Corfu’s Ionian waters played host for one evening to a gathering of political, military and business figures as part of celebrations marking 250 years since the American Declaration of Independence.

The event, titled “Freedom 250, Reception Aboard the Boardwalk in Corfu,” was co-hosted by the United States Ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle, and the United States Ambassador to Italy and San Marino, Tilman Fertitta.

The reception was held aboard the Boardwalk, Fertitta’s 77 metre superyacht, reportedly worth 450 million dollars. Guests on Thursday evening included prominent figures from Greek business circles: shipping magnate George Prokopiou; DESTE Art Foundation owner Dakis Ioannou, together with his wife Lietta; Greek American businessmen John Coumantaros and Yiannis Sianis; and Panos Xenokostas. Also on the guest list was Marco Vicenzino, an international strategy analyst and adviser to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Organisers described the evening as an opportunity to highlight the longstanding ties of friendship and cooperation between the United States and countries in the wider region, with guests exchanging conversation in a relaxed, festive atmosphere.

The vessel is the fifth in Fertitta’s fleet to bear the name Boardwalk. He took delivery of it in May, at a reported cost of 450 million dollars. Guests were given a tour of its amenities, which include two helipads, swimming pools, a spa, a gym, a golf area and a dedicated room for diving equipment.

Fertitta was appointed US Ambassador to Italy and San Marino in December 2024 by US President Donald Trump who praised him as an accomplished businessman and philanthropist. Born in Galveston, Texas, to a family with Sicilian roots, he began working from a young age in the family’s seafood restaurant.

Before taking up the diplomatic post, Fertitta had already built a substantial business empire in the United States. As owner of Houston based Fertitta Entertainment and chairman and chief executive of Landry’s, his holdings include the Golden Nugget casinos, numerous restaurants including Mastro’s Steakhouse and Catch Steak, the Houston Rockets basketball team, luxury car dealerships and hotels.

One of his more recent hospitality ventures, the five diamond Post Oak Hotel in Uptown Houston, often ranked as the best hotel in Texas, served as an inspiration for the interior of the new Boardwalk, according to designer Amy Halffman. “We spent a lot of time walking through it. It’s so elegant and tasteful, and to me, just timeless,” she said.

Fertitta is considered part of Donald Trump’s inner circle, having provided financial backing during previous election campaigns, and previously appeared as the star of a CNBC business reality show. He has already staged similar celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of American independence aboard the yacht, both in Corfu and elsewhere in Italy in recent weeks.