Wynn Resorts recently bought 9 domains with a combination of the words “Encore” and “Boston” in them.
Wynn Resorts said the Las Vegas casino company “absolutely” is considering a rename of the Wynn Boston Harbor. A key executive for the Everett-based casino suggested the casino would remove the name “Wynn”, which is objectionable to a growing list of Boston groups and officials.
During a hearing of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission on Thursday, Wynn Boston Harbor President Robert DeSalvio told the panel, “We are absolutely considering a rebranding of the project and we’ll have an announcement on that at a later date. It’s under active consideration right now.”
Massachusetts officials do not want to have the name of an alleged sexual abuser on one of the most prominent landmarks in the Bosston area. Renaming the Wynn Boston Harbor would seem to be in the cards, once the company is considering such a move.
Last week, Steve Wynn sold 12.1 million shares of Wynn Resorts, thus divesting himself of any ownership stake in the company he founded in 2002.
9 Encore Boston Harbor Domain Names
Over the past several weeks, Wynn Resorts has registered 9 new domains that include the words “Boston” and “Encore” in them, such as encorebostonharborcasino.com, encorebostonresort.com, and encorebostonjobs.com. Encore is the name given to hotel additions to Wynn Resorts casino, built in a phase two of construction.
The flagship casinos both east and west have an Encore resort. Encore at Wynn Las Vegas opened in 2008, only 3 years after the Wynn Las Vegas had its grand opening. Encore at Wynn Macau opened in 2010, four years after the Wynn Macau had its grand opening.
All other major Wynn properties have Steve Wynn’s name on them — even the Wynn Paradise Park which is being built adjacent to Wynn Las Vegas and Encore on the Las Vegas Strip. Thus, the likeliest arrangement would be to name the Everett casino the “Encore at Boston Harbor” or “Boston Harbor Encore”.
Greg Johns Statement
Greg Johns, a spokesman for Wynn Resorts, would not verify that is the direction Wynn’s executives are leaning. Johns said, “Whenever we open a new resort, it is both policy and a good business practice to secure the domain names of all our branded business units.”
The Wynn Boston Harbor is a $2.4 billion project in a major metropolitan area — much bigger even than Macau or Las Vegas. Greg Johns is right that an Encore at Wynn Boston Harbor was inevitable in the coming years, so it makes sense to secure domains for the concept either way.
“The Wynn Company Will Persist”
Clyde W. Barrow, a professor at the University of Texas and a gaming expert, said it also makes good business sense to change the name of the Boston casino. Professor Barrow said, “I think it’s a fairly significant step and probably a wise move. The Wynn company will persist with or without his name.”
During the Thursday MGC hearing, Robert DeSalvio and other members of Wynn’s executive staff made their first appearance at a public hearing since the Steve Wynn allegations. The group sought to assure Massachusetts officials they were sensitive to the concerns of Boston residents and were prepared to move forward into a new era where Steve Wynn’s presence was whitewashed from the company profile.
Crosby Suggests Sexual Harrassment Training
Stephen Crosby, Chairman of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, gave the Wynn executives a bit of advice. Crosby said, “This is stating the obvious, but maybe it isn’t as obvious since you didn’t state it, but I would think that in this kind of material you would want to make sexual harassment training…a major part of your presentation.”
“For reasons presumably not having anything to do with you, the Wynn culture you’re referring to has some shadows cast on it.”
The suggestion probably comes as friendly advice, because Stephen Crosby has been a consistent supporter of the Wynn Resorts development plan over the past 5 years. In fact, Crosby’s support for Wynn spurred two different lawsuits by spurned developers — Caesars Entertainment and Suffolk Downs. Because Wynn Resorts executives face probes from the regulators in Macau and Nevada, Crosby presumably was giving a suggestion to help calm the regulatory waters with those key government oversight groups.
Elaine Wynn Alleges Wynn Resorts Coverup
Despite Steve Wynn’s resignation, Wynn Resorts continues to deal with the fallout of the scandal. On Wednesday, Steve Wynn’s estranged former wife, Elaine Wynn, was in a Las Vegas courtroom making claims against Wynn Resorts executives.
Elaine Wynn told the courtroom that she told Wynn Resorts General Counsel Kim Sinatra in 2009 about a 2005 legal settlement involving Steve Wynn allegations. The 2005 case involved allegations of rape and a hush agreement involving those allegations. Kim Sinatra denies ever hearing about the rape allegations.
