In the fall of 2016, Elaine Wynn listed the Idaho getaway estate she’d shared with her one-time husband Steve, asking $25 million for the 12-acre estate. But finding a buyer for the modern lodge-style home on 12 acres proved to be tough going, and the Rocky Mountain mansion has seen a considerable price reduction: it is now tagged with an ask of $19.5 million.
The property is located in Ketchum, a place-name well-known among readers of American lit as the village where Hemingway finally and definitively decided he’d had enough. The town is a spectacular alpine community, though, and although Sun Valley is right down the road a piece, Ketchum retains its charm. Bald Mountain—where skiers can enjoy some of the best the winter sport has to offer in this country—is a hop skip and ski jump away.
The Wynns had the house custom built for them at the tail end of the last decade. The interiors are grand and heavily alpine-inflected, with plentiful natural stone, hewn beams, and logs. Craftsmanship is top-flight, with little left out; carved wood, stone, and tile express the interiors as carefully composed; the front door is quite lovely. Modern touches include LED backlighting, but only to enhance the intensely warm atmosphere. Amenities include a large fitness room, wet bar, and wine tasting room.
Exterior features include an entertainment pavilion, river frontage, a large lawn, and forested grounds.
Together with her husband, Ms. Wynn founded the Wynn Resorts. Her net worth is estimated at $2.6 billion. She is a philanthropist with an abiding interest in the arts, and plans to donate a portion of the proceeds from the estate’s sale to the L.A. County Museum of Art.