Rockets owner on bringing NHL team to Houston: 'I'm working on it'

On Wednesday, Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta said that he's "working" on bringing an NHL team to Houston, and possibly a WNBA franchise to the city, too.

In an interview on CNBC's "Power Lunch" show, the billionaire businessman revealed that he's actively pursuing his dream of bringing an NHL team to the Texan city.

"We would like to work to get an NHL team in Houston — I'm working on it," Fertitta said.

The 66-year-old was also asked about the rise and success of women's basketball in the wake of the NCAA tournaments, where the women's championship game outdrew the men on television for the first time. In response, Fertitta shared that bringing a WNBA team to Houston isn't out of the question.

"There can be a lot of growth in years to come... I would consider, definitely, with the growth of women's sports to talk about a WNBA team in Houston," he said.

Houston has not had a WNBA team since the Comets folded in 2008.

This isn't the first time that Fertitta has stated his interest in bringing additional sports teams to the fourth-largest city in the United States.

In February, he told Bloomberg that "we are talking to the NHL, but it’s got to be good for both of us," which referenced the economic boost an NHL team could bring to the downtown core.

In October 2017, when Fertitta was announced as the Rockets' new owner, he said that he "would put an NHL team here tomorrow" if he could.

"...I want to see Toyota Center filled up 300 nights a year, definitely. So we’ll do whatever we can do, but whatever we do is going to make sense. Will we be aggressive? Yes. That’s my nature.”

However, when it comes to getting a new team, no matter the sport, it's easier said than done.

In the current hockey landscape, an expansion franchise or a relocated team could be a possible route for Fertitta.

For example, the NHL and the Arizona Coyotes have made progress regarding a move to Utah, multiple sources confirmed Wednesday.