HOUSTON — Houston Rockets owner and Landry’s CEO. Tilman Fertitta has been tapped to be the next ambassador to Italy.
President-elect Donald Trump announced the nomination on Truth Social Saturday.
Fertitta owns the Houston Rockets and is CEO of Landry’s, Inc., the restaurant group that owns brands like Morton’s The Steakhouse, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., and the Kemah Boardwalk.
In his post, Trump called Feritta an “accomplished businessman” who has a “long history of giving back to the community through numerous philanthropic initiatives.”
Trump praised Fertitta for having given back to children’s charities, law enforcement and the medical community.
“Congratulations to Tilman, and his remarkable family,” Trump said in the post.
“It is an honor to be nominated to serve my country as ambassador to Italy and I look forward to the process ahead. Italy is such an extraordinary country with its wonderful people, culture and history and its strategic importance to The United States of America,” Fertitta said in a statement to KHOU 11 News.
Fertitta, 67, was born in Galveston and attended Texas Tech and the University of Houston.
He was on reality TV’s “Billion Dollar Buyer” on CNBC.
Fertitta was a Houston Texans investor until NFL rules forbade staff members from being associated with gambling. Fertitta sold his shares in the Texans to maintain his investment in the Golden Nugget casino chain.
He bought the Rockets for $2.2 billion in 2017 after reportedly outbidding Beyoncé.
Fertitta took the title “wealthiest person in Houston” in 2024, according to Forbes.
Fertitta and Trump
Fertitta purchased Trump’s Atlantic City hotel and renamed it in 2011.
According to Forbes, he contributed $140,000 to Trump’s 2020 campaign. He also donated $5,600 to President Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign.
Fertitta attended a private fundraiser for Trump in October, ahead of the November election. He was also present for the Space X rocket launch in South Texas with Trump and Space X CEO Elon Musk.