#19 Kirk Kerkorian
Net Worth: $10.0 billion
Source: Investments, investments, casinos
Self made
Age: 88
Marital Status: Divorced, 2 children, 3 divorces
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Education: High School, Diploma
Low-key investor with eighth-grade education scored big with $7.9
billion takeover of Mandalay Bay Resorts last year. MGM Mirage now
owns more than half the hotel rooms on the Las Vegas Strip. Stock up
100% in the past year. Born in Fresno to Armenian immigrants, flew
planes across Atlantic during World War II. First fortune: selling
Trans International Airlines for $104 million profit in the 1960s.
Invested proceeds in Sin City: acquired Flamingo hotel 1967, built
International hotel 1969. Sold both properties to Hilton Hotels in
1970. Built first MGM Grand (now Bally’s), opened second incarnation
1993. Took over Steve Wynn’s (see) Mirage Resorts in $6.4 billion
buyout 2000. Longtime romance with MGM movie studio now over: 3-time
studio owner closed $5 billion deal with Sony, 3 private-equity firms
and cable giant Comcast in April; netted $1.8 billion. Former
DaimlerChrysler shareholder now buying General Motors stock; owns 9.5%
stake. Tennis junkie, said to play every day.
Distribution of the Forbes 400 by U.S. State