Steve Wynn vs Kirk Kerkorian: The Hostile Takeover That Stole the Mirage and Bellagio

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An Old Fashioned, some red lipstick and a black dress…sigh, there’s just something undeniable about a good ol’ classic. The beloved Vegas showgirl may be an endangered species these days (insert tear), but “VEGAS! THE SHOW” preserved those feather-clad beauties and the likes of an era when everything was flashier and dripping with sophistication. What’s that you ask? Can a show filled with gorgeous and talented women a la Rat Pack era really exist in the here and now? Oh yes my friend, it sure can and all we have to say is raise that curtain and let the good times roll. With a little song, a lot of dance and that certain sultry allure that only old timey Vegas could pull off, this is a trip down memory lane and, well, it’s pretty legit. The costumes are fun, funky, sexy and so real. Ok, well maybe not the candy-themed costumes but hell, their Sammy Davis Jr. sure had us pining for an autograph. For a city that was built on pure, raw talent and obviously dolla dolla bills, this show celebrates iconic moments from the city's rich entertainment history through the decades that made the Vegas we know and love today. And we’ll tip our top hats to that.

RockSinCity

Published Jun 29, 2026

He built the Mirage. He built Bellagio — the most expensive hotel ever constructed, filled with real Picassos and eight and a half acres of dancing fountains. Then, in the spring of 2000, his own board of directors voted to sell it all to a quiet billionaire named Kirk Kerkorian for $6.4 billion.

Six months later, the sign outside the Mirage was changed. "Steve Wynn's Mirage" became just "The Mirage." His name was gone — but the buildings he built kept running without him.

This is the real story of how Steve Wynn lost his crowning achievements — the stock collapse that made his company a takeover target, the boardroom betrayal that sealed the deal, and how losing everything became the catalyst for him to build Wynn Las Vegas and Encore, bigger than ever.

In this video:
• How Bellagio's $1.6 billion price tag made Mirage Resorts vulnerable
• Kirk Kerkorian — the "Lion of Las Vegas" and his $6.4 billion bid
• Why Wynn's own board voted against him
• The moment "Steve Wynn's Mirage" became just "The Mirage"
• How Wynn rebuilt bigger with Wynn Las Vegas and Encore

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