Longtime casino industry veteran Scott Butera, who will resign as CEO of Foxwoods Resort Casino October 31, is migrating to an all-new line of business: arena football. The onetime Trump Entertainment executive has been named commissioner of the Arena Football League, or AFL.
According to the Hartford Courant, in 2013 Butera cut $2.2 billion of Foxwood’s outstanding debt to $1.7 billion and increased staff at the casino by almost 14 percent in one year. He joined Foxwoods in 2010, and stay on with the tribal gaming authority as a senior advisor.
Over the years Butera has earned a reputation as a corporate fixer. He helped lead Trump Entertainment Resorts out of bankruptcy, and served as CEO of Trump Hotels & Casino for a time.
The AFL offer “was somewhat unexpected, something I’m passionate about,” Butera said. “It’s one of those things where it I don’t pursue it now, I never will.” He said he believes he’s leaving Foxwoods in better shape, and in good hands.
“Foxwoods now has a strong executive team and a solid plan that I believe will result in great success in the near future,” Butera said.
