Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Who was Kirk Kerkorian?
- How Kerkorian Discovered Armenia
- Investing in Armenia
- End of Investments and Death of Kerkorian
Episode 409 | Recorded: January 21, 2025
Show Notes
Kirk Kerkorian’s Benevolent Engagement with Armenia
Kirk Kerkorian, the Armenian-American billionaire, was one of the greatest benefactors of Armenia, contributing hundreds of millions of dollars to infrastructure and humanitarian projects. In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Harut Sassounian, publisher of The California Courier and former Vice Chairman of the Lincy Foundation, to uncover why Kerkorian chose to invest in Armenia, the impact of his donations, and the real reasons why he ultimately stopped funding projects. We also address the rumors of corruption and explore how Kerkorian is remembered today.
Key Questions Discussed
Who Was Kirk Kerkorian?
- What shaped Kerkorian’s identity as a businessman and philanthropist?
- How did his Armenian heritage influence his worldview?
How He Discovered Armenia
- What drove Kerkorian to get involved in Armenia?
- What role did the 1988 earthquake play in shaping his philanthropy?
- How did the US government react to his donations?
More Details About His Armenia Investments
- What projects did Kerkorian fund in Gyumri, and how did they impact the city?
- What were his largest contributions in Armenia?
- Why did his investments diminish during Serzh Sargsyan’s tenure?
- What was his perspective on corruption, and how were his donations protected?
End of Investments and Death of Kerkorian
- Why did Kerkorian contribute so little during Serzh Sargsyan’s presidency?
- What were the rumors of corruption, and who was spreading them?
- What was in Kerkorian’s will, and why didn’t it explicitly mention Armenia?
- How is Kerkorian remembered today?
Links Referenced During The Show
- The Gambler – Kirk Kerkorian’s Biography by William Rempel
- Harut Sassounian’s 2016 Interview Dispelling Corruption Rumors
- California Courier Articles on Kerkorian’s Philanthropy
- President Robert Kocharyan’s 1998 Press Conference on Kerkorian’s Visit to Armenia
- United Armenian Fund Ends Humanitarian Shipments to Armenia (Dec 2015)
- Kirk Kerkorian’s Will Designates All His Wealth to Charity (Jan 2016)
- New Biography Portrays Kirk Kerkorian as ‘The Greatest Deal Maker’ (Jan 2018)
- Why Did Lincy Fund Dissolve? Armenian Diaspora Rep Quashes Speculations (Feb 2011)
- How Lincy Foundation Money Was Managed (Apr 2003)
- Fake News About Kerkorian’s Philanthropy (Reddit Discussion)
- The Armenian Who Took Over Vegas | Kirk Kerkorian Story (YouTube)
- Kirk Kerkorian’s National Hero Award and Legacy in Armenia
Wrap-up
That’s our show! We hope you found it useful. Please find us on Social Media and follow us everywhere you get your Armenian news.
Thanks to Laura Osborn for the music on our podcasts.
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Guests
Harut Sassounian
Harut Sassounian, who is the Chairman of the board of trustees of HyelD. He’s also the publisher of The California Courier newspaper, and the president of the Armenia Artsakh Fund, a non-profit organization which has delivered over one $1.06 Billion in humanitarian assistance to Armenia and Artsakh since 1989.
Hosts
Asbed Bedrossian
Asbed is founder of the Armenian News Network Groong and co-founder of the ANN/Groong podcast.
Hovik Manucharyan
Hovik Manucharyan is an information security engineer who moved from Seattle to Armenia in 2022. He co-founded the ANN/Groong podcast in 2020 and has been a contributor to Groong News since the late 1990s.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by Hovik Manucharyan on the ANN/Groong podcast are his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of his employer or any other organization.