s the tallest building right now in the Las Vegas area, 48 stories in the air. I like the fact he named it after himself. I mean, he’s had so much success, why not gloat a little bit and see your name out on the Strip in big letters?
Steve, now in his 60′s, figures to have tons more success in the casino market in the coming years. I’m personally excited to see what’s next with him.
Did you like this article?
Related posts:
Steve Wynn is a visionary in every aspect. He knows what customers want to see, eat and play. He knows how employees want to be treated. And he gave his employees all $1000 bonuses for Christmas this year. When downtown and even some other hotel/casinos treat their employees like they are doing them a favor by letting them work there, Steve Wynn says thanks with cash.
I worked for steve wynn and he is a greedy self centered money hungry casino other like the rest. every once in a while he throws his emploees a bone and gets publicity.hes no better than the rest.
Could someone help me get in touch with Steve Wynn
I own Pokercityusa.com, pokercitylimits.com, Pokerhighlimit.com and Diamondpokerpalace.com which are great url's for poker related sites if anyones interested email me at: Smokecityusa.com
$1.3 billion. in 2004, well he should be worth a lot more now unless he has made some mistakes.
I only see holding for Las Vegas, seems strange that he has not moved to other locations purely for the sake of safety (too many assets in one place)
He certainly has. It's called "Wynn Macao". And the publicly traded company, Wynn Resorts is valued at over $12B.
I worked for stevew wynn in ac . I been trying to get back in the buisness
Mr.Keller,
I have wanted to get in touch to Steve Wynn,Regarding an Original Picasso that our family trust is offering for private sale,we would like this piece to become a part of the Bellagio Picasso Picasso Exibit
If you can tell me how to contact him I would be in your debt.
Andrew Aranda, Aranda Family Trust Trustee
760-522-8511
PO Box 1178
Bonsall Ca. 92003
I got here while looking on google for the steve wynn interview on hannity and colmes and found this great steve wynn biography! I know there's probably been a few visitors looking for pix of mrs steve wynn and steve wynn wife photo but personally I'm more interested in the entire steve wynn family – what a great man and what great things he's done for vegas!
I really liked the way they came off
My mother was born on January Twenty-sixth, Nineteen-Thirty-Three. When ever I see someone born clos to that date I want to make a connection with them. I recently designed a cap (hat) with someone in Las Vegas and would love to get one to Mr. Alan. It would be a dream come true for someone to buy the design. Please suggest to Mr. Alan, to get used to natural light. Although I am not a doctor, I believe soft light would also help him. I'm not sure if it is florescent, however, I believe it has a pink hue. I am an an innovative person. My great grandfather was an inventor. I would love to be able to help Mr. Alan in his daily tribulations. My mother passed away Ninty-Two days after i was born. I am the only man I know that has survived Ovarian Cancer. It has made me an out of the box thinker. If Mr. Alan needs a brainstormer, I'm your man. I will be in town next week. May I drop off a cap? By the way, I don't think watching T.V. would be too good for his eyes. Has Mr. Alan tried Resveratrol? I'm going to change the World. We need to move large amounts of water from flood areas to the West. If I had the resource, I would be working on Greenhouses in the desert. I digress. Sincerely, Frank D. Fusco The Water Bearer.
Thank you for your "interesting" commentary and life story Frank… lol.
Anyone know how to contact Steve Wynn?
i have nothing to comment but i im in the business ,a small one.Is it bosible to come and invest in my Country,The Gambia?
Whilst i anticipate you response,i thank you for your attention.
Ousman Jatta
this article is very pro-steve. i find it facinating that so many kind words can be said about someone especially if they only look at the surface or the end result. steve did not come from a middle class family. his father made lots of money in the bingo (connected) business. although it may be true the majority of it was wisked away by his fathers problem "gaming", rebounding from such debt is not hard if the funds continue to roll in. his father's untimely and unfortuneate death although tragic, was perhaps a blessing for the rest of the family's own health and security. good thing for ol'e stevey, the apple fell way off the gambling tree gene. rebounding from his fathers debt was not hard, it just took a little time and dicipline. not hard for a guy who regards the casino floor as a "cash register". im not bitter, but throw me 5 million and i can turn that into double in under 2 years. shit, perhaps i should just get a loan and stop complaining.
1. Super info indeed. My girlfriend has been seeking for this content.