LAS VEGAS — Wynn Resorts Ltd. chief executive Steve Wynn says his swanky $2.3 billion Encore casino — which he opened Monday amid a market that’s battering casino, travel and other consumer companies — is about perfecting the basics.
“Better service, nicer rooms, better lighting,” Wynn told The Associated Press. “Themes that are corny get old quickly, but real and wonderful environments with great service are timeless.”
Even if visitors think the Encore delivers on that promise, however, Wynn will have to keep prices low to keep people booking its 2,034 suites. That’s because, while Wynn is doing well, Las Vegas is not.
MGM Mirage Inc., which owns 10 casinos on the Las Vegas Strip, has laid off about 3,200 workers here since October 2007. Harrah’s Entertainment has cut 1,800 workers since January. And Deutsche Bank analyst Bill Lerner told investors in a note Monday he is tracking more delayed projects in Las Vegas than ever before. The Associated Press
