“We will take this property and totally transform it.

“We saw this as a great opportunity,” said Fertitta, who discussed the transaction with the control board remotely from his Houston office. Tilman Fertitta, whose Houston-based privately held Fertitta Entertainment operates six Golden Nugget casinos in downtown Las Vegas, Laughlin, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi and Atlantic City, told gaming regulators that he always liked the Tahoe market.

The Gaming Control Board took less than 10 minutes Wednesday to recommend approval of the ownership change for the 539-room hotel-casino, the first casino visitors see along Highway 50 as they enter Stateline heading toward California. The transformation of Hard Rock Lake Tahoe into a Golden Nugget resort could be completed before the leaves change color in the fall.