Wynn eyes Maryland gaming expansion

Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2002 | 11:24 a.m.

Las Vegas and Chinese casino resort developer Steve Wynn recently traveled to Annapolis, Md., to meet with top legislative leaders and express his interest in expanding his gambling empire to Maryland, the Washington Post reported today.

Wynn, chairman of Wynn Resorts of Las Vegas and former head of Mirage Resorts Inc., visited the State House last week and met with the president of the Maryland Senate, the prospective speaker of the House of Delegates and at least one committee chairman, the newspaper said.

He also sought an audience with Gov.-elect Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R), but was politely rebuffed, an aide told the Post.

Legislators said Wynn inquired about efforts to legalize slot machine gambling in Maryland and made clear that he'd like to become a major local player in the business, the Post said.

The interest from one of the nation's largest casino owners coincided with a rush of money from national gambling interests flowing into Ehrlich's campaign chest in the final three weeks of the governor's race, the newspaper said.

In his visit to Annapolis, Wynn talked about building "a major entertainment, horse-racing slot-machine emporium" at one of Maryland's existing racetracks or possibly at a tourist destination, said Del. Howard P. Rawlings (D-Baltimore), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and a slots supporter.

"He was interested in an entertainment venue which included slot machines and possibly racing at an existing track," Rawlings told the Post. "He's a nice man. We spent a lot of time talking about his history and commitment to Maryland."

Wynn, 60, grew up in Anne Arundel County, where his father operated a bingo parlor in rural Wayson's Corner. Wynn used the bingo hall as a steppingstone to bigger things, eventually becoming the owner of the Golden Nugget hotel and casino in downtown Las Vegas and then building such resorts as The Mirage, Treasure Island and Bellagio on the city's Strip as well as Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Miss.

The Post noted Wynn is credited with remaking Las Vegas into a destination not just for gamblers but for upscale vacationers.

He agreed to the sale of Mirage Resorts Inc. to MGM Grand Inc., netting about $484 million in that deal. He broke ground on his newest project, Le Reve, a $2.4 billion resort-casino on the Las Vegas Strip, this month and is also developing a casino resort in the Chinse island city of Macau.

A spokesman for Wynn declined to comment, the Post said.