Houston Billionaire Tries New Career As Reality TV Star
For billionaire Tilman Fertitta being CEO of Landry’s and a real estate mogul just isn’t quite enough. He’s reaching for the real glory: life as a reality TV star.
Tilman, who broke ground on his ultra-mixed-use building in April 2015 and poured the first concrete in November is set to appear in his new series, Billion Dollar Buyer, on CNBC, premiering March 22 at 9pm CST.
The show will introduce small businesses to Tilman, giving young startups the chance of a lifetime, according to Culturemap. The new startups will be potential vendors to his existing companies: food and drink firms for his restaurants and casinos, linens and spa products for his hotels, and so on. Tilman will visit two businesses per episode, sampling the offerings and evaluating their compatibility with Landry’s.
Fertitta spends about $2B per year on vendors, so the potential for a life-changing buy from the entrepreneur is enormous. He's currently in New York filming episodes. [CM]
