"Wynn"-er Takes All

During my commute to/from work, I often listen to podcasts, one of them being CBS’ 60 Minutes. What can I say? I have more productive things to do than plant myself in front of a TV on Sunday nights, and downloading free podcasts is a lot cheaper than buying CDs to keep me entertained during my drive.

On Easter Sunday (April 12), 60 Minutes ran a segment containing an interview with casino-resort powerhouse Steve Wynn. I found this piece particularly intriguing for several reasons:

The first reason is because I have been there, done that. I’ve toured every hotel and casino on the Vegas Strip that Mr. Wynn has built.

Secondly, I read a book this past summer Winner Takes All…and the Race to Own Las Vegas by Wall Street Journal reporter Christina Binkley. It was a fascinating take on Steve Wynn, Kirk Kerkorian, and others that gave birth to modern-day Las Vegas. You can read my review of it here. (And to think, in elementary school I hated reading books and then having to do a book report!)

Anyway, listening to the audio portions of the interview with Wynn intrigued me to visit CBS.com and view the video as well. Many of the incidents referenced in 60 Minutes’ clip were also outlined in the book, such as when Wynn accidentally punctured a rare Picasso painting in his multi-million dollar art collection.

Steve Wynn is quite an impressive guy. I’d love to meet him. He’s got an amazing eye for aesthetics and cutting-edge visuals with just enough fearlessness in him to make him take the risks necessary to be a success in business. He knows how to market a company that is unconventional. And his personality is beyond eccentric, it really shows through when he’s before the camera (although his clearly fake white teeth are a bit annoying).

A little background on this post’s picture: I took that last May when I visited Las Vegas. Encore tower (next door) was not quite finished then, but is open now. I’d love to stay there. Unfortunately, I don’t think even recession-era room rates are within my budget. But I did get to walk around the lobby, and let me say, this place is first-rate, over-the-top everything. Steve Wynn micromanages every detail of his resorts and leaves nothing to chance—that is, except at the casino tables and slots. Gratefully, I didn't waste my time and money in that part of the resort...