Tilman Fertitta’s ex-wife, 2 other execs recommended for Nevada gaming licensing
Three executives with Strip connections won unanimous recommendations for licensing from the Nevada Gaming Control Board on Wednesday.
Paige Farwell Fertitta, ex-wife of Fertitta Entertainment Inc. Chairman and CEO Tilman Fertitta; Maurice Wooden, president of Bowtie Hospitality LV LLC, parent company of Fontainebleau Las Vegas; and Daniel Ruiz, chief gaming officer of The Venetian, won favorable recommendations from the three-member board.
The Nevada Gaming Commission will consider final approval of the licensing requests on May 22.
Paige Fertitta is seeking licensing as a director and president of Fertitta Entertainment, which in 2022 received approval from Clark County officials to develop a 43-story, 2,420-room hotel on 6.2 acres at the southeast corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Harmon Avenue.
Her ex-husband, who also is the top shareholder of Wynn Resorts Ltd. and heads Landry’s, which operates Golden Nugget properties, in March accepted an appointment as ambassador to Italy and San Marino from President Donald Trump. The appointment required him to step back from his casino and restaurant empire, which is based in Houston.
Paige Fertitta, who has an amicable relationship with her ex-husband, told regulators she won’t be handling any day-to-day oversight of the Las Vegas operations. She has been found suitable for licensing in Colorado, Louisiana, Illinois, Mississippi and New Jersey.
Wooden, the former president of Wynn Las Vegas, is a longtime gaming executive who came up through food and beverage positions at downtown Las Vegas’ Golden Nugget.
Wooden explained to regulators how Fontainebleau is trying to build a following through a more robust entertainment product.
He said that the BleauLive Theater, which has a capacity of between 2,000 and 4,000 people, depending on seating arrangement, generally attracts people from off the property and the goal is to get them to stay in the hotel.
“A lot of time, people coming to the show, it’s their first time at the property, and being able to see something different, something unique, and really challenge the customer coming in the door to say, ‘Why am I staying somewhere else? Why shouldn’t I stay here?’” he said.
After leaving Wynn, Wooden also worked briefly with Tilman Fertitta.
Ruiz, a former Caesars executive, was hired at The Venetian after being recruited by its owner, Apollo Management Group.
Wooden and Ruiz are seeking key executive licensing.
Board members also unanimously recommended approval of suitability and licensing to a German company and several of its officers that are acquiring Las Vegas-based Gaming Arts, a privately held gaming technology provider of slot machines, bingo, keno, and interactive casino promotional systems.
Merkur.com AG and Gauselmann Familienstiftung won unanimous approval from the board after a 90-minute hearing.
Merkur Gaming indicated it would continue to employ Gaming Arts workers when it takes over the company in the summer.
Gaming Arts CEO Mike Dreitzer will be leaving the company to take over as chairman of the Gaming Control Board on June 23 when current Chairman Kirk Hendrick leaves.
Gov. Joe Lombardo appointed Dreitzer to the board last month after Hendrick announced his departure in January after the conclusion of the Nevada Legislature’s 2025 session.
Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.
