Tilman Fertitta and Giorgia Meloni. , Credit Line: Rome / IPA-AGENCY.NET / Shutterstock Editorial / Profimedia
Tilman Fertitta, the new US ambassador to Italy, is currently refusing to move to its official residence, Villa Taverna, according to the Greek press.
The luxurious Roman villa, which in the previous centuries hosted Cardinals, future Saints and Royal Courts and which in 1933 was the residence of the most important foreign diplomat in Rome – would have been declared “uninhabible” by the Texan tycoon, which requires a complete renovation.
For now, he lives on his “Boardwalk” yacht, a 76 -meter long, flying the Pavilion of Cayman Islands and is anchored in the port of Civitavecchia, about 100 kilometers north of Rome.
His daily shuttle with helicopter at and from Iaht was the subject of intense comments in the political and diplomatic circles of the Italian capital. This was the main topic of discussion at the July 4 reception, where Fertitta made her official debut. His image inspired comparisons with the 1954 satirical novel of Ennio Flaiano, in which a friendly Martian lands in Rome and panicked in the media.
Raised in Galvesston, Texas, and nephew of some Italian immigrants, Fertitta made her wealth with hotels, restaurants and casinos. In 2017, he bought the Houston Rockets basketball team and played in the Billion Dollar Buyer reality show. The cornerstone of his empire is Landry's Group, which operates dozens of restaurant chains. Although he has never obtained a university degree, he managed to be appointed to the Board of Directors of the University of Houston.
It seems that Fertitta has made an intense lobby to allow to land his helicopter in the gardens of the Taverna villa, without success. The airspace of Rome is strictly restricted: only the Pope and the President of the Republic have such rights – and even meloni himself, despite his warm relations with Trump, was not willing to make an exception. “It was a rare demonstration of state dignity,” commented an Italian official.
Where safety problems ended, environmental problems began. To create a heliport, secular trees had to be cut. Therefore, until the completion of the villages at the villa, Fertitta was forced to land on the small Urbe airport and from there to cross via the salary in a car column, in the middle of the notorious traffic of Rome.
The presence of his boat in the port of Civitavecchia disturbed the Italian security services. There is a strong military presence in the port, while Fertitta seems to not inform in advance about his movements. A typical example: Last month, while the American army was on maximum alert due to imminent attacks on Iranian nuclear targets, he decided-without warning-to take a trip to the US military cemetery-Roma, in the Nettuno Coast City, causing alarm among security forces.
Fertitta has long maintained strong political connections, consolidated by generous donations to both parties. He was a supporter and friend of Bill Clinton, but he became known during the Trump – to be expected, because he was already doing business with him. In 2011, he bought the Hotel-Cazinou Trump Marina in Atlantic City, a property that caused Trump more problems than profits. The US president rewarded with one of the most prestigious diplomatic stations in Europe.
In front of his guests, Fertitta acknowledged that, of all diplomatic posts, he would accept only the one in Italy – honoring the Sicilian roots of his family. However, just a few months after the inauguration, it seems that Trump has already complained about a “crowd” of self -proclaimed intermediaries – Italians and Americans – who are trying to mix in relations between Rome and Washington. The ambassador remains firmly anchored in the Maga group.
