Wynn Dreams Up a New Name for Casino: His Own

LAS VEGAS — Steve Wynn once thought Le Reve was the perfect name for his posh new casino.

But the casino developer has since decided that his was the golden name and said Monday that he is dropping Le Reve, which means “the dream,” in favor of Wynn Las Vegas.

Wynn’s $2.4-billion casino-resort is scheduled to open in March 2005. It will have 2,701 rooms and suites, 18 dining rooms, including six restaurants, and a new 18-hole championship golf course.

The resort plans to offer high-end boutiques and a full-service Ferrari and Maserati car dealership.

The mega-resort also will display Wynn’s impressive collection of art, including a Picasso entitled “Le Reve.”

The Wynn name will be used on all the Las Vegas-based company’s casinos, including planned developments in Macao, Wynn Resorts Ltd. said in a statement.

Wynn, the former head of Mirage Resorts Inc. before he sold the firm to MGM Grand, said he decided to switch names after extensive research showed that his name would attract visitors.

Marc Falcone, a gambling and leisure analyst with Deutsche Bank in New York, said the name change makes sense.

“They found out the Wynn name has a much greater attraction than Le Reve,” he said. “He has a very powerful name. Clearly they’re trying to capitalize on that.”

The lucrative Mirage properties, which included the Mirage, Bellagio, Treasure Island and Golden Nugget hotel-casinos, helped Wynn cement his reputation as a premier casino developer.