U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Italy

Tilman J. Fertitta currently serves as the United States Ambassador to Italy and San Marino.  He presented his credentials to President Sergio Mattarella on May 6, 2025.  Ambassador Fertitta, who was born in Galveston, Texas, and has lived in Houston, Texas, throughout his life, is an American billionaire businessman, television personality, New York Times best-selling author, and professional sports team owner.

Ambassador Fertitta is the sole owner of Fertitta Entertainment, which owns the restaurant giant Landry’s, the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casinos, and the NBA’s Houston Rockets.  Through his restaurant and hospitality company, Ambassador Fertitta owns more than 600 properties in 36 states and over 15 countries.  His restaurants include a signature collection of more than 60 award-winning restaurant concepts such as Catch, Mastro’s, Morton’s The Steakhouse, Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, Chart House, and two of New York’s most famous – Keen’s Steakhouse and The Corner Store.  He also owns over a dozen popular casual dining brands such as Rainforest Café and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.  His hotel division includes two Forbes Five-Star properties, the Montage Laguna Beach Resort Hotel and The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston.  Ambassador Fertitta also owns the NBA’s Houston Rockets, purchased for $2.2 billion in 2017, and the eight Golden Nugget Casinos.  Additionally, he is the largest shareholder with a 12.5 percent stake in Wynn Resorts and the largest individual shareholder in the global online gaming giant DraftKings.  With this, Ambassador Fertitta has positioned himself as a major influence on the world’s premier luxury and gaming brands.

With a net worth of $11.3 billion, Forbes ranks him among the 100 wealthiest Americans.  He starred in CNBC’s “Billion Dollar Buyer” and authored the best-selling book “Shut Up and Listen!”  Ambassador Fertitta served as Chairman of the Board of Regents of the University of Houston System for more than 11 years before being appointed U.S. Ambassador.  In recognition of his contributions, the Fertitta Center (a sports arena) and the Tilman J. Fertitta Medical School were named in his honor.  He serves as the Chairman of the Houston Police Foundation and supported the creation of the Houston Police Department’s state-of-the-art Tactical Training Center, named in honor of his family, which provides advanced, life-saving training for law enforcement.

Ambassador Tilman J. Fertitta is on X at www.x.com/USAmbItaly