Editor’s note: Este artículo está traducido al español.
Elaine Wynn, a transformative force in Las Vegas and a passionate advocate for education reform, has died, her foundation announced this morning.
Wynn, who helped shape modern Las Vegas while dedicating her life to educational initiatives across the nation, leaves behind a legacy that extends far beyond the glittering resorts that bear her name.
She was 82.
She co-founded Mirage Resorts and Wynn Resorts with her former husband, Steve Wynn, and played a significant role in revitalization and expansion of the Las Vegas Strip.
She had a hand in transforming modern Las Vegas, beginning with the Golden Nugget where she brought elegance to downtown, and continuing with the Mirage, which created the template for luxury resorts that followed on the famed Strip, including Bellagio, Wynn and Encore.
The Mirage, completed in the late 1980s, was the first new development on Las Vegas Boulevard in 16 years and became the pioneering megaresort that transformed the city’s evolving resort corridor.
MGM Resorts International purchased the property in 2000 and eventually sold it to Hard Rock, which closed the legendary establishment in 2024 to begin a three-year redevelopment project.
She was present on the Mirage’s final day in July 2024.
“This is what we do in Las Vegas,” Wynn said during the closing ceremony. “We reinvest, we refresh, and we keep Las Vegas one of the world’s most exciting cities. We don’t allow our buildings to age past their prime.”
She recalled the resort’s opening day when she stood with the founding team as they opened the doors to eager crowds. The moment the throng entered and caught sight of the Mirage’s stunning atrium — a vibrant, sunlit dome flourishing with lush greenery — they stopped in their tracks.
“They were clapping,” Wynn remembered. “I said, ‘We are getting a standing ovation.’ It was such a magnificent validation of all the work, energy, time and love we had poured into this property.”
Along the way, she developed strong relationships with her colleagues — regardless of their role in the company. In a statement Wynn Resorts said “Elaine cared deeply about the employees of our resorts. The current and former employees who worked alongside her to create Wynn and Encore Las Vegas cherish the many fond memories they have of her, especially of when they opened Wynn Las Vegas with her 20 years ago this month.”
U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., said in a social media post that Wynn was a “trailblazer and a role model who showed us how strong women lead the way.”
“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,” Rosen continued. “She was also a dear friend, and this is a tremendous loss.”
While her business acumen was legendary, Wynn’s most enduring impact may be in education.
Her commitment to improving children’s lives through education led to appointments by five consecutive Nevada governors to spearhead education initiatives.
In 2011, she co-chaired Nevada’s Blue Ribbon Education Reform Task Force, resulting in significant legislative reforms. She served on the Nevada State Board of Education and was twice elected as its president.
Her leadership at the UNLV Foundation demonstrated her dedication to higher education, while her regular visits to the Elaine Wynn Elementary School showed her hands-on approach to supporting young learners.
Wynn served on the UNLV Foundation board of directors from 1983 to 2008 and was board chair from 1985 to 1991, the university said. She was granted trustee emerita status in 2008.
In her years of service to the board, Wynn helped raise millions of dollars for UNLV.
“The UNLV family was profoundly saddened to learn of the passing of business entrepreneur and philanthropist Elaine Wynn,” said Chris Heavey, the officer in charge at UNLV. “Her advocacy for UNLV and education at all levels in Las Vegas could be seen in her dedication and generosity as a founding member of the UNLV Board of Trustees and active engagement with the university for 25 years.”
Perhaps most significantly, Wynn served as chairwoman of Communities In Schools, working alongside founder Bill Milliken to provide critical resources for at-risk children. Under her leadership, CIS expanded its reach to more than 1.7 million students across 2,900 schools in 26 states, creating pathways to success for countless young people.
“There are legends, and then there is Elaine Wynn — a visionary leader who brought Communities In Schools of Nevada (CIS) to life and changed the course of education for hundreds of thousands of students in our state,” said Tami Hance-Lehr, the CEO and state director of Communities In Schools of Nevada
She continued, “Elaine was not only the founder — she was the heart and soul of CIS of Nevada. Her belief that every child deserves the opportunity to succeed, no matter their background or circumstance, shaped our mission and continues to guide our work today.”
Gov. Joe Lombardo, in a social media post, added: “Not only was Elaine a visionary Las Vegas businesswoman, but she was an unparalleled philanthropist with a deep love for improving education and bettering her community. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with her family and loved ones.”
Wynn Resorts said that she was a “tireless advocate for Las Vegas, for children and their education, and for the arts. We’re grateful that the enduring sense of philanthropy she instilled in our company continues to this day.”
Her contributions will have a lasting impact, including in bringing arts to Las Vegas.
Wynn was a stalwart supporter of the arts, championing accessibility at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and recently announcing a collaboration with Pritzker Prize-winning architect Francis Kere to build the Las Vegas Art Museum in partnership with Los Angeles museum. The Las Vegas museum is projected to open in 2028.
Wynn built an impressive collection over the years. Among her acquisitions: A Francis Bacon’s masterpiece “Three Studies of Lucian Freud,” which she purchased in 2013 for $142.2 million and made available to the public by lending it to the Portland Art Museum.
She also served as a trustee of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and held a seat on the board of Activision Blizzard, a video game company.
“All of Las Vegas is saddened by the loss of Elaine Wynn,” Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley said. “Elaine has been a force for compassion, the arts and philanthropy in our city for many decades. Her spirit, creativity and caring will live on through her foundation, the many projects she has had a hand in and the many lives she has touched. I look forward to the opening of the Las Vegas Museum of Art that she had partnered with the city to create.”
Born to a middle-class Jewish family on April 28, 1942, in New York City, Wynn graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1964 from George Washington University.
Her relationship with Steve Wynn followed a complex path. They met on a blind date while they were in college; she was at GWU; he was at the University of Pennsylvania. The couple first married in 1963, divorced in 1986, rekindled their relationship and remarried in 1991, before finally separating again in 2010.
They raised two daughters, Kevyn and Gillian. The family endured a harrowing ordeal in 1993 when Kevyn was kidnapped from a Las Vegas condominium. After paying a $1.45 million ransom, their daughter was safely returned.
Law enforcement quickly tracked down the kidnappers when one attempted to purchase a Ferrari with cash in Newport Beach, Calif. Kevyn was discovered unharmed shortly thereafter.
