Las Vegas Weekly

May 18, 2010 · 5:55 PM

Steve Wynn says he’s single for the first time after yearlong romance

By Robin Leach

"She's my best friend": Steve and Elaine Wynn remain amicable despite a costly divorce, he says.

Photo: SIPA via AP Images

Hotel mogul Steve Wynn has directly addressed Strip gossip for the first time that his yearlong romance with British socialite Andrea Hissom had ended.

Gossip guru Norm Clarke led all with the rumors of the bust-up and gets total credit for that exclusive. But nobody, as far as I’ve seen anywhere, has gotten the definitive word on the subject from Steve himself.

Finally he spoke and told me: “Yes, it’s true. I’m solo. I’m a bachelor for the first time in my life. Can you imagine I’m single -- and I’m in the middle of all the Miss USA girls. What a place for a bachelor to be!”

In fact, the now 68-year-old billionaire bachelor has been out solo on the town several times in recent days: He attended the Toots & the Maytals poolside concert at the Hard Rock Hotel Beach Club on Friday night and Sunday’s 2010 Miss USA Pageant at Planet Hollywood as a guest of good friend Donald Trump.

Photo: TVT

Steve Wynn and girlfriend Andrea Hissom at the grand opening of Beso restaurant and Eve Nightclub at CityCenter on Dec. 3, 2009.

News of the second split-up between Steve and Elaine broke Jan. 28 of last year. Steve and Elaine were first married in 1963 but divorced in 1986, only to remarry in 1991. They filed for divorce again March 5 of last year and said it was amicable and that the breakup wouldn’t affect their company, of which she is a director.

Steve’s romance with Andrea began on a yacht in the Caribbean waters of St. Bart’s, and they turned up on the French Riviera. It was back on April 28 of last year that I reported them together in the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Eventually, they came here to the Wynn and sister hotel the Encore. Steve gave me the OK to first photograph them together at the hotel and then when they turned up together at Eva Longoria Parker’s opening of her restaurant Beso and nightclub Eve in Crystals at MGM’s CityCenter in December.

Steve’s second divorce from Elaine became final this year in a sealed document after a late November settlement in which he agreed to pay her more than $740 million in stock. They were married twice during their relationship for a total of 46 years and have remained best friends. Las Vegas Weekly contributor Steve Friess even reported them dining together at Encore the week of the divorce.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

Steve Wynn and Andrea Hissom at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo at Thomas & Mack Center on Dec. 10, 2009.

Steve told Friess that it was the most expensive U.S. divorce of all time. Now friends are already wondering if Steve and Elaine will wind up back together a third time!

I didn’t get that sense when I spoke with him. “It’s the first time in my life I have been single. Things always work for the best. I’m OK about where I am. For the moment, I am really going to enjoy being a bachelor,” he said.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

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Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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