Yerevan renames Leningradyan Street in honor of U.S.-Armenian tycoon, National Hero Kirk Kerkorian
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Yerevan City Council approved on Thursday a bill on renaming the Leningradyan Street in honor of U.S.-Armenian investor, philanthropist and National Hero Kirk Kerkorian.
The bill was authored by the Hanrapetutyun faction of the City Council.
Kirk Kerkorian was an American businessman, investor, and philanthropist of Armenian descent. He provided over $1 billion in charitable contributions to Armenia through his Lincy Foundation, which was established in 1989. The foundation particularly focused on helping rebuild Armenia after the devastating 1988 earthquake.
In the early 2000s, Armenia bestowed upon Kerkorian the title of National Hero.
U.S.-based Kerkorian was a key figure in shaping Las Vegas. He built the world’s largest hotel in Las Vegas three times: the International Hotel (opened in 1969), the original MGM Grand Hotel (1973), and the current MGM Grand (1993). He also purchased the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movie studio in 1969.
Kerkorian passed away in 2015 at the age of 98.