A restaurant owned by family members of former Rockets star center Yao Ming has been shut out of the space it leases from the Houston Pavilions — for nonpayment of rent, according to a sign posted on the door by Midway Management. Yao Restaurant and Bar opened in the space near the corner of Dallas and Fannin — a few blocks from the Rockets’ home court at the Toyota Center — more than 2 years ago. A story in the NY Daily News earlier this year had owner Bill Wang saying business had been good since Ming’s retirement from the Rockets in 2011, but also giving a shout out to the Rockets’ latest star: “We want this place to be the home restaurant of Jeremy Lin.†A group headlined by former LA Lakers point guard Magic Johnson bought the 3-block Houston Pavilions complex out of bankruptcy earlier this year.
- Yao’s Locked Out Of Houston Pavillions [Eater Houston]
- At Yao’s place, Linsanity already on menu [NY Daily News]
- New owners hope to bring new life to Houston Pavilions [Houston Chronicle]
- Previously on Swamplot: CityCentre Owner Buying Houston Pavilions
Photo: Wolfgang Houston
Lol, that’s pretty funny. But seriously Yao family (ifnthisnis true), pay your damn rent.
Chron.com says Yao doesn’t own this restaurant … he loaned his name to the owners. Are the owners his family members or somebody else? Has anybody ever been there? Take a deep breath, the sun will still rise tomorrow.
I hear Magic has taken possession so he can turn it into a male strip club and call it, “Magic Johnson.”
Nothing is going to make it downtown except a soup kitchen
Good luck on that one-the owners should have seen that coming—can you say lawsuit?