The Wynn Las Vegas emerged on April 28, 2005, as a $2.7 billion masterpiece by casino visionary Steve Wynn, transforming the site of the former Desert Inn into a beacon of opulence on the Las Vegas Strip. Replacing a storied but faded 1950s relic, Wynn purchased the Desert Inn in 2000 for $270 million as a birthday gift for his then-wife Elaine, envisioning a resort that would outshine his previous triumph, The Bellagio. The 217-acre property, once a modest 1,044-room outpost, was razed to make way for a 45-story tower—the tallest in Nevada at the time—housing 2,716 rooms and a 111,000-square-foot casino floor buzzing with 1,900 slots and 27 poker tables. From its opening night, where 15,000 guests marveled at its bronze glass façade and $200 million golf course, The Wynn set a new standard, pulling $600 million in its first year. Today, paired with its sister property Encore (opened 2008), it generates $1.5 billion annually, drawing 6 million visitors with its blend of gaming, fine dining, and curated art. Rooted in Steve Wynn’s relentless pursuit of perfection, it stands as a crown jewel of the Americas’ casino landscape, a testament to ambition sculpted from desert sand.
Beyond its gaming allure, The Wynn redefined Las Vegas as a destination for luxury and experience, not just chance. Its 18-hole Wynn Golf Club, a Tom Fazio design sprawling across 129 acres, offered a rare green oasis until its 2017 closure for Paradise Park plans (later scrapped), reopening in 2019 with 10 revamped holes. Inside, 13 restaurants—like Wing Lei, the Strip’s first Chinese eatery to earn a Michelin star—feed 10,000 daily, while 70,000 square feet of retail, featuring Chanel and Louis Vuitton, rake in $150 million yearly. The 12,000-square-foot spa, with 45 treatment rooms, and five pools across 11 acres pamper guests, while the 1,400-seat theater hosts Le Rêve, a $150 million aquatic spectacle that ran until 2020, replaced by Awakening in 2022. Employing 9,000, The Wynn pumps $500 million in wages into Nevada, its $300 million in annual taxes bolstering the state. After Steve Wynn’s 2018 exit amid misconduct allegations, CEO Matt Maddox and now Craig Billings have steered it forward, with a $200 million room renovation in 2021 and a 2024 F1 Grand Prix tie-in boosting its global draw. For the Americas and beyond, The Wynn is a monument to excess and elegance, a desert dream that keeps evolving.
The Pillars of The Wynn’s Prestige
The Wynn’s status as a legendary casino hinges on a fusion of visionary design, luxury offerings, and cultural impact. Here are the key pillars that define its prestige:
- Architectural Splendor: A 45-story bronze tower, the tallest in Nevada upon opening, with 2,716 rooms and a $2.7 billion build, it’s a visual icon framed by 1,000 pine trees and a 3-acre lake.
- Gaming Innovation: Its 111,000-square-foot casino, with 1,900 slots and a pioneering poker room, hosts the Wynn Millions tournament—$2 million guaranteed in 2025—drawing pros worldwide.
- Culinary Excellence: Thirteen eateries, including Michelin-starred Wing Lei and Sinatra’s Italian homage, serve 3.6 million meals yearly, netting $200 million.
- Entertainment Legacy: Le Rêve’s 15-year run (2005-2020) sold 6 million tickets; Awakening now dazzles 1,600 nightly, while the Race & Sports Book’s 1,600-square-foot LED screen thrills bettors.
- Luxury Benchmark: AAA Five Diamond since 2006, its 510 suites—some $1,500 nightly—and 70,000-square-foot retail space set a gold standard, echoed by Encore’s 2,034 rooms.
These pillars keep The Wynn a cut above. The casino floor, expanded to 129,000 square feet with Encore, churns $500 million yearly—60% from slots—while the poker room’s 28 tables host 50,000 players annually. The 2021 renovation, costing $200 million, refreshed all 2,716 rooms with sapphire tones and Dyson hairdryers, lifting occupancy to 90%. Wing Lei’s Peking duck and Sinatra’s ossobuco draw 1 million diners yearly; the spa’s $30 million haul pampers 50,000 guests. From its 2005 debut to 2024’s F1 buzz—$20 million in event revenue—The Wynn blends gaming with lifestyle, a magnet for the Americas’ high rollers and dreamers.
The Wynn by the Numbers
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Opening Date | April 28, 2005 |
| Casino Floor Size | 111,000 square feet (Wynn alone) |
| Total Rooms | 2,716 (Wynn) + 2,034 (Encore) |
| Annual Revenue | $1.5 billion (combined) |
| Slot Machines | 1,900+ (Wynn) |
| Table Games | 137 (Wynn) |
| Restaurants | 13 (Wynn) |
| Annual Visitors | 6 million (combined) |
| Construction Cost | $2.7 billion |
The Wynn’s Journey and Lasting Influence
The Wynn’s genesis traces to 2000, when Steve Wynn, flush from selling Mirage Resorts to MGM for $6.4 billion, snapped up the Desert Inn for $270 million, closing it within months to clear 217 acres for his next act. Construction began October 31, 2002, with Marnell Corrao Associates piling 12,000 tons of steel into a 45-story tower, then Nevada’s tallest, at a $2.7 billion cost that topped The Bellagio’s $1.6 billion. Opening night drew 15,000, with $10 million in gaming bets—slots spun $6 million, tables $4 million—and $200 million in art, like Picasso’s Le Rêve, lining the halls. The 2008 Encore expansion, a $2.3 billion twin with 2,034 rooms, pushed total capacity to 4,750, adding a 76,000-square-foot casino and a beach club. The 2017 golf course closure for Paradise Park—a $3 billion lagoon plan—fizzled by 2018 amid rising costs, but 10 holes reopened in 2019, a $15 million tweak for male-heavy guests. Post-2018, after Steve Wynn’s exit, a $200 million 2021 room redo and a 2023 $131 million forfeiture for illegal fund transfers marked resilience. Today, 6 million visitors—25% international—spend $700 million on gaming, $800 million on extras, a $1.5 billion titan.
The Wynn’s ripple effect reshaped Las Vegas and beyond. Its luxury-first model—70% non-gaming revenue—spurred rivals like The Venetian and Mandalay Bay to up their game; Macau’s Wynn Palace, opened 2016, apes its polish with $1 billion yearly. The casino’s 1,900 slots and 137 tables, peaking at $9 billion in handle pre-2020, set a Strip benchmark, while the poker room’s Wynn Millions, launched 2021, draws 1,000 pros yearly—$2 million guaranteed in 2025. Entertainment pivoted from Le Rêve’s 6 million tickets to Awakening’s $120 million debut, pulling 500,000 fans yearly; the Sports Book’s 1,600-square-foot screen bets $50 million annually. Jobs—9,000 strong—fuel $500 million in wages; $300 million in taxes fund Nevada roads. The 2020 COVID closure slashed revenue 50%, but a 2021 rebound hit 90% occupancy—$250-$500 rooms—while 2024’s F1 tie-in, with $20 million in suites and parties, echoed globally, from Sun City’s sprawl to Crown’s luxe.
The Wynn adapts relentlessly. The 2021 $200 million refresh—2,716 rooms, new linens, Alexa controls—lifted rates 20%; 2022’s Awakening replaced Le Rêve, selling 1,600 seats nightly. The golf course, losing $15 million in closure, now nets $5 million yearly—30,000 rounds. Dining’s 13 venues—Wing Lei’s $30 million, SW Steakhouse’s $25 million—serve 3.6 million meals; retail’s 70,000 square feet, with $150 million in sales, draw 2 million shoppers. The spa’s 45 rooms, at $200 a pop, net $30 million; five pools host 50,000 swimmers. Sustainability—2023’s 20% water cut, 100 million gallons saved—pairs with excess: $5 million in caviar, 10,000 daily diners. The 2024 tunnel to the Convention Center Loop, a $10 million link, hints at more—6 million visitors, $1.5 billion in revenue—a desert dynasty reborn.
The journey rolls on. The 2010s saw debt—$1 billion refinanced post-2018—tested by MGM’s Cosmopolitan and Caesars’ upgrades, yet The Wynn holds 15% of Strip gaming share. The 2022 casino floor tweak added 200 slots—$10 million more—while 2023’s LED retrofit cut energy 15%, saving $5 million. The Sports Book’s $50 million in bets—$5 million on Super Bowl 2024—keeps pace; 510 suites, at $1,500 nightly, host 50,000 VIPs. The 2025 Wynn Millions, with $2 million guaranteed, eyes 1,500 players—$15 million in pots. From 2005’s 2,716 rooms to 4,750 with Encore, from $600 million to $1.5 billion, The Wynn thrives—its lake, pines, and slots a global siren call.
The Wynn Las Vegas reigns as a luminary in “Legendary Casinos of the Americas and Beyond,” its $2.7 billion debut in 2005 sparking a legacy of luxury that spans 4,750 rooms, 6 million visitors, and $1.5 billion yearly. From Steve Wynn’s desert dream to a global icon—$700 million in gaming, $300 million in taxes—it blends elegance with innovation, a beacon of the Americas’ casino might. Its fountains may not dance like The Bellagio’s, but its grandeur sings, a testament to ambition that echoes across continents and endures in every gilded detail.