Following remarks from Gov. Charlie Baker and Attorney General Maura Healey, the future of the Wynn Boston Harbor tower’s name has become a matter of serious reconsideration. The building, which has yet to be completed, carries a name that may soon change in light of founder Steve Wynn’s departure amid sexual misconduct allegations.
At the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) meeting held on March 29, Wynn Boston Harbor president Bob DeSalvio addressed the possibility of removing ‘Wynn’ from the tower’s branding. “fblikebutton_button” “We are at this time considering a re-brand of the project and we’ll have an announcement on that at a later date,” DeSalvio stated, adding that no specific timeline has been established and an announcement is unlikely in the coming week. “It’s something we are actively considering right now,” he added.
While speculation about a name change has circulated for weeks, both the local team and Las Vegas headquarters maintained silence on the question until now. In February, newly appointed CEO Matt Maddox told the Boston Globe that a global rebranding effort would present significant challenges. He noted that American customers primarily identify the brand with Steve Wynn, whereas Asian clientele associate it with luxury accommodations. According to Maddox, such a transformation cannot occur immediately.
The situation in Chelsea differs substantially from the company’s other locations. Since the project remains under construction and no signage has been permanently installed on the building, a name change would prove far more feasible than altering existing properties elsewhere in the portfolio.
Massachusetts Gaming Commission Chair Steve Crosby expressed no particular stance on the decision, indicating instead that Wynn would pursue whatever direction served its business interests best. “For the record, I’m agnostic on that,” he said. “It’s the first I’ve heard they’re doing that. At the moment, it’s a decision for them to make.”