Landry’s closes on purchase of Del Frisco’s; Benchmark lands Vail resort contract
Landry’s, the Houston-based restaurant, hospitality and gaming company owned by Tilman Fertitta, completed the purchase of Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse and Del Frisco’s Grille.
The previously announced transaction adds 16 Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse locations and 17 Del Frisco’s Grille locations to Landry’s portfolio of more than 600 restaurants across a variety of brands.
The high-end steakhouse brand was purchased from L Catterton, a private-equity firm, for an undisclosed price.
Founded in 1981, Del Frisco has expanded to major markets across America since opening in Louisville, Ky.
Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse has Texas locations in Houston, Dallas, Plano and Fort Worth.
Landry’s operates more than 60 brands including Landry’s Seafood, Chart House, Saltgrass Steak House, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Claim Jumper, Morton’s The Steakhouse, McCormick & Schmick’s, Mastro’s Restaurants, Rainforest Cafe, Mitchell’s Fish Market Restaurants, Dos Caminos and Bill’s Bar & Burger, among others.
Benchmark lands Vail contract
Benchmark, a global hospitality company based in Houston, has expanded its portfolio of mountain resorts with the addition of Manor Vail Lodge in Colorado.
Built as a condominium resort at the foot of Vail Mountain’s Golden Peak in 1965, the property is now a part of Benchmark’s Gemstone Collection. Amenities include a spa and fitness center, ski valet services and rentals, and a complimentary town shuttle.
Benchmark operates the lodge, which provides 100 guest accommodations ranging from studios to four-bedroom units.
Benchmark manages more than a dozen mountain resorts in nine states.
Other Rocky Mountain properties include the Garden of the Gods Resort and Club in Colorado Springs, Colo., and Tivoli Lodge in Vail.
600-unit W. Dallas project begins
Construction has started on a 600-unit apartment complex at the southwest corner of West Dallas and Dunlavy, the latest phase of Regent Square, a planned 24-acre development just south of Buffalo Bayou Park.
Boston-based GID Development Group said work is underway on the 8-acre site where the company will build a six-story apartment complex with 50,000 square feet of retail space.
GID made a splash in 2007 when it revealed a plan to demolish the multi-block Allen House apartment complex and build a mixed-use urban village of sorts called Regent Square that would include upscale housing units, shops and a boutique hotel.
Most of the apartments — which GID had owned for decades — were demolished, but the project stalled until a 21-story apartment tower was developed on a portion of the property at 3233 W. Dallas.
That building, called the Sovereign, was completed in 2014.
JLL is leasing the retail space planned at the site, but no tenants have been announced.
Women’s Chamber fund planned
The Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce and small business lender LiftFund are planning a revolving loan fund for female entrepreneurs.
PurePoint Financial, a division of MUFG Union Bank, has contributed a seed grant of $10,000 for the fund to lend to women-owned small businesses.
As the money is lent and repaid, the initial $10,000 will revolve to help more womenowned businesses.
The effort is aimed at reducing challenges women face when accessing capital.
According to the National Women’s Business Council, 5.5 percent of women-owned businesses in the U.S. access capital from banks or other financial institutions compared to 11.4 percent of male-owned companies.