A Legend's LEGACY

My friend Elaine Wynn, who died in April, was one of the visionaries behind modern Las Vegas. Alongside her ex-husband, Steve Wynn, she helped transform the Strip from a kitschy concrete and neon canyon into a global capital of luxury, spectacle, and aspiration. Though Elaine's daring vision and flair for design led to dazzling hotels that felt like fantasy dreamscapes, the genius of the woman who was called the Queen of Las Vegas was rooted in her sense of empathy and humanity.

- MICHAEL SMITH

To be at her side on the Strip was an out-of-body experience. You felt the respect but also the affection everyone had for her, built up over decades of treating employees like extended family. A walk through a casino was like the tracking shot scene from Hello, Dolly!: Every valet, server, and floor manager seemed to come out of the woodwork to nod or say hello. They loved her, and she knew most of them by name.