Texans Part-Owner Fertitta Relinquishes Shares Of Team

Landry's Restaurants Chair, President & CEO Tilman Fertitta Friday officially relinquished his part-ownership of the Texans as a result of his '05 purchase of the Golden Nugget Casino in Las Vegas, which put him "in violation of an NFL rule barring NFL owners from having a business that involves gambling," according to Megan Manfull of the HOUSTON CHRONICLE. The team's current ownership group bought Fertitta's shares, and the amount and purchase price were not disclosed. Texans Owner Bob McNair: "The concern is that if one of our owners has interest in a casino then there might be some conflict of interest along the way." Fertitta: "We got through [former NFL Commissioner] Paul Tagliabue, but there's a new NFL commissioner (Roger Goodell) and it was something they just wanted to get worked out." Manfull noted Fertitta was "part of the original investor group formed by McNair in July 2001" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 5/17).