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By Chuckmonster on Sunday, 4th September 2005 4:54am
  » filed under Las Vegas  comments: 0

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For a long time, Wynn seriously contemplated calling his tony $2.7 billion dollar resort Le Reve, which translates from the French as "the dream." He admits during the course of our recent conversation that he had great reservations about putting his name on the resort, literally.

"No, it was not important for me to put my name on this building," Wynn says. "I had to get talked into it. I resisted it at the Mirage and Bellagio, but this time I got worn down by focus groups and polling done by our advertising agent at the time. And the advice of friends I went to because Elaine [Mrs. Steve Wynn] and I were very self-conscious about it. As a matter of fact until today I can't call this place The Wynn, I say the 'Hotel.'

"And I made three phone calls. The first was to [billionaire media mogul] Barry Diller, who said to me in his usual manner, 'What are you calling me about a silly question like this? Are you out of your mind? What's with Le Reve? I never understood it, it's crazy. Who gives a s--- about it. Call it Wynn.' [Laughing] He's talking to me like I'm an idiot.

"Second call was to Steven Spielberg, who has been involved with me in reviewing design ideas from the very beginning of the 2-1/2-year process. And I tell him about the focus groups and that stuff and that Elaine and I are very uncomfortable. And he says, 'You got a brand. I don't know what Le Reve is. But if you said it's a Steve Wynn hotel, I'm going there.'

"Third call was to Donald Trump. I said, 'You have gone bananas over the years promoting and putting your name out there as a brand in New York city with buildings and I think you benefitted from it a lot.' And he says, 'Yes I have.' So I tell him my dilemma. And he says, 'I'll tell you one thing, if you put your name on it and it doesn't go good, they'll crucify you. But Steve, everybody in New York is talking about Le Reve, but nobody says Le Reve without saying Steve's new hotel, so the fact of the matter is your name is already on it. Go with it.' And that was that."

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