Wynn Resorts Enters the Post-Steve Wynn Era

Late on Tuesday night, Las Vegas legend Steve Wynn resigned as CEO and chairman of the board of Wynn Resorts Ltd. (NASDAQ: WYNN), the company he founded. The board of directors announced that Matt Maddox, Wynn Resorts' president, would take over as CEO immediately.

The move is a shock for Las Vegas, a city that has Wynn's fingerprints all over it. He built Mirage, Treasure Island, Bellagio, and Wynn and Encore Las Vegas, four of the biggest and most successful resorts on The Strip, and is arguably the most identifiable figure in the city.

End of an era

As a company, Wynn Resorts seems to be sad to see Steve Wynn go. This is the statement non-executive director of the board Boone Wayson gave on behalf of the Wynn Resorts Board of Directors:

The press release clearly casts Steve Wynn in a positive light, but the sexual misconduct allegations that led to his resignation paint a far different picture. And those, ultimately, are why he's no longer Wynn Resorts' CEO.

Steve Wynn himself said the following in the Wynn Resorts press release:

What neither the board nor Steve Wynn addressed is if there was pressure from regulators in Las Vegas, Macau, or Boston to oust him. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission said publicly they would investigate the sexual misconduct allegations, and there was talk that the company's gaming license in Massachusetts could be yanked. Any pressure in Las Vegas and Macau could have made it nearly impossible for Steve Wynn to stay in charge of the company, regardless of other factors.

Where does Wynn Resorts go from here?

Operationally, this may free Wynn Resorts as a company to move forward with its growth plans. Steve Wynn said in his statement:

As investors, this may be the biggest takeaway. Wynn Resorts as a company probably won't change much without its founder at the helm. The culture will remain the same, and its focus on high-end customers will continue to drive service few rivals can compete with.

That isn't to say that some customers won't shun the company's resorts, but Steve Wynn's stepping down may reduce the damage, and long term, Wynn Resorts should continue to attract customers in the same way it did while he was at the helm.

There are still a number of details to be worked out, like a separation package and whether Steve Wynn will remain a major shareholder -- which requires a gaming license in some locations. But those details should be coming out in the next few weeks.

What we know is that Steve Wynn's time as a major player in Las Vegas appears to be coming to an end, and his resignation will send a shock wave through the gaming industry. As the company tries to put the sexual misconduct allegations that led to his resignation behind it, my remaining question is this:

Is the name Wynn Resorts the next to go?

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Travis Hoium owns shares of Wynn Resorts. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.