8 Nevadans make Forbes list of richest Americans

By Amanda Finnegan

Thursday, Sept. 23, 2010 | 1:43 p.m.

Eight Nevadans landed on the 2010 Forbes 400 Richest Americans list, including one casino billionaire who made the top 20 and another making a first-time appearance.

Las Vegas Sands Chairman and Chief Executive Sheldon Adelson ranked No. 13 on the list with a reported net worth of $14.7 billion. The 77-year-old casino owner crept up 13 spots on this year’s list, from No. 26 in 2009 with a net worth of $9 billion.

Forbes also ranked Adelson at No. 73 among the world’s top billionaires.

Henderson resident Nancy Walton Laurie, the niece of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton, was a far second among Nevadans at No. 136 with a net worth of $2.6 billion. Walton’s worth remained steady from 2009, but she fell from the No. 118 spot she held last year.

Treasure Island owner Phil Ruffin ranked No. 182 on the list with a net worth of $2 billion. Ruffin landed at No. 193 in 2009 with a net worth of $1.85 billion.

Wynn Resorts Chairman and Chief Executive Steve Wynn took the biggest hit on this year’s list, falling 64 places from last year’s list, landing at No. 205 in 2010. Forbes reported his net worth as $1.9 billion, down from $2.3 billion in 2009, a result of his divorce settlement with Elaine Wynn, Forbes said. Last year, Wynn ranked at No. 141.

Elaine Wynn made her first appearance on the Forbes 400 list at No. 382 with a net worth of $1.05 billion.

Forbes said Elaine Wynn achieved billionaire status after her second divorce to Wynn. Her settlement included 11 million shares of Wynn Resorts.

Las Vegas resident Alfred Mann ranked at No. 332 with a net worth of $1.2 billion. Mann is the founder of the MannKind Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company. Mann ranked No. 277 in 2009 with a net worth of $1.4 billion.

Station Casinos and UFC owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta ranked No. 365 and 385, respectively, on this year’s list. The brothers are back on the list this year after falling off in 2009. They both took the No. 377 spot in 2008 with a net worth of $1.3 billion each.

Forbes reported Frank Fertitta’s net worth as $1.1 billion and Lorenzo Fertitta’s as $1 billion.

Forbes calculates the wealth of the Forbes 400 by putting a price on all assets, including stakes in public and privately held companies, real estate, art, yachts and planes.

NOTE: This story briefly said seven Nevadans were on the list, but it was changed to eight.