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Boat of the Week: Meet ‘Boardwalk,’ Houston Rockets Owner Tilman Fertitta’s Showstopping 252-Foot Superyacht

This vessel has a long, instantly recognizable profile. but it's the myriad interior details—and the interplay of light and crystal—that define her., michael verdon, michael verdon's most recent stories.

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At the end of February, Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta and his family held an annual Mardi Gras celebration, which they call the San Luis Salute. The event, which included local officials and celebrities, was headlined by the band Maroon 5. But the most visible VIP guest at the gala was Fertitta’s majestic new superyacht, Boardwalk.  

The 252-foot Feadship is indeed a showstopper. It was the largest vessel at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, and hundreds of people walking the docks took selfies against Boardwalk ’s towering stern, with a H130 helicopter perched on the top deck. Fertitta and his family enjoyed the show from the comfort of the yacht—from the main-deck’s rear cockpit lounge to be precise.

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It’s Fertitta’s favorite spot on his new yacht, a sanctuary protected from the wind and sun, but still exposed to the ocean. It’s also a microcosm of Boardwalk ’s very intricate design. The stern has the requisite lounges, bar and large flat-screen television, but that’s where it differs from other yachts. The ceiling has delicate curves, there are many lights embedded into the area above the bar, and the trim on the columns supporting the stern’s overhang is highly stylized.

The abundance of crystal and lighting define Boardwalk ‘s formal dining area.  Courtesy Fertitta Entertainment

“I don’t think any other owner pays as much attention to the details,” Fertitta told Robb Report during a visit to the yacht. “If you look at the bigger yachts, they really don’t vary much with standard features like ceilings and lighting.”

“Tilman came in with all the important details—all the details that really make the difference in this boat,” adds Amy Halffman, who worked closely with Fertitta on the design. “He’s an extreme detail man, down to the quarter of an inch.”

The Houston entrepreneur has made a highly successful career out of paying attention to the details. Named by Forbes as the “World’s Wealthiest Restaurateur,” the chairman of Fertitta Entertainment and chairman of Landry’s has an empire that also includes the Houston Rockets NBA team, multiple restaurants, Bentley and Rolls-Royce dealerships, and five-star hotels.

The contrast of the black stairwell with the white floors is dramatic, nicely offset by the custom stainless-steel inlays along the railings.  Courtesy Fertitta Entertainment

Fertitta’s Post Oak Hotel in Houston, in fact, provided inspiration for Boardwalk . “We spent a lot of time meeting at the hotel,” says Halffman. “He had a lot of input into that design, which is classy and elegant, so we decided to reflect that style on the yacht.”

This Feadship is actually Halffman’s fifth yacht project with Fertitta, the other four Boardwalks being a succession of ever-larger Westports, the most recent being 165 feet in length. After owning it for 12 years, “it felt like time for a larger project,” says Fertitta. “One that was more complex and elaborate.”

While upsizing by almost 100 feet sounds like a simple hull stretch, the Feadship has 1,848 gross tonnes of interior volume, compared to 492 on the last Westport—in other words, the latest Boardwalk has nearly four times as much interior as the last one. That makes not only for a very complicated build—something which bespoke builder Feadship is used to—but also a new mindset for the interior design, which the design team needed to wrap their heads around.

A more relaxed vibe in the owner’s office.  Courtesy Fertitta Entertainment

Halffman and design partner Frank Woll came up with the concept about four years ago, and then worked closely with the owner on the yacht’s many features. There are hundreds of features, seen and unseen, that distinguish the interior.

The most noticeable—arresting, in fact—is a whimsical, fantasy-like sculpture of a bronze female form with a dress of flowing crystals, diamonds and pearls. The work by Estella Fransbergen is strategically placed in the main entry. “She’s like a guardian angel,” says the sculptor, noting it took nearly two years to complete. “She was originally going to be placed by the staircase, but we moved her so she greets everyone.”

“I’d seen Estella’s work years ago and admired it,” says Halffman. “The torso of the woman’s body appealed to everyone and proved to be a launchpad for me. It played off all the other features.” They include an enormous crystal in the main foyer, pendant chandeliers in the formal dining area beside a case with crystal wear, and bespoke crystal light fixtures on the nearby stairway—which also has a beautiful stainless railing that resembles a feature from the last Boardwalk , but on a much grander scale.

The main salon, with detailed lighting overhead. Notice the backlighting on the rear bar.  Courtesy Fertitta Entertainment

The designers looked for striking but elegant stones—a white opal for the salon and an onice grigio for the sky lounge—mixed with Sapele, mahogany and other dark-stained woods that show contrast with the light-colored fabrics and tiling. The wine cellar even has a custom stainless-steel design that gives it a distinctive look. In all, 55 stones, marbles and tiles were used across the yacht.

Of course, all these stunning details were made possible by the ubiquitous placement of lighting, both direct and indirect, something that Fertitta understands with almost a scientific precision. His previous Westport had four times more lights than the yard had ever put on the 164-foot series. This Feadship paid even more attention to the lighting. Even the beach club, with its lounge and dedicated dive and watersports locker, has a stylish, deliberate look. The bar has a light fixture comprised of Swarovski crystals.

The yacht, though immense, is easy to navigate. Fertitta and longtime captain Tristan Judson paid attention to the functional aspects, creating an open foredeck where the two Hogdon-built tenders are stored, adding the ability to use the massive area for social occasions. The sundeck has a mosaic-tiled swimming pool, and above that is an observation deck with a mast. On that level, one gets a sense of how large Boardwalk really is, surrounded by smaller superyachts at the Fort Lauderdale show.

The intricate details on the day head—typically a forgotten space—give a sense of the how the design team approached the interior.  Courtesy Fertitta Entertainment

Still, the owner and his designers managed to keep a sense of intimacy throughout, installing what they call a “country kitchen” as the owner’s galley, to allow more informal meals and socializing than the main dining room, while retaining the yacht’s professional galley for the staff on another deck. Fertitta, who often works on board, has an office dressed with light-colored fabrics, lounges and glass doors to access the exterior decks.

The Feadship may not be Fertitta’s last yacht. Rumor has it that he’s talking to European yards about an even larger Boardwalk . When asked about it, he says simply: “I love to build things.”

Some other angles.

Courtesy Fertitta Entertainment

Courtesy Boardwalk

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Tilman Fertitta's 252-foot, $150 million superyacht Boardwalk courses through canals after departing Feadship's Aalsmeer shipyard in The Netherlands on its way to sea trials. (Photo courtesy of Feadship)

Tilman Fertitta's Boardwalk by Feadship encountered 19 locks and bridges on its way to sea trials. (Photo courtesy of Feadship)

Momus Queen Blayne Fertitta and Tilman Fertitta in 2019 partying port side of his first Boardwalk yacht during The San Luis Salute in Galveston. (Gary Fountain Photo)

The Feadship team moves Tilman Fertitta's super yatch, Boardwalk, through the narrow canals of The Netherlands on its way to sea trials. (Photo courtesy of Feadship)

An areal view of Tilman Fertitta's Feadship Boardwalk of which he is expected to take possession in April. (Photo courtesy of Feadship)

Tilman Fertitta's super yacht, Boardwalk, by Feadship makes a beautiful departure as it heads for sea trials.

Tilman Fertitt's 77-meter Boardwalk from Feadship passes the last bridge on the to sea trials, passing the city of Rotterdam. (Photo courtesy of Feadship)⁠⠀

Tilman Fertitta Gets a New $150 Million Super Yacht — Take a Look at the Floating Paradise

Houston billionaire adds boardwalk to his empire.

I n the stratospheric world of billionaire Tilman Fertitta, more is more. And bigger is better. Consider the hospitality mogul’s ever-expanding business empire and then add his newest toy —  a superyacht set to splash through the waters of the Med in April.

Our curiosity was piqued when we saw info on a 77 meter (252 foot) Feadship yacht that “was commissioned by an experienced yachtsman, the project has been designed by De Voogt Naval Architects,” according to Boat International . The extraordinary yacht’s launch has additionally captured the attention of Super Yacht Times , Mega Yacht News , and  Yacht Harbor .

The name of the floating behemoth: Boardwalk . The same name as Fertitta’s 50 meter (163 feet) Westport motor yacht that has ridden the Fertitta family across waves of the Mediterranean and the Caribbean for a decade.

A little more research reveals that indeed the new vessel, which is headed this month for sea trials, was commissioned by Fertitta in 2016. Four years is fairly standard for yacht construction from the hull up. It was launched from the Feadship’s Aalsmeer shipyard in The Netherlands and in early January.

With an estimated price tag of $150 million, the yacht has seven staterooms, a swimming pool, and, of course, a helipad accommodating Fertitta’s favored mode of travel.

The original Boardwalk remains in Fertitta’s possession and there is no indication that he will sell or charter it. As he has often said, he has no intention of letting anyone but family rest their heads on Boardwalk pillows. We would guess that deep-pocketed Fertitta will keep the smaller yacht in the Caribbean where the larger yacht would have difficulty maneuvering through the waters there.

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In the world of superyachts , Boardwalk is a serious contender but falls short of the ridiculously huge mega yachts such as Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ Bravo Eugenia, which measures 356 feet, or the 351-foot Benetti Lana, which charters for $1.9 million a week.

Get a closer look at Tilman Fertitta’s new yacht in this video:

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Vitamin seller turned richest restaurateur in the world, Tilman Fertitta’s $150 million superyacht, is a masterclass in how to go big or go home! The Houston Rockets owner’s 252-foot-long vessel has a custom wine cellar, mosaic-lined pool, massage room, and multiple bars.

American billionaire Tilman Fertitta owns the $150 million Boardwalk superyacht-

Worth $12.4 billion , Tilman Fertitta is the chairman and chief executive of Fertitta Entertainment, which owns the Golden Nugget Casinos and the restaurant chain Landry’s Seafood. Born into the seafood restaurant business, Fertitta started his career by peeling shrimp in his father’s restaurant after school. Over the years, he has acquired and expanded several prominent restaurant brands, including Bubba Gump Shrimp and Saltgrass Steak House.

Take a look at the superyacht the Jefferies CEO just bought from the Houston Rockets' billionaire owner

• Jefferies CEO Rich Handler sold $65 million of stock — some of which he used to buy a superyacht.
• He purchased Boardwalk from billionaire friend and client Tilman Fertitta.
• Here's a look at the multimillion-dollar superyacht.

Earlier this week, Jefferies CEO Rich Handler sold $65 million worth of stock in the investment bank — enough to warrant a press release — partly to buy a yacht from his friend and client, hospitality billionaire and Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta .

"My sale of shares today was a gift to myself and my family," Handler said in the release.

It's a pretty good gift. The boat in question is a 50-meter superyacht named Boardwalk.

According to the yacht's shipyard, Westport Yachts, the off-market deal was pending as of last month. The sale price isn't public.

Boardwalk, which is currently moored in Fort Lauderdale, Florida , was originally delivered in 2010. She features a spa pool and helipad on her sun deck, as well as multiple bars and 15 bathrooms, of which at least one has a television. The master cabin has a dressing room and a private study, and there are scooters on board to make getting around easier — and more fun.

She can fit 12 guests and 12 crew members, according to industry source SuperYacht Times .

"It isn't cheap, I can tell you that. I just love it," Fertitta told a local ABC affiliate in 2017, referring to Boardwalk's $40 million price tag.

While Boardwalk is technically part of "a series" — one of a fleet of boats built by the shipyard of this size and general design — Fertitta made many custom adjustments, adding lights throughout and opening up spaces to create a less formal feel, he told Yachts International in 2011.

Handler has been a guest on the yacht before, landing on its deck via helicopter when it was moored in St. Barts , according to a video posted on Fertitta's Instagram account in 2018.

"It's a shame when you have to pick your friends up to come see you. This is @handlerrich roughin' it to the @boardwalk164," he wrote in the caption.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tilman J. Fertitta (@tilmanfertitta)

"It's one of those things that I've always wanted and I'll always have," Fertitta said during the 2017 interview.

While he won't always have this exact boat, Fertitta, who is worth $9.3 billion, per Forbes, will likely always have a yacht and appears to have traded up.

He teased his new, fully custom vessel — a 77-meter giant built by Dutch shipyard Feadship — in 2019. It was delivered in 2021 and is also named Boardwalk.

The new Boardwalk has a more modern design. The gym has a Peloton and a Mirror ; there's a sauna and beauty salon; and there are six sit-down bars — appropriate for a hospitality billionaire.

"This takes it to a whole new level," his son, Michael, told Boat International .

Looks like Handler still has something to aspire to.

• Main content

• cool spaces

Cool Spaces: Step aboard Tilman Fertitta's luxury mega-yacht

At 164-feet long, 31-feet wide and almost 500 tons, this is no ordinary yacht. Welcome aboard "The Boardwalk", Houston businessman Tilman Fertitta's luxury ocean vessel and favorite toy.

The $40 million yacht has 12 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, grand salons, and a true chef's kitchen with steamers, warming drawers, and walk-in fridge and freezer.

The master suite features an owner's office, opulent bedroom with space to spare, and a gorgeous bathroom.

No expense was spared on the outdoor space either. "The Boardwalk" boasts multiple decks, lounges, scooters for land excursions, and even a helicopter pad.

Fertitta, his family and crew travel the world on the yacht. Some of his favorite stops are the Bahamas and the Mediterranean.

"It's one of those things I always wanted and I'll always have. It isn't cheap, I can tell you that," Fertitta said with a smile. "But every time I walk on it, I tell myself, 'God, I love this boat.'"

SEE ALSO: Jerry Jones becomes owner of new $250 million 'superyacht'

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