All roads lead to Rome

Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta nominated as ambassador to Italy

Tilman Fertitta Shut Up and Listen book laughing

Tilman Fertitta will be the next U.S. ambassador to Italy.

Photo by J. Thomas Ford

Houston billionaire and Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta has been nominated to serve as the United States ambassador to Italy, according to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.

On Saturday, Trump sent the following statement via Truth Social Post:

I am pleased to announce that Tilman J. Fertitta has been nominated to serve as the United States Ambassador to Italy. Tilman is an accomplished businessman, who has founded and built one of our Country's premier entertainment and real estate companies, employing approximately 50,000 Americans. Tilman has a long history of giving back to the community through numerous philanthropic initiatives, which include children's charities, Law Enforcement, and the medical community. Additionally, Tilman is the longest serving Chairman of the Board of Regents for the University of Houston. He also owns the Houston Rockets Basketball Team. Congratulations to Tilman, and his remarkable family!

Fertitta, 67, also is the chairman, CEO, and president of Landry's Inc. and the chairman of the University of Houston's board of regents.

"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.

---

Read the full story on CultureMap's news partner, ABC13.com.

tilman fertitta politics

This Week's Hot Headlines

Historic Houston hotel unveils major makeover and more top stories

Historic Houston hotel glows after top to bottom renovations

Sam Houston Hotel is refreshed and ready for guests.

Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top Houston news of the week, featuring a downtown hotel's major glow-up and a toast to our Tastemaker Awards nominees. Read on for more of the week's top stories, then find the best things to do this weekend right here.

1. Historic Houston hotel glows after top to bottom renovations. As downtown Houston street construction smothers locals ahead of the FIFA World Cup, a Lamar High School alum has quietly restored a Federalist-style landmark hotel to its former glory.

2. Houston's 10 best bars of 2026 power a diverse drinking scene. It’s been a brilliant year for Houston’s bar scene, and the 10 contenders for the CultureMap Tastemaker Awards Bar of the Year category are all heavyweights in their own right.

3. The 11 best restaurants of 2026 showcase Houston's world-class status. The time has come for our final categories leading up to the annual Tastemaker Awards. Meet the 11 nominees for Restaurant of the Year.

Credence food spread Credence is a ranch-inspired live fire restaurant. Courtesy of Credence

4. Texas sees 5th highest surge in gas prices in the U.S. since 2025. Houston residents who are feeling the sting at the gas pump aren't alone: Residents all around Texas are seeing soaring prices for regular and diesel fuel in 2026.

5. Texas' 2 national parks boast best scenery in the U.S., per report. Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Big Bend National Park out in far west Texas offer the best views of the American wilderness in 2026, according to a new national list.