Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, who also owns the Landry’s restaurant group and Golden Nugget casino chain, is joining the newly created special advisory council of Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
The council consists of 39 business leaders across various industries, who will work with several health officials on the Strike Force to Open Texas. The strike force is a team of medical experts and private and public leaders who will advise Abbott on safely and strategically reopening Texas amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Here’s how the governor’s official press release describes the role of Fertitta and the special advisory council:
These health experts will develop a medical architecture to comprehensively test and trace COVID-19 that will enable Texans to gradually and safely begin the process of returning to work and other activities.
The medical team will work alongside a Special Advisory Council who will share innovative ideas to help businesses strategically reopen while containing the spread of COVID-19. The council consists of 39 business leaders representing the state’s regions and industries. The advisory council will collaborate with working groups to devise strategies, statewide standards, and appropriate time frames to reopen.
The strike force will immediately begin providing input on potential additional openings of activities and services in Texas consistent with guidelines provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Governor will announce a revised plan on April 27 for the state based on these initial recommendations.
Within the orders, the Governor's Strike Force to Open Texas was established.
This team of nationally recognized medical experts and private and public leaders will provide guidance to safely and strategically Open Texas. @GSF_OpenTexas #COVID19https://t.co/xunPDOiwFN pic.twitter.com/e9xTSE2NNZ
— Gov. Greg Abbott (@GovAbbott) April 17, 2020
The full list of members is available via the press release. Last week, Fertitta — who has furloughed ~45,000 workers at his non-Rockets businesses — said he viewed reopening in May as a priority.
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The Rockets are currently projected to have the NBA’s No. 6 payroll for the 2020-21 season at over $130 million in total salary. While Fertitta has not warned of any financial consequences for the basketball franchise due to the pandemic, it’s a storyline worth monitoring if his other businesses are not allowed to reopen in a timely manner.
Though all NBA owners are feeling at least some financial effects due to the pandemic, Fertitta appears to be disproportionately impacted given the nature of his businesses (entertainment, restaurants, and hospitality).
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