Gambler ‘Mattress Mack,’ Golden Nugget owner Tilman Fertitta among business leaders advising Texas governor on reopening Grace White, KHOU-11 Houston · April 20, 2020 at 6:51 am Texas could soon be open for business. On Friday, Governor Greg Abbott announced a phased approach to restart our economy. “The governor called me Sunday and asked me to be on the task force, and I was honored to do it,” said Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, owner of Gallery Furniture, who became a national sensation through his millions of dollars in wagers on the Houston Astros in the World Series last year. It’s a tough job the Houston talent will tackle. “The thing we need most is customers, but the priority is safety of course,” he said. McIngvale told KHOU 11 he supports wearing masks, enforcing social distancing in retail stores and taking employee temperatures before the start of every shift. There was a noticeably optimistic tone coming from the governor as he outlined a plan. “The worst of COVID-19 may soon be behind us,” Abbott said.
