Las Vegas Weekly

October 9, 2008 · 8:44 AM

Wynn’s daredevil stunt an Encore encore

By Robin Leach

Steve Wynn on the roof of Encore.

For the second time in his life, hotel mogul Steve Wynn has taken on the role of daredevil to film a TV commercial. He did it to launch his Wynn hotel three years ago and now he’s done it again to kick off December’s opening alongside for his new Encore resort. He even recruited action-adventure movie-director Brett Ratner to film the low-flying helicopter stunt.

Brett has had box office blockbusters with Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in the Rush Hour films. One of those was filmed at the old Desert Inn before Steve took it over and reopened the property as Wynn Las Vegas in 2005.

Steve was fitted out with safety straps -– unseen under his suit jacket -- and balanced on the new Encore roof. Cameras and recording equipment were placed on the helicopter flown by the same pilot who filmed Sylvester Stallone’s dangerous Cliffhanger scenes back in 1993. Access was limited at both Wynn and Encore and with both cars and pedestrians being held for the 15- to 20-minute filming intervals. Hundreds watched from the Strip sidewalks as the chopper crew filmed Steve’s promo.

When the shoot was “in the can,” Brett lavished praise on Steve, saying he was “as fearless about the filming as Jackie Chan was doing his own stunts.”

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