Wynn Resorts

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Wynn Resorts says it has scrapped preliminary talks to acquire the James Packer-controlled Crown Resorts for $10 billion ($US7 billion) after the Australian Financial Review broke news of the negotiations.
Crown shares jumped as much as 22 per cent <a href="/news/las-vegass-wynn-resorts-seeking-crown-resorts">on the news yesterday</a> to $14.37, close to the $14.75 per share level that Crown said Wynn’s latest cash-and-stock offer valued the company.
When the markets opened they shot down 10.6% to $12.55.
After the AFR revealed Wynn’s takeover approach, Crown not only confirmed the confidential talks on Tuesday, but also disclosed the price that Wynn was offering.
It added that Crown’s board had not yet considered Wynn’s latest offer.
Wynn, the world’s No.2 casino operator, then issued two statements, first confirming the talks, and, a few hours later, stating that they had ended.
“Following the premature disclosure of preliminary discussions, Wynn Resorts has terminated all discussions with Crown Resorts concerning any transaction,” the company said in its second statement.
Wynn was founded in 2002 by Steve Wynn, who started his casino business in Las Vegas in the 1960s.
Beset by sexual misconduct allegations, Wynn left the company and sold his entire 11.8 per cent stake in Wynn Resorts for $US2.1 billion last month.
Wynn operates large resort-and-casino complexes in Las Vegas and Chinese gambling hub Macau, with another under construction in Massachusetts.
The Australian reported the departure of Wynn Resorts billionaire founder Steve Wynn last year enabled the US-based casino operator to come forward with its $10 billion takeover approach for Crown Resorts.
It wrote the offer landed with the company about one month ago, after which Crown called in Goldman Sachs and UBS as its defence advisers.
Ashurst is working as a legal adviser to Crown, which counts James Packer as a 47 per cent shareholder.
Then there was the period when both tycoons were competing for the casino licence in Sydney decades ago, <a href="/news/when-donald-trump-toyed-with-opening-darling-harbour-sydney-casino">and even Donald Trump</a>.
Wynn was unsuccessful in securing the Sydney casino, which was won by Harrah.
Moelis is understood to be working on the transaction with Wynn because of the connections of founder Ken Moelis with casino operators in the US. 
Deutsche Bank is also involved.
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Crown shares drop 10% after AFR leak on Wynn/Packer talks scuttle negotiations 

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Crown Resorts has announced a pause in trade of its ASX-listed shares amid a takeover bid for the James Packer-controlled casino operator.
They confirmed in an ASX announcement that the company has attracted the interest of Las Vegas giant Wynn Resorts, with a bid potentially on the way, perhaps a merger.
Shares in Crown, which is majority owned by James Packer's Consolidated Press Holdings, were valued at $11.74 ahead of the market open on Tuesday - down 17 percent from August's near three-year high of $14.23.
The current proposal currently contemplates acquisition consideration (50% cash and 50% Wynn shares) with an implied value of A$14.75 per share with the exchange ratio being fixed, using a volume weighted average price for Wynn shares, immediately prior to the announcement of an agreed transaction, according to the Crown ASX release.
At the date of the proposal, the volume weighted average price of Wynn shares implied an exchange ratio of 0.042 Wynn shares per Crown share.
Crown have stated that the terms of the consideration are yet to be agreed, with the proposal being subject to a number of conditions including due diligence, Wynn obtaining all necessary regulatory approvals and a recommendation by the Crown Board.
It is stated to be preliminary, confidential, non-binding and indicative.
The Crown Board said they has not yet considered the most recent proposal from Wynn.
Crown stated that discussions were in a "preliminary stage" and that "no agreement has been reached between the parties in relation to the structure, value or terms of a transaction".
They added that there is no certainty that these discussions will result in a transaction
Goldman Sachs and UBS are acting as financial advisers to Crown, and Ashurst is acting as legal adviser.
Notably Crown recently pulled back on its international expansion plans, including exiting its joint venture partnership with Melco Resorts in Macau and the sale of 34.6 acres of land on the Las Vegas Strip.
That land was purchased by Wynn Resorts for AU$300 million in December 2017.
Under the deal James Packers net worth would soar AU$800 million.
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