* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [Press Conference: "2022 Shell Freedom Over Texas Announcement"] [00:00:17] GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US FOR THIS EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT. YOU KNOW, I AM READY, UH, WE ARE READY TO INVITE ALL OF HOUSTON, UH, TO OUR JULY 4TH, UH, CELEBRATION IN PERSON. THAT'LL BE A LOT OF FUN. UH, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A LONG COUPLE YEARS, BUT I'M GONNA TELL YOU, I EVERY YEAR AS WE'RE, AS WE PLAN FOR THIS EVENT EVERY YEAR, UH, WE ARE EXCITED, UH, BECAUSE IT IS OUR LARGEST SIGNATURE EVENT. BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS ANYONE MORE EXCITED THAN ME EXCEPT THIS ONE PERSON, THIS ONE PERSON, BECAUSE EVERY TIME HE LOOKS AT ME, 365 DAYS OF THE YEAR, I HAVE TO HEAR, AND I'M, I'M, I REJOICE IN HEARING IT, BUT I HAVE TO HEAR, HOW'S IT GONNA BE BIGGER? OKAY. HOW BETTER, BIGGER, BETTER, BIGGER, BETTER. WELL, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, FOLKS. WE'RE GLAD TO BE BACK, AND THE MAYOR IS GLAD TO ANNOUNCE THIS, UH, EVENT SHE FREEDOM OVER TEXAS. PLEASE WELCOME MY BOSS, THE BIGGEST CHEERLEADER FOR CIVIC CELEBRATION IN HOUSTON, MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER. NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN BE SUSAN. I KNOW SHE GETS EXCITED, BUT LOOK, LET ME JUST SAY GOOD MORNING TO ALL OF YOU WHO ARE PRESENT TODAY. THANK YOU ALL. COUNCIL MEMBER COUNTY SHABAZZ OF DISTRICT D UH, IS PRESENT WITH ME THIS MORNING. AND, AND LOOK, LEMME JUST START OFF BY SAYING, OH, AND MAYOR PROTE, DAVE MARTIN IS HERE, YOU KNOW, SO COME ON, COME ON, COME ON. JOIN US. AND COUNCILMAN MEMBER, IT MUST BE BIG. THEY'RE ALL COMING HERE, YOU KNOW, BUT LIKE, LEMME JUST SAY AFTER 2020 WHEN WE DIDN'T, UM, WHEN WE STOOD DOWN ON FREEDOM OF TEXAS AND IN 2021, WELL, WE STOOD DOWN, IT WAS VIRTUAL, IT REIMAGINED IT, AND IN 2021 IT WAS STILL REIMAGINED SCALED DOWN. UH, BUT IN 2022, UH, IT'S THE FOOT TO THE THROTTLE . AND SO WE ARE, WE ARE RARING TO GO. SO, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, UH, TODAY AFTER A TWO YEAR HIATUS. YOU KNOW, I'M EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE ARE RETURNING TO AN IN-PERSON EVENT ON JULY THE FOURTH. UH, QUITE FRANKLY, THERE, THERE ARE NO, UH, UH, LIMITATIONS IN TERMS OF PEOPLE. UM, IT, IT HAS COME AND ENJOY, UH, AND, AND, UH, AND HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME, UH, SHELL FREEDOM OVER TEXAS. AND I CAN'T SAY, UH, SHELL ENOUGH, UH, BECAUSE THEY HAVE JUST BEEN A TERRIFIC PARTNER. THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH. UM, UH, SO SHELL FREEDOM OVER TEXAS WILL ONCE AGAIN BE A LIVE TELEVISED AND STREAMED EVENT ON A B, C 13 WITH INCREDIBLE ENTERTAINERS AND A SPECTACULAR FIREWORKS DISPLAY. NOW COME AND ENJOY YOUR FIREWORKS AT FREEDOM BOWL, TEXAS, BUT NO FIREWORKS NOW IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS. OKAY, LET ME JUST, LET ME UNDERSCORE THAT. SO, WHETHER YOU JOIN US IN PERSON OR, OR ON THE LIVE BROADCAST OR DIGITAL PLATFORM, WE LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING AMERICA'S BIRTHDAY, UH, WITH YOU. WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDE A PATRIOTIC PROGRAM, UH, THAT IS REFLECTIVE OF THE DIVERSITY AND THE STRENGTH OF OUR CITY, AND ONE THAT CELEBRATES THE IDEAS OF OUR FOUNDING FARMERS. AND QUITE FRANKLY, AFTER THIS WEEKEND WITH ALL THE MEMORIAL DAY EVENTS, UH, THIS JUST FITTING THAT WE REALLY HAVE A FANTASTIC FREEDOM OVER TEXAS, UH, CELEBRATION, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BRING FORTH A CONCERT AND LIVE FIREWORKS DISPLAY WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF OUR SPONSORS. AND I'M EXCITED TO WELCOME BACK SHELL, USA INC. AS, UH, OUR TITLE SPONSOR OF FREE MOBILE TEXAS. PLEASE GIVE IT UP TO SHELL. SHELL IS A SPONSOR THAT INVESTS IN STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITY, AND I'M PROUD, VERY PROUD TO WORK WITH THEM. IN FACT, LEMME JUST SAY WE WORKED WITH SHELL ON MULTIPLE EVENTS, UH, WHETHER WE ARE TALKING ABOUT RESILIENCE, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FEMALE OVER TEXAS, UH, UH, SHELL HAS BEEN THERE. SO VERY, VERY PROUD. JAMES. I WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO HOUSTON AND TO THIS EVENT. AND WITHOUT YOUR SPONSORSHIP, UH, THIS EVENT LITERALLY WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE, SO THANK YOU. I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT, UH, THE LONG LONGTIME PARTNER WALMART RETURNS AS THE SPONSOR OF THE WALMART, ALL AMERICA, ALL AMERICAN KID ZONE, GIVEN UP TO WALMART. THIS IMMENSELY POPULAR AREA WILL HAVE THE KIDS SCREAMING ALONG WITH SOME ADULTS, UH, WITH LAUGHTER AND THE PARENTS SCREAMING TO LEAVE. UM, [00:05:01] AND THEN ORIENTA. UH, THANK YOU IVAN AND THE ENTIRE TEAM FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THIS EVENT AND FOR ALL YOU DO, UH, FOR THE FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITIES AS THE UNOFFICIAL SOFT DRINK OF TEXAS, DR. PEPPER IS RETURNING TO THE DR. PEPPER COONE. GIVE IT UP TO DR. PEPPER. THEY GOT THOSE COOL LITTLE BOTTLES. WHERE'S THAT BOTTLE? BUT I HAD IT. OH YEAH. YOU KNOW, THIS IS, I'M PUT THIS ON MY SHELF . UH, BUT, UH, THIS IS COOL. THIS IS, THIS IS, THIS IS NICE . WELL, ANYWAY, THERE IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE JUST A COMMERCIAL FOR DR. PEPPER, BUT, BUT YEAH, LEMME GET BACK TO THE SCRIPT. OKAY. AS THE UNOFFICIAL SOFT DRINK OF TEXAS DR. PEPPERS RETURNING TO THE DR. PEPPER, UH, COOL ZONE SAMPLES OF THEIR DELICIOUS, REFRESHING SUMMER DRINKS WILL BE ON DISPLAY AND THE MUSICAL STAGE IS FILLED WITH ENTERTAINMENT FROM LOCAL AND REGIONAL PERFORMERS. UH, NATHAN, LET ME THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND FOR BRINGING US THE NEWEST DR. PEPPER OFFERINGS. AND THERE ARE MANY THAT ARE ON THE TABLE OVER THERE. OUR FRIENDS AT BUD, LIKE SOUTHER AND CIVIL EAGLE DISTRIBUTORS HOUSTON, HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS EVENT SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING, 35 YEARS AGO. PLEASE GIVE IT UP TO BUD LIGHT, SEL AND S THE BUD LIGHT. SEL SUMMER SIZZLE WILL BE AN AREA TO, UH, TO SIT BACK, RELAX, AND ENJOY THE SHOW WITH PRIME VIEWS OF THE MAIN STAGE AND FIREWORKS FINALE, UH, ELKIN, THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM AT CIVIL EAGLE DISTRIBUTORS HOUSTON, FOR ALL THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE, UH, IN THIS COMMUNITY AND WITH THIS CITY OVER THE LAST 35 YEARS. REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND HAVE A BUD LIGHT ON ME. OKAY. UH, THIS YEAR WE WILL MARK THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF NASA JOHNSON SPACE CENTER'S PRESENCE IN HOUSTON, AND WE WILL BRING IN EXCLUSIVE SPACE CITY EXPERIENCE TO SHELL FREEDOM OVER TEXAS. THE SATORY AREA WILL FEATURE THE HISTORY AND UPCOMING, UH, A TEMAS MISSION TO THE MOON AND BEYOND. AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT GIANT LEAP, WHICH STARTS RIGHT HERE IN SPACE CITY. AND SPEAKING OF LEAPS, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME OUR TITLE SPONSOR, MR. JAMES COWAN, US HEAD OF LEGAL SHELL, USA INCORPORATED. PLEASE GIVE A WARM WELCOME TO JAMES KIWAN. WELL, THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. AND, UM, GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY AT SHELL, WE ARE TERRIFICALLY PROUD TO RE TO RETURN AS THE TITLES SPONSOR FOR SHELL FREEDOM OVER TEXAS TO HONOR THE CITY THAT WE LOVE. AND TO CELEBRATE JULY 4TH WITH THE CITY AND OUR COMMUNITY. NEARLY 250 YEARS AGO, A PEOPLE, A GROUP OF PEOPLE CAME TOGETHER TO OFFICIALLY VOW TO CREATE A BETTER PLACE. A PLACE WHERE, WHERE PEOPLE COULD BE SAFE AND BE HEARD. AND TODAY WE CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO FIND BETTER WAYS TO ENSURE THAT WE AS A PEOPLE AND A COMMUNITY CAN BE MORE INCLUSIVE AND RESPECTFUL OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND OF NATURE. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON CAN COUNT ON SHELL, YOU CAN COUNT ON US TO SHOW UP, TO SPEAK UP, TO GET INVOLVED, AND TO LEAD IN CHALLENGING TIMES AND IN TIMES OF CELEBRATION. AND JUST AS WE AT SHELL COUNT ON HOUSTON TO BE THE HOME FOR OUR US HEADQUARTERS. AND FOR OVER 10,000 OF OUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES WHO LIVE AND WORK HERE, WE HAVE BOTH A PROFESSIONAL AND A PERSONAL STAKE IN THE CITY'S FUTURE. WE ARE COMMITTED TO HOUSTON AND WE SHOW OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THE PROGRAMS AND IN INITIATIVES WE SUPPORT AND RECOGNIZE THAT TOGETHER WE CAN CREATE A COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS EACH OTHER AND PROMOTES CARE FOR EACH OTHER ALONG WITH EQUAL ACCESS TO ENERGY EDUCATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT. THIS YEAR'S EVENT REMINDS US HOW INCREDIBLY SPECIAL IT IS TO COME TOGETHER IN PERSON TO ENJOY LIVE MUSIC, FOOD, AND FUN WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY. NOW FINALLY, TO HELP US CELEBRATE THAT PROGRESS, I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE HEADLINER AND SPECIAL GUEST TALENT FOR OUR 2022 SHELL FREEDOM OVER TEXAS FESTIVAL. THIS YEAR'S HEADLINER IS OUR OWN HOMETOWN FAVORITE COUNTRY SINGER AND SONGWRITER. CLAY WALKER IS RECENTLY RELEASED, TEXAS TO TENNESSEE BRINGS HIS TEXAS ROOTS FRONT AND CENTER WITH SOME OF THE TRACKS RECORDED OVER IN GALVESTON. SO LET'S LISTEN TO A PREVIEW OF WHAT WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING, UH, LATER THIS SUMMER. [00:10:23] ALRIGHT, NOW ALSO OPENING ON THE MAIN STAGE WILL BE STEPH RIGHTO AND THE ZYDECO OUTLAWS. MR. RIDEAU IS A HOUSTONIAN RAISED IN LEBO, LOUISIANA. HE IS RECOGNIZED AS A MASTER OF THE ACCORDION AND IS BELOVED FOR HIS SOULFUL PERFORMANCES IN BOTH CREOLE, FRENCH AND IN ENGLISH. ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT. ALSO, WE'VE GOT WALKER COUNTY WHO ARE GOING TO SHOWCASE THEIR FAMILY TRADITION, SISTER DUO WITH BLOOD THICK HARMONIES AND SOLID MUSICAL TECHNIQUE. THEY WERE BORN AND RAISED IN SULFUR SPRINGS, INDIANA. THE SISTER'S IVY DEAN IS ON LEGAL LEAD VOCALS AND SOPHIE DAWN ON PERCUSSION AND HARMONY. WE ALSO HAVE SPECIAL GUESTS FOR THE EVENING. WHO ARE SAWYER BROWN AND BLANCO BROWN? NOT RELATED. SAWYER BROWN IS AN AMERICAN COUNTRY MUSIC BAND, FOUNDED IN 1981 IN APOPKA, FLORIDA, AFTER COMPETING ON THE, UH, TELEVISION COMPETITION SERIES, STAR SEARCH AND WINNING THAT SHOW'S GRAND PRIZE, THEY SIGNED WITH CAPITAL RECORDS IN 1984. THEY HAVE RELEASED 18 STUDIO ALBUMS AND HAVE CHARTED OVER 50 TIMES ON THE HOT COUNTRY SONGS CHARTS, INCLUDING THREE NUMBER ONE SINGLES. AND BLANCO BROWN IS, UM, AN AMERICAN RAPPER, SINGER, SONGWRITER AND RECORD PRODUCER WHO HAS PRODUCED FOR CHRIS BROWN AND FOR PIT BULL. UH, HIS, UH, DEBUT SINGLE, THE GET UP WAS RELEASED IN APRIL, 2019 AND DEBUTED, DEBUTED ON THE BILLBOARD CHARTS, APPEARING AT NUMBER 41 ON EMERGING ARTISTS. THE GET UP LATER TOPPED AT THE, UM, TOPPED THE HOT COUNTRY SONGS CHART AND REACHED TOP 20 OF THE BILLBOARD HOT 100. AND WE GO TO THE VIDEO ON THAT AS WELL TO SEE, UH, NO VIDEO. OH, SORRY, MY NOTES WERE WRONG. SO ANYWAY, WHAT I THINK YOU CAN TELL FROM LISTENING TO ALL OF THAT IS WE ARE IN FOR A REAL TREAT IN HOUSTON ON THE 4TH OF JULY. I'M SURE YOU ARE. YOU, YOU ARE, YOU'RE EXCITED TO BE THERE JUST LIKE I AM. I'LL BE THERE WITH MY FAMILY. I HOPE YOU'LL BRING YOURS AND COME OUT AND ENJOY THIS CELEBRATION. WE AT, SHE ARE DELIGHTED TO BE A PART OF YOUR FOURTH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JIM. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU, IF, UH, IF YOU'VE SEEN THESE, UH, PERFORMERS, I THINK YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN A NUMBER OF THEM. UH, CLAY WALKER, UH, SAWYER BROWN, BLANCO BROWN, UH, THOSE ARE VERY HIGH ENERGY, UH, CELEBRATORY BANDS. I MEAN, THEY WILL KEEP YOU DANCING. THEY WILL KEEP YOU SWAYING. AND, UH, SO WE'RE GOING, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A GREAT, WE, UH, FOURTH, BUT THE ENERGY LEVEL WILL BE BROUGHT. MAYOR, I CAN GUARANTEE YOU, WITH THESE BANDS, THEY'RE FUN, THEY'RE PERSONABLE, THEY DRAW YOU INTO THEIR PERFORMANCE, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE A GREAT TIME. AND BESIDES THAT, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO LEARN BLANCO'S DANCE. AND WE'VE ALREADY WORKED THAT OUT. I'M PART, I'M SORRY, IT WAS PART OF THE YOU AND THINNER AND SLINKER AND PENA. Y'ALL ARE ALL GONNA BE DANCING WITH HIM. I'M TELLING YOU, IT WAS PART OF THE DEAL. GUYS CAN'T HELP IT. YOU KNOW, WHAT WE DO FOR THE CITY? THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. AND ALSO, UH, THE WALKER COUNTY DUO, THEY ARE AN UP AND COMING. I MEAN, KNOCK IT OUT OF THE BALLPARK. UH, UH, UH, SISTER DUET, UH, THAT, UH, ACTUALLY HAS AN EXTENDED BAND. I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY'RE CALLED DUO, BUT THOSE TWO ARE THE UPFRONT SINGERS AND, UH, THEY ARE MAKING THEIR MARK, UH, ON COUNTRY MUSIC. AND YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH ZYDECO AND WITH STEP WOO, LET ME TELL YOU. THERE YOU GO. YEAH. LET ME TELL YOU, HE IS HOT. HE IS FUN. AND SO WE WILL START THAT STAGE OFF, UH, WITH INCREDIBLE ENERGY. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. AND I HOPE YOU ARE TOO. SPEAKING OF ENERGY, IF, UH, IF ADULT, UH, IF YOU, IF YOU BRING A, A BUNCH OF KIDS AND, AND YOU CAN'T STAY IN THE ADULT ZONES, UH, ALL THE TIME AND YOU'RE GONNA BE DRAWN TO, TO THE KIDS ZONE, WELL, LET ME JUST TELL YOU, WALMART BRINGS IT ON AND THE MAYOR IS RIGHT. THE KIDS ARE CRYING TO STAY AND THE PARENTS ARE CRYING, SCREAMING TO, CAN WE JUST GO SEE THE REST OF THE SITE? YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT NASA OVER HERE, LET'S JUST GO SUB DO SOMETHING ELSE. BUT EVERY YEAR. AND THE MAYOR KNOWS THIS BECAUSE IT'S HARD FOR HIM TO GET OUT, UH, OF THE, OF THE WALMART ALL AMERICAN KID ZONE BECAUSE EVERYBODY WANTS TO TAKE THEIR PICTURE WITH HIM. UH, AND WE'RE ALSO BRINGING BACK THOSE BAY BLADE COMPETITIONS, MAYOR. SO I'M SO SORRY FOR YOU. YOU MIGHT GET TO SEE, YOU KNOW, SOME [00:15:01] OF THE GUYS ON THE, UH, UH, ON THE MAIN STAGE. BUT, UH, WALMART, ALL AMERICAN KID ZONE. UH, WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE TO TELL YOU ALL ABOUT THAT ZONE. BUT IT'S AMAZING, UH, THE, UH, FAMILIES REALLY LOOK FOR THIS ZONE AS THEY ENTER THE GATES BECAUSE THEIR KIDS REMEMBER IT FROM YEAR TO YEAR. AND, UH, MIGHT I ADD, EVERYTHING IS FREE. ONCE YOU GET IN. EVERYTHING IS FREE, UH, FOR ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU PLAY. THE ONLY THING YOU, YOU ARE, UH, TO PURCHASE ARE YOUR TICKETS OR YOUR, UM, UH, OR YOUR DRINKS AND, UH, AND, UH, FOOD ITEMS. BUT ALL OF THE ENTERTAINMENT FREE. SO HERE TO TELL YOU ABOUT WALMART, ALL AMERICAN KID ZONE IS ARIANA FANTASIA RODRIGUEZ, STORE MANAGER FOR WALMART. UH, GOOD MORNING. UM, AND ORA FANIA. I'VE BEEN WITH THE COMPANY FOR EIGHT AND A HALF YEARS. I'M CURRENTLY THE STORE MANAGER IN OUR RICHMOND STORE. SO I WANNA GIVE A PICTURE OUT TO ALL THE AMAZING ASSOCIATES AND CUSTOMER. IT'S AN HONOR TO SERVE YOU EVERY SINGLE DAY ON BEHALF OF WALMART, WE'RE EXCITED TO AGAIN, PARTNER WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND MAYOR TURNER FOR THE 2022 FREEDOM OVER TEXAS EVENT. WE'RE APPRECIATE MAJOR STERNER SERVICE TO OUR CITY AT WALMART. GIVING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITIES IS PART OF OUR CULTURE, AND WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT THIS EVENT THIS YEAR. WALMART IS ONCE AGAIN, A SPONSORING ALL AMERICAN KIDS ZONE, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE EVERYONE TO COME AND SEE US. IT'S GONNA BE SO MUCH FUN, AND YOU DO NOT WANNA MISS IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. LOTS OF GAMES, UH, STAGE, UH, FE FEATURING, UH, LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT, UH, FOUR KIDS, UH, CHILDREN PERFORMING, TWO KIDS. IT'S JUST A GREAT, UH, FUN, FUN ZONE. AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, WALMART FOR YOUR MANY YEARS OF SUPPORTING THIS ZONE. UH, ALSO, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, BEING A NATIVE TEXAN FROM CENTRAL TEXAS, SMALL TOWN OF HICO, UH, WE DRANK A LOT OF DR. PEPPER. I'M TELLING YOU, WE DRANK. I MEAN, IT WAS DR. PEPPER MILK AND BUD LIGHT. I, I'LL JUST TELL YOU PRETTY MUCH THAT WAS IT. NOT NECESSARILY, BUT NOT NECESSARILY IN THAT ORDER. YES. UH, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, UH, COMPANY THAT HELPED US START IT ALL, UH, WAS, UH, UH, DR. PEPPER IN TEXAS. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, UH, MR. NATHAN SANCHEZ IS THE CONSUMPTION MANAGER THERE. AND BOY, IF YOU'RE A CONSUMPTION MANAGER, THE, THAT'S A LOT, THAT'S A LOT OF CONSUMING. PLEASE WELCOME, UH, HIM, UH, SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF DR. PEPPER. YEAH, GOOD, GOOD MORNING. UH, I DID WANT TO TOUCH ON, UH, THE HISTORY THOUGH. UH, BEING HERE, BEING LOCAL, UH, DR. PEPPER'S BEEN AROUND SINCE, UH, 1885, SO WE'VE BEEN IN YOUR LIVES, UM, AND HOPEFULLY CONSUMING SINCE, UH, SINCE 1885. UM, BUT, UH, WE, DR. PEPPER ARE PROUD TO BE, UH, GOING, DOING OUR NINTH, UH, YEAR PARTNERING WITH SHELL FREEDOM OVER TEXAS AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UH, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO BE BACK IN PERSON, UH, AT THE DR. PEPPER COOL ZONE, UH, CELEBRATING JULY 4TH WITH ALL OF YOU. UH, KDP. WE'RE THRILLED TO RELAUNCH, UH, DR. PEPPER, DARK BERRY. IT'S, UH, AND THE BRAND NEW FLAVOR, DARK BERRY ZERO SUGAR, SO ZERO SUGAR YOU DESERVE. UH, IN ADDITION TO THIS LIMITED ITEM, UH, WE'LL HAVE ADDITIONAL BEVERAGES AVAILABLE FOR YOU AND THE WHOLE FAMILY TO ENJOY. UH, SO ON BEHALF OF, UH, CURE DR. PEPPER, WE INVITE ALL OF YOU TO COME OUT TO THE DR. PEPPER COOL ZONE THIS JULY 4TH FOR NEEDING A GREAT MUSIC FIREWORKS AND OF COURSE, UH, COLD DR. PEPPER. SO THANK YOU AND WE'LL SEE YOU THERE. AND, UH, FOR AFTER THE PRESS CONFERENCE, PLEASE PLEASE JOIN US OVER FOR DR. PEPPER FLOATS, UH, RIGHT OVER AT THE TABLE TO MY RIGHT. HI, MAN, BUD LIGHT SILVER EAGLE DISTRIBUTORS. UH, 35 YEARS AGO, UH, THEY CAME TO HOUSTON AND, UH, OR CAME TO CITY HALL AND SAID, HEY, LET'S DO A, LET'S DO A GREAT JULY 4TH SHOW TO HONOR OUR, UH, MILITARY, ALL OF OUR BRANCHES, TO HONOR, UH, ALL OF OUR VETERANS, UH, TO HONOR AMERICA, UH, ALL OF THE FREEDOMS THAT WE ENJOY, UM, AND TO HONOR HOUSTON. AND WE WANNA DO IT IN A BIG WAY. AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT IN A BIG WAY EVER SINCE THAT FIRST EVENT 35 YEARS AGO. PLEASE WELCOME ELK AND VASCO IS THE MEDIA MANAGER FOR BUD LIGHT SELTZER, SILVER EAGLE DISTRIBUTORS HOUSTON. THANK YOU, SUSAN. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, AND GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, SILVER EAGLE [00:20:01] HAS BEEN A LONGSTANDING PARTNER WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON ON MANY EVENTS. AND WE MUST SAY THAT FREEDOM OVER TEXAS IS BY FAR OUR FAVORITE. THIS 4TH OF JULY IS GOING TO BE VERY SPECIAL FOR US, CONSIDERING WHAT WE HAVE ALL BEEN THROUGH OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE TO ALL THOSE THAT ARE ABLE TO ATTEND THIS YEAR. WE'RE EXTREMELY PROUD TO SHOWCASE THE BUD LIGHT SELTZER SUMMER SIZZLE ZONE. IF THAT'S NOT A, IF THAT'S NOT A TONGUE TWISTER, WHERE THOUSANDS OF HOUSTONIANS WILL BE ABLE TO ENJOY A COLD BUD LIGHT SELTZER DURING THE FREEDOM OVER TEXAS EVENT. AND AS WE ALL CELEBRATE OUR NATION, WE ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO CELEBRATE OUR DEEP TEXAS ROOTS AND TOASTING HOUSTON WITH A FRESH BUD LIGHT SELTZER THAT'S BREWED RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO ON BEHALF OF SILVER EAGLE AND OUR OVER ONE 1100 PLUS HOUSTON EMPLOYEES, WE WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO CELEBRATE OUR COUNTRY, OUR STATE, AND OUR CITY. BUT PLEASE DO SO RESPONSIBLY. BE SURE TO DECIDE TO RIDE AND DESIGNATE A DRIVER NO MATTER WHERE YOU PLAN TO WATCH YOUR FIREWORKS. THANK YOU AND CHEERS TO HOUSTON. AND ANOTHER GREAT 4TH OF JULY. UH, SO ELEANOR TINSLEY PARK, UH, IS THE LOCATION. UH, WE'RE ALSO EXAM HOUSTON PARK, UH, FOUR TO 10 ON, UH, MONDAY, JULY THE FOURTH. WE HOPE YOU'LL HELP, UH, HELP US PROMOTE IT. I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK MY STAFF FOR WORKING SO DILIGENTLY ON THIS EVENT AND ALL CIVIC EVENTS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. AND, UH, OUR PARTNERS IN THE CITY, MAYOR, UH, WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING, PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND SO MANY OTHERS, UH, AND OUR CITY FAMILY. AND I REALLY WISH TO THANK THEM AS WELL. UH, WITH THAT, I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT TICKETS, UH, ARE ON SALE BEGINNING RIGHT NOW FOR $10 A TICKET. CHILDREN FIVE AND UNDER ARE FREE. UH, ALL OF OUR ACTIVITIES, ALL OF OUR, UH, ZONES INSIDE ARE FREE. UH, AND THERE'LL BE CONCESSIONS, UH, FOR YOUR PURCHASE. AND WITH THAT, I WOULD TURN IT OVER TO THE MAYOR TO CLOSE OUT. THANK. OKAY, THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU, UH, SUSAN. UM, AND, UH, THERE ARE MANY OTHER SPONSORS, UH, WHO HELPED TO MAKE, UH, THIS GREAT EVENT POSSIBLE, INCLUDING, AND I WANT TO WELCOME THE NEW SPONSORS, FLY HOLMES AND TIM HORTONS. UH, TO, UH, TO, TO THIS GROUP AND THANK YOU TO OUR RETURNING SPONSORS, MCDONALD'S OF HOUSTON, SATRA, BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP AND METRO, AND THEN THE TELEVISION PRODUCER, A BC 13. THANKS KIM. AND TO, TO THEIR TEAM. AND THEN THE OFFICIAL RADIO, RADIO SPONSOR, COX MEDIA GROUP. UH, THANK YOU BILL. AND THEN THE COMMUNITY PARTNER IS HOUSTON FOOD BANK. SO I'M GRATEFUL TO ALL OF YOU FOR SUPPORTING THIS IMPORTANT EVENT. UH, PLEASE, UH, PLEASE PUT IT ON YOUR, WELL PUT IT IN YOUR CALENDAR. IT SHOULD BE ON YOUR CALENDAR, BUT, YOU KNOW, UH, BUT THE POINT IS, UM, COME OUT, ENJOY STILL WANTING TO REMIND PEOPLE IF YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN YOUR, YOUR VACCINATION SHOTS NOW, GET THAT, GET THAT TAKEN CARE OF, PLEASE GET THAT DONE. SO DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS SO THAT, UH, WE CAN, UH, PUT ON A VERY SAFE EVENT AND CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, IN 2022. UH, HAVING SAID THAT, UM, CHIEF STAFF, WE WANNA START THIS, THE COUNTRY, UH, WALMART, DR. PEPPER, THE BUDWEISER SILVER. [00:25:05] THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. REALLY, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT CLAY WALKER. HE'S JUST BEEN AN IN, I DON'T WANNA SEE AN INCREDIBLE TALENT, BUT HE'S JUST BEEN AN INCREDIBLE PARTNER WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO, UH, AND CLAY PUT ON A FANTASTIC SHOW. SO HAVING SAID THAT, ANY QUESTIONS AS IT RELATES TO SHELL FREEDOM OVER TEXAS, ANY QUESTION AS RELATES TO SHELL FREEDOM OVER TEXAS? DID WE GET EVERYTHING ANSWERED? OKAY, SUSAN PICTURES, ANYTHING AND FOR THE MEDIA IN THE ROOM, WE'RE GONNA TAKE THE PHOTOS ON FREEDOM OVER TEXAS AND THEN WE'LL FLIP THE ROOM FOR THE, UH, OTHER ANNOUNCEMENT. THANK YOU. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.