At its irreverent best, this Houston Press article takes Landry’s CEO Tilman Fertitta and Houston mayor Bill White to task for the sweetheart deal that Mr. Fertitta cut in regard to his company’s downtown Houston Aquarium restaurant:

Houston city officials, apparently outraged at how they had fallen behind Galveston and Kemah in the heated race to service every little whim of restaurant-and-real-estate mogul Tilman Fertitta, took bold action a few years ago.
They gave Fertitta a sweetheart lease to the old downtown fire station and central waterworks plant — even in the year 2040, he’ll still be paying rent of only $12,500 a month for the prime location.
In its rush to bend over for Tilman, the city vacated the space even though it didn’t have a replacement site lined up for the fire station. Houston is currently paying more than $24,500 a month to lease an admittedly inadequate building on Milam.

All this allowed Fertitta in February 2003 to open the Aquarium restaurant, which features outrageously overpriced train rides, Ferris wheels and — he hopes — tigers. (Because nothing says “aquarium” like tigers.) Food is also served, apparently.

Apparently, other than paying below market rent to the City, one of the only requirements that Landry’s has under the deal with the City is to file an annual report explaining how the restaurant is doing and what the city is getting for its investment. But, according to the Press, there is one problem:

Fertitta can’t be bothered to do it.
The first report was due June 1, says Pete Radowick, spokesman for the city’s Convention and Entertainment Facilities. In the eight weeks since then, he says, the city has contacted Fertitta and asked if he would please file the thing. (For some reason, imagining this conversation brings to mind the Cowardly Lion approaching the great and powerful Wizard of Oz.)

The Press story even speculates as to the reason for the delay in the filing of the report:

Fertitta and his wife both gave $2,500 to Mayor Bill White this March; perhaps the paperwork involved in writing out those checks has delayed his filing the Aquarium report. Or maybe he’s just too busy with his tiger project.

Landry’s response to the Press’ inquiriies on the matter?:

Fertitta’s office, by the way, referred us to a PR agency that didn’t return phone calls.

Ouch!