Elaine Wynn, the co-founder of Wynn Resorts and one of the most influential women in the casino industry, has died at 82.
Wynn was a philanthropist. She served as UNLV Foundation chair and sat on the boards of the Consortium for Policy Research in Education and Communities in Schools, according to KNPR.
Last year, Wynn and former Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman announced plans to build the Las Vegas Museum of Art, in partnership with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Wynn was also a vocal advocate for women’s reproductive health and rights. In 2017, she donated $1 million to Planned Parenthood following Donald Trump’s election win, according to Forbes.
“Elaine Wynn was more than a businesswoman or philanthropist; she was a force of nature—a curator of dreams in a city built on aspirations,” the Elaine P. Wynn and Family Foundation said in a statement released Tuesday.
Who was Elaine Wynn?
Wynn played an instrumental role in shaping modern-day Las Vegas through the creation of Mirage Resorts, the company behind The Mirage, Bellagio, Wynn, and Encore Resorts. She co-founded the company with her then-husband, Steve Wynn, and later became the largest individual shareholder of Wynn Resorts.
Her business leadership gave her outsized influence over Las Vegas culture and society. Her philanthropic work further solidified her impact on Southern Nevada.
Wynn was a mother to two daughters, Kevyn and Gillian, and a grandmother to seven.
In addition to her nonprofit work, Wynn co-chaired Nevada’s Blue Ribbon Education Reform Task Force in 2011 and served on the State Board of Education, where she was twice elected president. She also regularly appeared at the Elaine Wynn Elementary School, a public school in Las Vegas named after her.
She also served on the board of Activision Blizzard, the video game company behind Call of Duty, Diablo, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, and Crash Bandicoot. Wynn was also a trustee at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
“As we remember Elaine Wynn, we celebrate a life lived with purpose—a life that embraced the extraordinary potential of Las Vegas, a city she truly loved,” the foundation’s statement read. “Her legacy will echo through the vibrant streets and the stories of those she touched. 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.”
Was Elaine Wynn married?
Elaine Wynn was married to Steve Wynn in 1963. Together, they created Mirage Resorts, the company behind The Mirage, Treasure Island, and the Bellagio in Las Vegas. They later divorced in 1986 and remarried in 1991 before divorcing again in 2010.
How much was Elaine Wynn worth?
Forbes estimated Wynn’s net worth at $1.7 billion in September 2020.
