Wednesday, July 7, 1999 | 11:42 a.m.
Mirage Resorts Inc. Chairman Steve Wynn, who has assembled a $300 million-plus collection of French Impressionist, modern and contemporary art, was named one of the world's top 10 art collectors by ARTnews magazine.
Joining Wynn on the top 10 list are entertainment mogul David Geffen of Dreamworks SKG, London advertising executive Charles Saatchi and Paris department store owner Francois Pinault, a principal of Christie's
Others on the top 10 list include investment banker Leon Black, financial services and real estate developer Eli Broad, clothing retailers Donald and Doris Fisher of the Gap, manufacturing executive Samuel Heyman, cosmetics company magnate Ronald Lauder and leveraged buyout specialist Henry Kravis.
ARTnews selected those collectors at the top of its ninth annual list of the world's 200 major art buyers. Others on the larger list included Stratosphere Corp. owner Carl Icahn, takeover specialist Ronald Perelman, members of the Rothschild family, Microsoft mogul Paul Allen and the Sultan of Brunei, whose family owns homes and other properties in Las Vegas.
"Today's top collectors are willing to pay enormous sums to enhance their collections," said ARTnews publisher Milton Esterow.
The United States is home to 93 of the top 200 collectors, followed by Germany with 15, Switzerland 14, England 13, France 12 and Italy eight. Among cities, New York boasts 34 of the top 200, followed by London with 12 and Paris with 10.
Some of the art bought by Wynn and Mirage Resorts is on display in Las Vegas at the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art.
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