Elaine Wynn Net Worth

What was Elaine Wynn's Net Worth?

Elaine Wynn was an American businesswoman, arts patron, and education advocate who had a net worth of $2 billion at the time of her death in April 2025. During most of her adult life, she was one of the richest people in Las Vegas and richest people in Nevada.

Best known as the co-founder of Wynn Resorts and former wife of casino magnate Steve Wynn, Elaine played a central—though often under-credited—role in the transformation of the Las Vegas Strip into a world-class luxury destination. Over decades, she built a reputation not only as a powerful figure in gaming and hospitality, but also as a philanthropic force in education reform and the arts.

Steve Wynn Divorce Settlement And Stock Battle

Elaine Wynn's fortune stemmed largely from her stake in Wynn Resorts, which she co-founded with Steve Wynn. When the couple divorced for a second and final time in 2010, Elaine received 11 million shares of the company—representing roughly 10% ownership. As part of the settlement, she agreed not to sell her shares without Steve's permission, a provision meant to prevent a hostile takeover or activist interference.

Her shares yielded an annual dividend of about 3%, reportedly earning her around $60 million per year. But behind the scenes, tensions simmered. In 2014, Elaine allegedly asked Steve for permission to sell a significant portion of her stake in order to make a bid for the Los Angeles Clippers, which had gone up for sale following the Donald Sterling scandal. Steve refused. In response, Elaine launched a legal campaign that revealed decades of sexual misconduct allegations against her ex-husband and ultimately led to his resignation in 2018.

With Steve's ouster, Elaine emerged as the largest individual shareholder in Wynn Resorts and a rare example of a woman holding such sway in the male-dominated casino industry.

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Early Life and Education

Elaine Wynn was born Elaine Farrell Pascal on April 28, 1942, in New York City, into a wealthy and well-connected Jewish family. Her father, Stephen Pascal, was a prominent hotel owner and businessman in Manhattan, giving Elaine an early education in luxury hospitality and refined taste. The Pascal family's status in social and political circles also proved consequential to her future: when Elaine began dating Steve Wynn in college, it was her father's network that helped open doors for the ambitious young entrepreneur. Through Stephen Pascal, Steve was introduced to some of Las Vegas's most powerful figures—most notably Kirk Kerkorian—laying the foundation for Wynn's eventual rise in the casino industry.

Elaine graduated from George Washington University in 1964 with a degree in political science, the same year she married Steve after a successful blind date. Though often working behind the scenes in their business ventures, Elaine's polish, strategic mind, and deep understanding of luxury would become core to their success in transforming Las Vegas.

Elaine Wynn (Rachel Murray/Getty Images)

Business Career

The Wynns moved to Las Vegas in 1967, where Steve acquired a small stake in the Frontier Hotel. From there, the couple helped build some of the most iconic resorts on the Strip. Elaine was deeply involved in design decisions, branding, and operations—taking an active role in everything from hiring to hospitality. She famously persuaded designers like Oscar de la Renta and Manolo Blahnik to open their first boutiques in Las Vegas.

Through the 1980s and '90s, the couple spearheaded the construction of the Mirage, Treasure Island, and the Bellagio. When Mirage Resorts was sold to MGM Grand in 2000, they launched a new venture—Wynn Resorts. The company debuted with the Wynn Las Vegas in 2005, followed by Encore in 2008 and later expansions in Macau and Massachusetts.

Elaine remained on the board until 2018, when she was pushed out following her divorce—only to return triumphantly as the company's most powerful shareholder after Steve's departure.

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Philanthropy

Elaine Wynn was one of Nevada's most prominent philanthropists. She served as chair of the UNLV Foundation and the Nevada State Board of Education. She co-founded and served on the board of the Elaine P. Wynn & Family Foundation, which supported initiatives in public education, poverty alleviation, and the arts.

In 2011, President Obama appointed her to the board of trustees of the Kennedy Center. She also served as co-chair of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and as a national board member for Communities in Schools, an organization helping at-risk students across America.

Art Collection

Elaine was an avid art collector with a sharp eye for masterworks. In 2013, she reportedly paid $142 million for Francis Bacon's "Three Studies of Lucian Freud," one of the most expensive art purchases ever at the time. She loaned the triptych to the Portland Art Museum, underscoring her belief that world-class art should be publicly accessible.

Personal Life & Real Estate

Elaine married Steve Wynn in 1963. They divorced for the first time in 1986 and remarried in 1991. The couple divorced a second time in 2010. During their marriage, the Wynns had two daughters named Kevyn and Gillian. In 1993, Kevyn was kidnapped and held for ransom. She was released unharmed when her father paid the kidnappers $1.45 million. The kidnappers were ultimately apprehended when one tried to buy a Ferrari with cash in Newport Beach, California.

Elaine resided in a mansion at the exclusive Southern Highlands Golf Club in Las Vegas, one of the wealthiest enclaves in the region. The home reflected her taste for elegance, privacy, and serenity.

Death

Elaine Wynn passed away on April 15, 2025, at the age of 82. Her foundation announced her death but did not disclose the cause. She is survived by her daughters and seven grandchildren. Wynn Resorts paid tribute to her as "a tireless advocate for the arts and education" and credited her with shaping the company's luxury brand identity. Her legacy endures not only on the Las Vegas Strip, but in classrooms, museums, and philanthropic institutions across the country.

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