GGRAsia – Steve Wynn sues Wynn Resorts, Mass. regulator: reports

Steve Wynn sues Wynn Resorts, Mass. regulator: reports

Nov 12, 2018 Newsdesk Latest News, Top of the deck, World

Entrepreneur Steve Wynn is suing his former company Wynn Resorts Ltd and the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, according to media reports. Mr Wynn (pictured in a file photo) alleges the firm improperly provided privileged documents to the commission as part of a probe by the Massachusetts regulator on sexual misconduct claims against the businessman.

The legal action aims to bar the commission from publicly releasing any investigative report “that contains, discloses or otherwise relies upon Mr Wynn’s attorney-client privileged communications or other protected material, including material protected by Mr Wynn’s privacy rights,” reported the Boston Globe, quoting the lawsuit.

The legal action was filed last week in district court in Clark County, Nevada, in the United States. It alleges that Wynn Resorts “provided the Massachusetts Gaming Commission with scores of documents reflecting communications protected by Mr Wynn’s attorney-client privilege and/or the common interest agreements he entered with Wynn Resorts,” according to an excerpt quoted by the Boston Globe.

In a statement also quoted by the newspaper, the gaming commission said it would “mount a vigorous defence against [Mr Wynn’s] effort to block the release of our months-long investigatory report and to defend against Mr Wynn’s baseless claims for damages.”

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission was reportedly expected to hold a hearing in December, on its findings regarding the investigation on Mr Wynn.

The regulator decided in January to open an investigation into U.S.-based casino operator Wynn Resorts and into Mr Wynn, the firm’s founder and at the time its chairman and chief executive.

The Massachusetts regulator said at the time it would look into allegations of sexual misconduct cited in a Wall Street Journal article published in January, said to have been made against Mr Wynn by former Wynn Resorts employees. Mr Wynn has denied the allegations.

Wynn Resorts is currently developing a casino property in Boston, in Massachusetts. The US$2.6-billion project is scheduled to open in 2019. The Wynn name was dropped in May from the property, which is now known as Encore Boston Harbor.

Wynn Resorts – with gaming operations in Las Vegas, Nevada – is the parent company of Macau-based casino operator Wynn Macau Ltd.

Mr Wynn resigned in February from the board of Wynn Resorts, over the allegations of sexual harassment. Shortly after, he sold his entire stake in the company.