By Anshuman Tripathy Hospitality billionaire Tilman Fertitta's firm will buy Caesars Entertainment in a $17.6 billion deal, the companies said on Thursday, expanding his leisure empire. The deal, which will take one of the Las Vegas Strip's most prized casino operators private, includes about $11.9 billion in assumed debt, the companies said. Shares of the casino operator were up 1.6% in morning trading and have gained about 16% since the deal was first reported in February.