Kirk Kerkorian, billionaire and casino mogul, dies

LAS VEGAS - Billionaire Kirk Kerkorian, an eighth-grade dropout who built Las Vegas' biggest hotels, tried to take over Chrysler and bought and sold MGM at a profit three times, has died. He was 98.

MGM Resorts International says Kerkorian died Monday.

He built the 30-story, 1,568-room International Hotel, the world's largest hotel when it opened in the late 1960s.

When Kerkorian opened the first MGM Grand in Las Vegas in the 1970s, it was again the world's largest resort hotel, containing more than 2,000 rooms. Years later, he would build another MGM Grand, this one with more than 5,000 rooms - and again, the world's largest.

"Personally, he was a friend and coach, who taught me the importance in looking forward, and to look back only to understand how things could be done better," said Jim Curren, CEO of MGM Resorts, in a statement.

Kerkorian also bought and sold the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio three times, each time realizing a profit. He also invested heavily in the auto industry and tried unsuccessfully to take over Chrysler.

Kerkorian is survived by two daughters and three grandchildren.