Kirk Kerkorian (b. 1917) is a financier and investor who has built the world's biggest casino hotel three times, and who is the primary owner of one of the world's largest gaming companies.

Kerkorian started in the gaming industry as landlord of Caesars Palace--he owned the land on which Jay Sarno built his groundbreaking casino in 1966. He decided that he wanted to build his own casino, and in the next year began building the International on Paradise Road, next to the Las Vegas Convention Center.

To train the staff needed to run what promised to be a huge resort, Kerkorian bought the Flamingo. When the International opened in July 1969, he brought over much of the Flamingo's management team with him.

The International, with 1500 rooms, was the world's biggest hotels, and it immediately became one of the top casinos in the world. Elvis Presley provided an unbeatable star attraction, even after Kirkorian sold the hotel to Hilton hotels in 1971; it then became the Las Vegas Hilton.

In 1973, Kerkorian returned to the gaming industry with the MGM Grand. With 2100 rooms it was, again, the world's biggest hotel. Kerkorian sold it, and the MGM Grand Reno, to Bally in 1986. But he remained active in the industry, buying the Sands, Desert Inn, and Marina casinos on the Las Vegas Strip.

By 1993, Kerkorian had sold the Sands and Desert Inn to focus his efforts on his latest project, a new MGM Grand. This casino giant, with 5,005 rooms at its 1993 opening, was again the largest hotel in the world.

Kerkorian then started a buying spree which culminated in the acquisitions of Mirage Resorts (2000) and the Mandalay Resort Group (2005). The resulting company, MGM Mirage, was by some measures the world's biggest gaming operator.

MGM Mirage has continued to push the envelope with its development of City Center, one of the largest and most ambitious casino developments ever undertaken. After nearly 50 years in the industry, Kerkorian is obviously not content to rest on his laurels.

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