Fertitta bought the Rockets from previous owner Leslie Alexander for $2.2 billion.
Following approval from the NBA’s board of governors, the Houston Rockets will belong to restaurant and casino billionaire Tilman Fertitta, who agreed to buy the team from previous owner Leslie Alexander for $2.2 billion — calling it a “life-long dream come true.”
Just who is Fertitta? Here’s a look:
► For starters, Fertitta is a native Texan. Now living in Houston, he hails from Galveston, and is often seen sitting courtside at Rockets games.
► In March of 2016, Fertitta became the star of the reality show, Billion Dollar Buyer, on CNBC.
► Fertitta is the owner of restaurant corporation Landry’s, Inc. His restaurant portfolio includes: Morton’s The Steakhouse, Rainforest Cafe, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks, Saltgrass Steak House, Claim Jumper, Chart House, The Oceanaire, Mastro’s Restaurants, Grotto Restaurants, and Vic & Anthony’s Steakhouse. He also owns Golden Nugget Casinos and Hotels.
► With a net worth of approximately $2.7 billion, Fertitta was ranked No. 246 on Forbes’ 400 list of wealthiest Americans in 2016.
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► Fertitta was an original investor in the Houston Texans, where he served as partner until 2008.
► Fertitta offered to buy the Rockets for $81 million in 1993, according to ESPN, but the team was sold to Alexander for $85 million. Fertitta called Alexander one of the best owners around and said he has the “heart of a champion.”
► Fertitta bought the naming rights to the Crawford Boxes seating section of the Houston Astros’ Minute Maid Park in 2003, turning them into “Landry’s Crawford Boxes.”
► Fertitta is chairman of the Board of Regents of the University of Houston System.
► In 2004, Fertitta became the second-youngest person to ever be inducted into the Texas Business Hall of Fame.
