Fabrizio Boccardi | |
---|---|
Born | Milan, Italy |
Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, investor, producer |
Fabrizio Boccardi is an Italian-American entrepreneur and investor. [1] He is known for his investments and ventures in real estate, hospitality, media and technology. Boccardi created a fictional character "The Tyrant", a Las Vegas Casino owner, who has been the subject of two books and rumored deals for comics and movie franchises. [2] [3] [4] [5] Boccardi has attempted to buy control of a Las Vegas casino and has announced intentions to create a casino and gaming franchise based on the fictional character. [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] In the technology sector he is known for his ventures and investments in new technology for commerce. [15] [16] [17]
Boccardi was born in Milan, Italy; his father Giampiero Boccardi, was a businessman in Italy with holdings in construction, insurance and financial services. [18] Boccardi attended the Leone XIII school in Milan, and then the Ophenaimer. He continued his studies in the United States, attending Villanova Preparatory School, in Ojai, California, but was unable to finish his junior year when his family's holding company's collapsed and finished school in Italy. [18]
Boccardi invested in condominium development in the South of France before moving to Las Vegas in 2000. [19] [18]
Boccardi has attempted to buy a Las Vegas casino, since 1999. [20] [21] At that time, he signed an agreement to buy the New Frontier Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, for $270 million owned at the time by Phil Ruffin. The price Boccardi was willing to pay in 1999 for the aged New Frontier Hotel & Casino, was considered too high by the lenders and gaming analysts as a result Boccardi was forced to pull out during due diligence and terminate the agreement with Ruffin. Phil Ruffin sold the New Frontier to El Ad Properties in 2007 at more than $1.2 billion, the 36 Frontier acres sold for more than $33 million an acre. [22] [23]
In 2000, Boccardi offered $200 million for the Desert Inn Hotel & Casino, but his offer was considered too low by owners Starwood Hotel & Resorts and was then sold to Las Vegas casino owner Steve Wynn for $275 million. [24] [25] To publicize his bid for the Desert Inn, Boccardi invited Prince Albert of Monaco to Las Vegas. [26] [27] [28] [29] [30]
In 2003, Boccardi bid $8.50 per share for control of Riviera Holdings, owners of the Riviera Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip and a casino in Black Hawk, Colorado. Boccardi's offer caused the stock of the company to increase substantially. [31] [32] [33] The offer was subject to a change of ‘control put’ and bondholders’ approval of the debt holders of the public company trading on the American Stock Exchange. Management rejected the offer, causing some shareholders to file suit against Riviera's management for not considering the offer. [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] Boccardi in an interview with the Wall Street Journal claimed that if successful buying the Riveria it would be rebranded as The Seven Sins. [39] [40] [41]
Boccardi has announced plans to use his media properties such as Tiranno, Tyrant and Tyrant Knight to launch a global gaming and hospitality brand which will include the construction of the Seven Sins Megaresort, the same casino depicted in the Michael Tiranno the Tyrant book series, films and comics. In an interview with Robin Leach via the Review Journal in 2017, Boccardi confirmed that the timing for his casino and hospitality plans to be realized will be primarily determined by the level of success of the film The Seven Sins. [42] [43] [44] [45] [46] [47]
In April 2004, DE Shaw Laminar Portfolios announced in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) pending strategic discussions with Boccardi regarding the Riviera Casino, and bought 10% in Riviera Holdings from Donald Trump. [48] [49] [50] [51] [52] [53] In May 2004, in subsequent filings with the SEC, DE Shaw Laminar Portfolios announced the termination of its discussions with Boccardi regarding Riviera Holdings. Stock of Riviera Holdings trading on the American Stock Exchange subsequently split 3 for 1 and was trading at a substantial premium. [54] [55]
In 2005 Boccardi Capital Systems filed suit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan, against DE Shaw Laminar Portfolios for breach of contract and other allegations in connection with Riviera Holdings, asking for compensation of approximately $140 million. The suit was finally dismissed in February 2009, and despite an appeal that Boccardi Capital filed immediately thereafter, the judgment was reaffirmed in December 2009 by the United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit. [56] [57] [58] [59]
Twentieth Century Fox and King Midas World Entertainment reached a settlement in 2014 regarding the TYRANT Mark. Both parties called on to refrain from challenging each other's mark, with FX's “Tyrant” TV series based on the story of an American family drawn into Middle Eastern turmoil, and King Midas’ “Tyrant” a Las Vegas-based superhero property created by Boccardi. [60] [61]
Boccardi is also a venture capitalist and technology entrepreneur. [62] [63] [64] Through several of his controlled entities he provides capital in promising business ventures in the US and elsewhere. [65] [66] Boccardi is creator of proprietary intelligent software systems methods of payment, finance, and social commerce. [67] [68] [69] [70] [71] [72] [73] [74] [75] [76] [77] [78] [79] [80] [81] [82] [83] [84] [85] [86] [87] [88] [89] [90]
Fabrizio Boccardi is actively engaged in the technology sector through his involvement with several companies, one of which is Astral Dynamic Networks, also known as Astradyne Inc. Boccardi focuses on artificial intelligence, blockchain technology and other tech innovations aiming to advance technology in commerce and social interactions for the populace via new products with new capabilities. Boccardi also contributes to various technological breakthroughts. [91] [92] [93] [94]
The Tyrant Knight is Boccardi's franchised fictional character, first appearing in 2008 in the book "The Seven Sins: The Tyrant Ascending," written by Jon Land [95] and published by Macmillan. [4] Boccardi worked with Land to create the story, which is loosely inspired by Boccardi's own life. [96] [97]
In 2008, The Seven Sins: The Tyrant Ascending was published by Forge Books/Saint Martin's Press. [98] The Library Journal selected The Seven Sins: The Tyrant Ascending as a "Best Thriller of 2008." [99] [100]
The second book in the series titled "Black Scorpion The Tyrant Reborn" was published in North America by Macmillan Publishing Group on April 7, 2015, written by Jon Land and created by Boccardi. [101] [102] [103]
DC Entertainment is developing the comics based on a publishing license provided to DC by King Midas World Entertainment. Comic Artists such as Andrea Mutti have been engaged to work on the comic property. [104] [105] [106] [107] [108]
A production for a feature film is in development in Hollywood based on the franchised character of Michael Tiranno, the Tyrant Knight. The film will be based on the blended adaptation of Black Scorpion and its predecessor, The Seven Sins, which both have also been licensed to DC Comics for comic books and graphic novels publications. In 2017, director Chuck Russell was attached to direct and help to write the screenplay for the film titled "The Seven Sins: Dawn of the Tyrant Knight". [109] [110] [111] [112] [113] [114] [115] [116]
It was announced Boccardi created a new media property named Dark Light Dawn. The first book in the series has been announced for publication in North America by Macmillan Publishing Group on August 1, 2017. The book is written by Jon Land and created and owned by Boccardi. Inspired by recent geopolitical events, rising terrorism, and religious conflicts, the novel meshes a paranormal tale with a fresh take on the action horror thriller genre. [117] [118] [119] [120]
MGM Resorts International is an American hospitality and entertainment company. It operates resorts in Las Vegas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Maryland, Ohio, New Jersey, Macau, Shanghai, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Sanya, including the Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand and Park MGM.
The Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada, that is known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. The Strip, as it is known, is about 4.2 mi (6.8 km) long, and is immediately south of the Las Vegas city limits in the unincorporated towns of Paradise and Winchester, but is often referred to simply as "Las Vegas".
Harrah's Entertainment was an American casino and hotel company founded in Reno, Nevada, and based in Paradise, Nevada, that operated over 50 properties and seven golf courses under several brands. In 2013, it was the fourth-largest gambling company in the world, with annual revenues of $8.6 billion. It was acquired in 2020 by Eldorado Resorts, which then changed its own name to Caesars Entertainment.
The Desert Inn, also known as the D.I., was a hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, which operated from April 24, 1950, to August 28, 2000. Designed by architect Hugh Taylor and interior design by Jac Lessman, it was the fifth resort to open on the Strip, the first four being El Rancho Vegas, The New Frontier, Flamingo, and the El Rancho. It was situated between Desert Inn Road and Sands Avenue.
The Riviera was a hotel and casino on the northern Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada. It opened on April 20, 1955, and included a nine-story hotel featuring 291 rooms. The Riviera was the first skyscraper in the Las Vegas Valley, and was the area's tallest building until 1956. Various hotel additions would be made in later years, including a 12-story tower in 1966, a 17-story tower in 1975, and a 24-story tower in 1988. By the time of its closure in 2015, the resort included a 103,800 sq ft (9,640 m2) casino and 2,075 rooms.
The Wild Wild West Gambling Hall & Hotel was a hotel and casino in Paradise, Nevada, near the Las Vegas Strip. It was owned and operated by Station Casinos. While the casino and adjoining 260-room hotel were relatively small, the site is over 58 acres (23 ha) in size.
Riviera Holdings Corporation is a defunct casino operator that was based in Winchester, Nevada. It owned two casinos: the Riviera on the Las Vegas Strip, closed in 2015; and the Riviera Black Hawk in Black Hawk, Colorado, sold in 2011.
Derek Stevens is an American businessman who owns several hotel-casinos in downtown Las Vegas. Stevens, along with his brother Greg, purchased the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino in 2008, followed in 2011 by Fitzgeralds, which they renamed as The D Las Vegas. He also owned the Las Vegas 51s baseball team from 2008 to 2013, and built the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center in 2014.
Morris Barney Dalitz was an American gangster, businessman, casino owner, and philanthropist. He was one of the major figures who shaped Las Vegas in the 20th century. He was often referred to as "Mr. Las Vegas".
The Four Queens is a hotel and casino in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada, on the Fremont Street Experience. The property includes a 690-room hotel and a 27,269 sq ft (2,533.4 m2) casino. The Four Queens was developed by Ben Goffstein, who named it in reference to his four daughters. The casino opened on June 2, 1966, followed by the eight-story hotel two months later. The hotel opened with 115 rooms, and a 10-story addition was completed in 1969. Another 18-story tower was added in 1981.
Tamares Group is a global private investment group based in London. Tamares has international interests in real estate, finance, technology, communications, manufacturing, leisure and media. The group invests in a number of different private and public companies, and in real estate properties.
Klondike Hotel and Casino was a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, in the United States. The property began as the Kona Kai Motel in 1962, and was purchased by Ralph Engelstad in 1969. The motel was sold to John Woodrum, who renamed it as the Klondike Inn in 1976. A casino was eventually added, and the Klondike became popular among local residents. In 2005, the Klondike was sold to Royal Palm Las Vegas, which planned to replace it with a casino and condo hotel resort known as Paramount Las Vegas. The Klondike closed in June 2006, and was demolished in March 2008. Royal Palm Las Vegas had difficulty obtaining financing for the Paramount project, and the land was put up for sale later in 2008. A Harley-Davidson dealership opened on the former Klondike property in 2014.
The Hotel Habana Riviera by Iberostar, originally known as the Havana Riviera, is a historic resort hotel located on the Malecón waterfront boulevard in the Vedado district of Havana, Cuba. The hotel, which is managed by the Spanish Iberostar chain, was built in 1957 and still maintains its original 1950s style. It has twenty-one floors containing 352 rooms all of which feature views of the water and the Vedado neighborhood.
The Lexi is a boutique hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is located west of the Las Vegas Strip and includes 64 rooms. It originally opened in September 1978, as the Las Vegas Inn and Casino, and later became a Travelodge. In 2001, it was purchased by Doug DaSilva, who overhauled it as the Artisan with a $4 million renovation.
The Seven Sins: The Tyrant Ascending is a 2008 novel by Jon Land and the first book in the Michael Tiranno series. The book tells the story of Michael Tiranno, beginning with his harsh childhood in Sicily to his rise to success in Las Vegas. A second novel, entitled Black Scorpion: The Tyrant Reborn, was released in 2015
The 1950s was a time of considerable change for Las Vegas. By the 1950s, there were 44,600 living in the Las Vegas Valley. Over 8 million people were visiting Las Vegas annually in 1954, pumping $200 million into casinos, which consolidated its image as "wild, full of late-night, exotic entertainment". The population grew dramatically from 8,422 during World War II to over 45,000. From 1952 to 1957, through money and institutional lending provided by the Teamsters Union and some Mormon bankers, they built the Sahara, the Sands, the New Frontier, the Royal Nevada, the Showboat, the Riviera, the Fremont, Binion's Horseshoe, and finally the Tropicana. Gambling was no longer the only attraction by the 1950s; the biggest stars of films and music like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, Andy Williams, Liberace, Bing Crosby, Carol Channing, and others performed in intimate settings and brought a whole new brigade of Hollywood film stars and others in the entertainment business to the city. In 1957, the first topless show "Minsky's Follies" was started here.
Louis Rothkopf, also known as Louis Rhody, Lou Rody or John Zarumba, was an American businessman and career criminal. He was a bootlegger in Cleveland, Ohio, during Prohibition in the 1920s and 1930s. He was an investor in casinos in Las Vegas, and racetracks in Ohio and Kentucky in the 1940s and 1950s.
The Alexis Park All Suite Resort is a 19-acre low-rise luxury resort hotel located east of the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It opened on July 2, 1984, as a non-gaming alternative to the city's hotel/casino resorts.
Royal Nevada was a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada. It was owned by Frank Fishman, who leased it to various individuals during its brief history. The resort was designed by Paul Revere Williams, and construction began in August 1954. The Royal Nevada opened on April 19, 1955, and was among four Las Vegas resorts to open within a six-week period, at a time when demand had declined for additional hotel rooms. The resort faced numerous financial problems, and was closed and reopened several times.
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