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A massive model showing the layout of a new project by Wynn Resorts that would include a 38-acre lagoon, a 1,000-room hotel tower, a small casino, restaurants, nightlife venues and meeting space. (courtesy Wynn Resorts)
Wynn takes a mulligan on his golf course
I
t was a conversation about a new show, to be called “Steve Wynn’s Showstoppers.” But as is the case with so many conversations with Wynn, this one required every club in the bag. It was Halloween 2014 at Wynn’s office at Wynn Las Vegas. He was happily talking about this new show at Encore Theater, but he answered to speculation about plans for the famous Wynn Golf Club golf course behind Wynn and Encore. It had been reported across the country that Wynn considered developing the land and turning it into a fabulous entertainment, recreation and retail destination. As he said that afternoon, “We did think of building out to the country club, and we did a lot of planning drawings and models. But we decided that what we gained did not compensate for what we lost. In this case, we lost our suburban environment, that wonderful, wonderful experience that allows you to feel as if you’re not in a steel-and-concrete city.” Wynn continued: “I made a decision that I was going to use the golf course and its wonderful environment to continually raise my prices and exploit the uniqueness of these 4,800 rooms. While I’m alive, I will never, ever develop the golf
mulled and tabled two course. It is there to stay.” years ago. OK, well suffice to say What about the golf Wynn has taken the resort course? Gone by this fall. equivalent of a mulligan. There is a nine-hole course He’s teeing up plans once in the plans, but it is not more to develop land the same 72-hole, chamto the east of Wynn and pionship course laid out Encore for a development behind the Desert Inn in called (for now) Wynn John 1952. Paradise Park. Wynn’s deKatsilometes This is not the first time scriptions and renderings Wynn has shifted stratereveal a third Wynn tower gies at his hotels, not by on the Strip, which will not a long shot. His original blueprints for be delivered simply as a third tower but Wynn Las Vegas included a third theater a resort that could well stand on its own. to join the two existing venues, now Wynn created the same sister-properknown as Encore Theater and Wynn ty model with Treasure Island alongside Theater. The third was to host the prothe Mirage — T.I. originally was considduction show “Monty Python’s Spamaered a second Mirage tower until Wynn lot,” as Broadway-styled musicals are decided to create a separate, themed a passion of Wynn’s (“Showstoppers” hotel — and Encore next to Wynn. being the manifestation of that passion). Reportedly, Wynn Paradise Park will But Wynn nixed those plans, saying open in 2020 (pending approval by at the time that building a third theater Wynn board of directors) and feature a at $85 million didn’t make a lot of sense 1,000-room tower, restaurants, meetif he could renovate the theater that ing and convention rooms, and a casino already was home to “Avenue Q” (which overlooking a lagoon with white sand closed after five months in 2006) for just and an island. Guests would be able $10 million. That dropped the number of to parasail, water ski and paddleboat ticketed entertainment venues at Wynn around the 38-acre lake, and the grand and Encore from three to two and was designs would include nightly fireworks another instance when Wynn’s business shows. In other words, it’s the sort of sense trumped his personal passion. glorious resort attraction Wynn had
This type of shift in strategy obviously is not a snap decision. Wynn also alluded to building out to the country club’s 130 acres in February’s fourth-quarter earnings report call with investors, so these advancements are not a total surprise. Still, in taking out the country club, Wynn effectively is ending the last link between his property and the old D.I. That hotel was host to the most famous entertainers of the day; members of the Rat Pack, Liza Minnelli, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, Bobby Darin, Tony Bennett, Jimmy Durante and Abbott and Costello headlined there. Those celebs played the renowned country club, too, whose tournament champions included Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Sam Snead. Old-timers will remember that resort overlord Moe Dalitz broke the Desert Inn Country Club’s color barrier by allowing Sammy Davis Jr. to play the course. When Wynn bought the D.I. in 2000, there was the expected hue and cry from golfers — especially rich golfers — concerned that Wynn would build out over the country club. It’s happening now, and as water skiers cut through the waves at Wynn Paradise Park, they can be reminded that the lake once was a great golf course and another Vegas treasure lost to progress.