The Wynn Resorts board added three women--it had just one before.
And John L. Smith, who wrote what might be the definitive book about Steve Wynn, "Running Scared," believes more big changes are on the way for the publicly owned business.
Smith said that after winning her six-year legal fight with her ex-husband, Elaine Wynn is the majority shareholder of Wynn Resorts stock. And she is in the spotlight. So he expects her to use her power and notoriety to shake up a corporation rocked by allegations of sexual harassment against Steve Wynn.
“This has been a very chauvinist town to a great degree," he said, "I think Elaine Wynn’s emergence and some of the things she has been proposing it could create a sea change in Las Vegas.”
Smith said Las Vegas has long been a town run by a handful of men and only a few women have ever risen through the ranks. But Smith said with Steve Wynn's departure from his own company and the rise of his ex-wife it shows that change is in the air.
“I believe that this is an opportunity for the casino industry in Las Vegas to take a look at its boards and revisit a lot of its thinking,” he said.
Three women have already been appointed to the board and Smith notes those women are not going to be "bumps on a log." Instead, he expects them to exert their independence, which was one of the big criticism of the board of directors in the past.
Smith also talked about the untimely death of Las Vegas sports handicapper Dave Malinsky. Malinsky was found dead on Mt. Charleston.
“This was a guy who was a marvel with numbers,” he said.
Smith has talked to a number of Malinsky's friends and they describe him as a true Renaissance man who was just as likely to quote Shakespeare as he was to quote a sports statistic.
Smith also went on a "420" tour of Las Vegas pot dispensaries and marveled at how the times have changed.
“I found myself just laughing because this is such a change in the community. Such a change in society from the absolute fear and paranoia that was attached to smoking marijuana to now it’s celebrated and it's taxed and it’s a real difference in the community."
John L. Smith, Nevada Public Radio contributor
