Elaine Wynn, Famed Casino Executive and Philanthropist, Dies at 82

^{Elaine Wynn helped guide a casino empire that changed the face of Las Vegas. (Image: Jordan Strauss / Invision / AP)}

Elaine Wynn, a co-founder of Wynn Resorts and one of Las Vegas’ leading philanthropists, died Monday morning at 82 years old.

Wynn’s death was announced by the Elaine P. Wynn & Family Foundation on Tuesday. The foundation said Wynn died peacefully at her home in Los Angeles, surrounded by loved ones, following a short illness.

Wynn Helped Build Las Vegas Empire

Wynn was born Elaine Pascal on April 28, 1942, in New York City. After growing up in Miami, she studied political science at George Washington University, from which she graduation in 1964. 

In 1963, Elaine married Steve Wynn, whom she had met after a date between the two was arranged by relatives. Elaine and Steve would marry twice, divorcing for a second and final time in 2010. 

The Wynns moved to Las Vegas in 1967. Using proceeds earned from a Maryland bingo parlor that was a family business that Steve had taken over, the couple had the opportunity to invest in the Frontier Hotel. The pair would go on to co-found Mirage Resorts in 1976, followed by Wynn Resorts in 2000. The companies became two of the most successful in the Las Vegas gaming industry, with the Wynn Las Vegas, opened in 2002, becoming the most profitable resort in the city.

Elaine sued Steve Wynn in 2012, seeking to break an agreement in which Steve had control of Elaine’s substantial stock in Wynn Resorts. When Steve faced accusations of sexual harassment in 2018, he not only stepped down as CEO of the Wynn Resorts, but agreed to return Elaine’s control over her shares in the company.

“We are all deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Elaine Wynn, and send our condolences to her daughters, grandchildren, and her many close friends,” Wynn Resorts said in a statement. “As co-founder and one of the largest shareholders of Wynn Resorts, she helped to create and grow the company to become the most esteemed luxury resort brand in the world.”

Philanthropic Efforts Focused on Education

Alongside her business accomplishments, Elaine Wynn was also known for her charitable contributions, particularly in the world of education. She became the chair of the UNLV Foundation, which is the fundraising arm of the Las Vegas university, in 1985. 

One of her key initiatives there was to ensure that contributions to the athletic program remained in balance with donations designed to boost UNLV’s academic profile – not the easiest sell at a time when the school had one of the best men’s basketball programs in the nation.

In 2011, Wynn was appointed as a co-chair of Nevada’s Blue Ribbon Education Reform Task Force. She was appointed to two-year terms on the Nevada State Board of Education in 2013 and 2015 by Gov. Brian Sandoval. And her largest role may have been as the chair of Communities in Schools, a national organization that provides critical resources for keeping at-risk students in school, such as health care and counseling programs. 

“She played an integral role in helping make Las Vegas the world-class destination it is today and gave back to our community through education and the arts,” Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada) said of Elaine Wynn on social media. “She was also a dear friend, and this is a tremendous loss.”

Elaine Wynn is survived by two daughters, Kevyn and Gillian Wynn, as well as seven grandchildren.