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Steve Wynn Recipient of the 2003 International Society
of Hospitality Consultant's Pioneer Award
ISHC Presents 7th Annual Pioneer Award

WASHINGTON, D.C. � JANUARY 2003 � The International Society of Hospitality Consultants, a professional society of leading hospitality consultants, will honor Steve Wynn, president and CEO of Wynn Resorts, Ltd., with the 2003 ISHC Pioneer Award, acknowledging his contributions, achievements and improvements to the hospitality industry.  The presentation will be held at the second annual Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS), January 27-29, 2003, at The Century Plaza Hotel & Spa in Los Angeles, Calif.

As part of its tradition of recognizing the hospitality industry�s most valuable contributors, the ISHC created the Pioneer Award in 1996.  ISHC Pioneer Award winners are selected based on three criteria: active involvement in the industry, contribution to the industry and personal/organizational attributes and qualities. 

�Steve�s accomplishments in the lodging and gaming industries truly exemplify the criteria we look for when choosing a recipient of the ISHC Pioneer Award.  And, he continues to show that pioneer spirit with his latest projects.  To that end, he is very deserving of this award and we look forward to presenting him with it at the upcoming  ALIS Conference,� said ISHC Chairman Rick Pastorino.

Wynn has been credited with transforming Las Vegas into a worldwide tourist destination.  Wynn has overseen properties such as the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino, the Mirage, Treasure Island, Bellagio and the Desert Inn.  Wynn is currently in the design and development stages of Le Reve, a new resort complex on the existing Desert Inn property.
 

Stephen A. Wynn Biography

Stephen A. Wynn, former chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Mirage Resorts, Incorporated, was born in New Haven, Connecticut on January 27, 1942.

He was graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from the University of Pennsylvania.  He married Elaine Pascal in 1963, and they have two daughters, Kevyn (1966) and Gillian (1969).

Mr. and Mrs. Wynn moved to Las Vegas from their Maryland home in 1967 and Mr. Wynn began his career in the gaming industry as an executive and part owner of the Frontier Hotel.  In addition, between 1968 and 1972, he owned and operated a wine and liquor importing company in the state of Nevada.

Mr. Wynn�s entrepreneurial dealings included a real estate transaction with Howard Hughes, the profits from which allowed him to begin a major investment in Golden Nugget, Inc. in 1972 (which was re-named Mirage Resorts, Incorporated in 1991).

In the 27 years he served as chairman of the board, Mr. Wynn was widely credited with transforming Las Vegas into a world-renowned resort destination.

The transition began when Mr. Wynn turned the downtown Golden Nugget, once known only as a �gambling joint,� into a Four Diamond resort known for the elegant facilities and personal service.

He then oversaw the building of the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City in 1980.  This resort became known for its luxurious facilities, its innovative television advertising and its superstar entertainment.

Its sale to Bally in 1987 for $440 million allowed Mr. Wynn the opportunity to focus his attention on the design and development of what would become the company�s flagship property, The Mirage, which opened in November 1989.  This destination resort, with its South Seas tropical theme, quickly changed the paradigm by which all casino hotels have since been designed.  The opening of The Mirage ignited a $12 billion building boom, catapulting Las Vegas into the fastest growing city in America and the number one tourism destination in the country.

In October 1993, Treasure Island opened adjacent to its sister property The Mirage.  A Four Diamond resort, Treasure Island is an elegant escape for those wanting to experience the excitement and thrills of Las Vegas.  Highlighted by internationally acclaimed entertainment from Cirque du Soleil and the Battle of Buccaneer Bay, Treasure Island is one of the city�s most electrifying resorts.

Opened in October 1998, Bellagio is one of the most spectacular hotels in the world.  With its luxurious guest rooms and traditional European feel, Bellagio appeals to an audience that has long overlooked Las Vegas as a vacation destination. 

Mr. Wynn oversaw the development of a new resort in Biloxi, Mississippi.  Opened in March 1999, Beau Rivage is the centerpiece of a building boom that will propel Biloxi into the role of a regional tourism center along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.  Blending the beauty of the Mediterranean with Southern hospitality, Beau Rivage brings Mirage Resorts� standard of excellence to this beautiful historic region.

In June 2000 the MGM purchased Mirage Resorts, Incorporated and Mr. Wynn stepped down as Chairman and personally purchased the Desert Inn Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas.  The Desert Inn was closed in August 2000 and Mr. Wynn is currently in the design and development stages of a new resort complex on the existing Desert Inn property.

Mr. Wynn is active in a multitude of community affairs and has been the recipient of honorary doctorate degrees from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Sierra Nevada College.

On a national scale, Mr. Wynn is chairman of the Moran Eye Institute at the University of Utah and a member of the Advisory Board, chaired by Paul Volcker, at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.  Additionally, Mr. Wynn is a member of the Board of Trustees of his Alma Mater, the University of Pennsylvania, on the Board of the George Bush Presidential Library and most recently, was named Vice Chairman of the Kennedy Center�s 2000 Corporate Fund Board.

For creation, Mr. Wynn enjoys skiing, golfing and spending time with his family.

Wynn joins other industry luminaries including, Randy Smith, president of Smith Travel Research; Michael Leven, president and CEO of US Franchise Systems, Inc.; and Jonathan Tisch, chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels.

ISHC, founded in 1989, is a professional society of 170 members in 16 countries that are leading hospitality consultants who provide various services to hotel owners and operators.  The non-profit society was formed in recognition of the need for competent, unbiased advice and professional guidance on hospitality industry issues.

Contact:
ISHC
Lori Raleigh
Executive Director
941.436.3915
www.ishc.com

Also See International Society of Hospitality Consultants Honors Bill Kimpton (Posthumously) for his Pioneering Leadership in the U.S. Boutique Hotel Market / Feb 2002
Mike Leven Recipient of the 1999 ISHC Pioneer Award for Trend-Setting Work in Hotel Franchising / Jan 2000


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