Scott Butera


Scott C. Butera is an American businessman, prominent entertainment and hospitality executive who is best known for being the C.E.O. at various casinos in the United States. He was the commissioner of the Arena Football League from September 2014 to March 2018.

Profile

Butera played football at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, where he graduated with a bachelor of arts degree and recently served as a member of the Board of Fellows, he currently serves on the Board of Trustees. He later earned his Master of Business Administration degree at New York University's Leonard N. Stern School of Business. His financial background includes 20 years as an investment banker at UBS Investment Bank, Credit Suisse First Boston, Smith Barney and Bear Stearns & Co. where he concentrated his efforts on analysis and client service for companies in the real estate, lodging, gaming and leisure industries. His resume includes being former president, C.E.O. and executive vice president at Trump Entertainment Resorts, Cosmopolitan Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, C.E.O. at Tropicana Entertainment and C.E.O. at Foxwoods Resort Casino. At Tropicana, he engineered the casino's emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
In September 2014, Butera was named the seventh commissioner of the Arena Football League, replacing Jerry Kurz, who took the role of president of the league. It was Butera's first involvement in the management of a sports league. His initial focus was on increasing consumer awareness of the AFL brand so that it could grow revenues through strategic partnerships and sponsor programs; he was to work closely with Kurz on football operations to maximize opportunities to integrate spectator experiences. Butera would be replaced as commissioner of the AFL in March 2018 after a severe period of league contraction during which the league declined from 14 teams to four.
As of 2019, Butera is the director of interactive gaming at MGM Resorts International. He had remained indirectly involved with professional football through a partnership with the Alliance of American Football; when the AAF collapsed during its only season, MGM Resorts retained ownership of its gambling-oriented cell phone app.

Personal life

Butera and his wife, Denise Butera, have three children and live in Southern Highlands, Las Vegas, Nevada.
In 2016, Butera joined the Trinity College Board of Trustees. Two of his children, Allison and Christopher currently study at his alma mater.