WYNN RESORTS has held some preliminary discussions with John Henry, the owner of the Boston Red Sox and the Boston Globe, about working jointly on the development of property the casino operator owns across the street from Encore Boston Harbor, according to two people familiar with the discussions.

The discussions were held some time ago and didn’t immediately gain traction because Encore Boston Harbor was just opening and Wynn officials still believe it’s too early to move ahead with development of the surplus property. Still, the discussions suggest Henry, who together with others expressed interest in buying the casino in 2018 and again in 2019, remains interested in gaining some sort of foothold in the area.

A Globe spokeswoman said an inquiry about the discussions had nothing to do with the newspaper so she declined to provide any comment. She declined to make Henry available.

Michael Weaver, a spokesman for Wynn Resorts, said CEO Matt Maddox has told financial analysts that the company has received inquiries from many companies interested in doing projects on the land across the street from the casino. “We haven’t disclosed who they are,” he said.

Wynn Resorts has made no secret of its desire to develop roughly 11 acres it has acquired near the casino. It showcased the property in a recent presentation to analysts and Maddox spoke enthusiastically about the development potential at a press conference just prior to the casino’s opening in June.

“We want to work with the city to create an entertainment district,” Maddox said at the time. “It’s not all going to be our company – Wynn. We want to work with lots of local developers, potentially other hoteliers, convention centers, etc. But our idea, along with the mayor’s, is to continue to redevelop the area so it’s known as the entertainment district in the Northeast.”