Kirk Kerkorian (June 2, 1917 – June 15, 2015) was an Armenian‑American businessman, investor, and philanthropist known for his extensive involvement in the development of the modern Las Vegas casino industry and for his significant holdings in the entertainment and aerospace sectors.
Early life and education
Kerkorian was born Kirk Robert Kerkorian in Fresno, California, to Armenian immigrants who had fled the Ottoman Empire. He attended Fresno High School and later enrolled at the University of California, Santa Barbara, before transferring to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he studied economics and accounting. His studies were interrupted by service in the United States Army Air Forces during World II, after which he resumed his education and graduated with a degree in accounting.
Business career
Transportation
In 1946, Kerkorian founded Trans International Airlines (later Trans International Airways), a charter airline that initially served the military and later expanded to commercial operations. The airline operated for several decades before ceasing operations in the early 1990s.
Las Vegas and hospitality
Kerkorian’s entry into the casino and hotel industry began in the 1960s. He financed and built the International Hotel (later renamed the Las Vegas Hilton) on the Las Vegas Strip, which opened in 1969 and was, at the time, the world's largest hotel. In the 1970s, he acquired a controlling interest in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and subsequently purchased the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, later merging it with the larger MGM corporation. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Kerkorian’s holding company, Kirk Kerkorian International, owned and operated several major properties on the Strip, including the MGM Grand, Bellagio, and the MGM Grand Las Vegas (later rebranded as the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino).
Entertainment and other investments
Beyond hospitality, Kerkorian was a major shareholder and occasional board member of various entertainment and media companies. Notably, he held a significant stake in the Hollywood studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for several decades, influencing its strategic direction and financial restructuring.
Philanthropy
Kerkorian was a noted philanthropist, particularly in the fields of education, medicine, and the arts. He contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to institutions such as the University of Southern California (USC), the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His donations funded research centers, scholarships, and the construction of facilities, including the UCLA Anderson School of Management's Kirk Kerkorian Library.
Personal life
Kerkorian was married three times and had three children, including sons Dan and Terry Kerkorian, who were involved in his business enterprises. He maintained a private lifestyle despite his high public profile in business and philanthropy.
Death and legacy
Kirk Kerkorian died at his home in Beverly Hills, California, on June 15, 2015, at the age of 98. He is remembered as a pioneering figure in the evolution of Las Vegas’s casino and resort landscape and as a major benefactor of higher education and medical research. His business strategies—particularly the use of large‑scale financing and strategic acquisitions—have been studied as influential models in corporate finance and the hospitality industry.
