* 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. WHAT WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM [00:00:01] THE MAYOR TODAY. YOU PREDICTED THE ASTROS WIN. THEY'RE ONE WOULD STEP CLOSER, UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, 103 YEARS, THAT IS QUITE AN ICONIC HISTORIC CELEBRATION. WE'RE, UH, REALLY, UH, HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE, UH, THE ACTIVITIES SURROUNDING RELIANT LIGHTS, MAYOR'S HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR TODAY. AND SO WITHOUT, UH, FURTHER ADO, PLEASE WELCOME OUR HOST, MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUSAN. AND LOOK THE HOLIDAYS, I HOPE IT, UH, WILL BE YOUR FAVORITE TIME OF THE YEAR. THAT'S CERTAINLY MY FAVORITE TIME OF THE YEAR, AND I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR COMING TODAY. I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THE RELIANT LIGHTS, MAYOR'S HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR WILL TAKE PLACE RIGHT HERE AT CITY HALL ON SATURDAY DECEMBER THE THIRD. THIS IS A LONG STANDING TRADITION, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO LIGHTING THE OFFICIAL HOLIDAY TREE FOR THE 103RD YEAR. UH, I WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK ELIZABETH INGER ELIZABETH FOR GENEROUSLY SPONSORING THIS EVENT FOR 17 YEARS. DOWNTOWN WILL BE A PLACE TO BRING YOUR FAMILY TO ENJOY THE BEAUTIFUL HOLIDAY DECOR. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT THEM AND THE ACTIVITIES TAKING PLACE DURING THE HOLIDAYS FROM CHRIS LAWSON LATER IN THE PROGRAM. AND YOU'LL IN FOR A SPECIAL TREAT AS WE WATCH HOUSTON'S FAMOUS SKYLINE COME TO LIFE WITH LIVE MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT AND THE LIGHTING OF THE OFFICIAL TREE. THERE WILL BE SINGING AND DANCING FROM BOTH PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR PERFORMERS. MAYOR PROM, DAVID MARTIN WILL BE SINGING, AND SANTA CLAUS WILL BE IN HIS NORTH POLE THEMED BOOTH TO TAKE FREE PHOTOS WITH THE KIDS. AND THAT'S ALWAYS THE HIGHLIGHT. IT TAKES A LOT OF TALENT FOR A SHOW LIKE THIS TO OCCUR, BUT WITHOUT OUR SPONSORS, WE COULD NOT FUND IT. SO, PLEASE HELP ME THANK ELIZABETH KILL INGER AND RELYING FOR THEIR TITLE SPONSORSHIP. AND I AM HAPPY TO WELCOME SICK CODE TO THIS EVENT AS THE NEW LED LIGHT SPONSOR. I APPRECIATE THEIR SUPPORT OF THIS FREE FAMILY HOLIDAY EVENT. PLEASE GIVE IT UP TO SIT CODE. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK CIGNA, OUR VIP SPONSOR RAISING CANES WHO SPONSOR THE GINGERBREAD VILLAGE OAK FARMS DAIRY, WHO IS A BOOTH SPONSOR, KIPP TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION, AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT FOR ALL THEY DO TO MAKE DOWNTOWN A BEAUTIFUL HOLIDAY DESTINATION. GIVE IT UP TO ALL OF THESE SPONSORS. AND WE ARE BLESSED TO BE SURROUNDED WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO REMIND US OF THE TRUE MEANING OF THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT. I ENCOURAGE ALL HOUSTONIANS TO GIVE, UH, FROM YOUR HEARTS TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO NEED A HELPING HAND THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER THE THIRD AT 6:00 PM HERE AT CITY HALL. AND IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT IN PERSON, THE SHOW WILL BE LIVE STREAM ON ABC THIRTEEN.COM. SO LET'S COME, LET'S ENJOY IT. LET'S HAVE A GOOD TIME. IN FACT, THE HOLIDAY SEASON HAS ALREADY BEGUN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF I GET MORE, UH, PLEASURE. OUT OF MY TWO BOYS AROUND CHRISTMAS TIME ARE THE MAYOR. I TELL YOU, HE REALLY SETS THE EXAMPLE FOR, UH, THE ENTHUSIASM AROUND, UH, OUR HOLIDAYS. AND SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOU DO, UH, DURING THE HOLIDAYS AND FOR EVERY YEAR, JUST WITH YOUR COMPASSION AND YOUR PASSION, UH, FOR LIFE AND FOR HOUSTON MAYOR. THANK YOU, ELIZABETH INGER. MY GOODNESS. UH, SHE HAS BEEN SUCH A HUGE SUPPORTER OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR SO MANY DECADES. UH, THEIR COMPANY IS PARTNERSHIP AND SUSTAINABILITY IS, UH, PARTNERSHIP IN SO MANY PROGRAMS THAT, UH, AFFECT, UH, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN THE HOUSTON AREA. PLEASE WELCOME ELIZABETH INGER, THE PRESIDENT OF RELIANT AND NRG. THANK YOU SUSAN. AND THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, IT'S A JOY TO BE HERE. THIS, THIS PRESS CONFERENCE, I, I'VE DECIDED THAT, UM, WE'RE GOING TO, TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE EDGY. WE'RE GONNA SAY, THIS PRESS CONFERENCE CAN BE CLEARANCE TO START LISTENING TO THE CHRISTMAS AND HOLIDAY MUSIC. LOVE IT. WHO'S WITH ME? I LOVE IT. WHO'S WITH ME? UH, SO AT ENERGY AND RELIANT, WE ARE EXCITED TO PARTNER AGAIN WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO CELEBRATE. YOU KNOW, IT'S CRAZY. I REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE LEADING UP TO THE HUNDRED YEARS AND NOW WE'RE OVER A CENTURY, UH, CELEBRATING THIS HOUSTON HOLIDAY TRADITION. HOUSTON'S OUR HOMETOWN. UH, WE [00:05:01] LOVE HELPING LIGHT UP THE HOLIDAYS, AND IT'S ONLY NATURAL THAT WE WOULD LIGHT UP THE CITY'S HOLIDAY CELEBRATION. UH, BUT A FEW THINGS I WANNA SHARE ABOUT THE EVENT. FIRST, WE WILL HAVE A BEAUTIFUL WHITE F TREE IN FRONT OF CITY HALL THIS YEAR. IT WILL BE 55.5 FEET TALL, DECORATED WITH 4,000 ORNAMENTS AND JUST SHY OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND ENERGY EFFICIENT LED LIGHTS. UM, NOT GONNA BE MANY PLACES WHERE YOU COULD SEE SOMETHING SO BEAUTIFUL AND AMAZING. UM, BUT I ALSO WANT TO SHARE, UH, WE ARE BRINGING SOME TOP-NOTCH ENTERTAINMENT, UH, BOTH FROM NEAR AND FAR THIS YEAR TO SPREAD THE HOLIDAY CHEER. I'M THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE THE DISCO ICON AND GLOBAL STAR GLORIA GAINOR WILL HEADLINE THE EVENT. UH, SHE, YOU GUYS MAY REMEMBER, SHE IS CELEBRATED FROM HER SONG I WILL SURVIVE, UH, WHICH SHE ACTUALLY REWROTE, UH, IN THE WAKE OF HURRICANE HARVEY. UH, TEXAS WILL SURVIVE, AND WE DID JUST THAT AND WE'RE THRIVING. UH, SINCE THEN, SHE ALSO, UH, WON HER, UH, GRAMMY, OH, WON A GRAMMY, UH, FOR BEST DISCO RECORDING IN 1979 FROM THE I WILL SURVIVE SONG. UH, AND YOU MAY ALSO REMEMBER, UH, NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE, UH, REACH OUT, I'LL BE THERE. UM, AND THOSE SONGS, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU REMEMBER AND REFLECT, AND THEY'RE ANTHEMS TO THIS DAY MM-HMM . WHICH IS WHAT A, WHAT A JOY THAT SHE'S GIVEN US THOSE SONGS. UM, WE ALSO, SHE ALSO, UH, WON JUST A COUPLE YEARS AGO, UH, HER SECOND GRAMMY FROM A GOSPEL ALBUM CALLED TESTIMONY. SO WE'RE THRILLED THAT SHE WILL BE HERE WITH US, UH, TO CELEBRATE THE SEASON. ALSO, WE HAVE PERFORMING OUR HOUSTON CONTEMPORARY DANCE COMPANY, PARKER ELEMENTARY STRINGS DANCE OF ASIAN AMERICA, AND OF COURSE, ERNEST WALKER AND THE OFFICIAL HOLIDAY BAND. SO, ONCE AGAIN, WE WILL ALSO BRING WHAT YOU HAVE COME TO COUNT ON US FOR THE LIGHTING LIGHT UP SANTA HATS. WE'LL BE IN THE FIELD. SO WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL JOIN US RIGHT HERE IN CITY HALL FOR A GREAT, GREAT CELEBRATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ELIZABETH. ONCE I WAS AFRAID. COME ON, MARETTE. I KNOW YOU KNOW THIS SONG, , UH, YOU KNOW, I WE'RE, WE'RE SO EXCITED TO HAVE, UH, GLORIA GAINOR. I, I AGREE TO COME TO HOUSTON, CAN'T WAIT FOR HER PERFORMANCE. SHE IS, UH, SHE STILL TOURS ALL OVER THE WORLD. IN FACT, SHE'S IN EUROPE RIGHT NOW. UH, SO WHAT A GREAT ICONIC, UH, ARTIST, UH, TO CONNECT TO THROUGH MANY GENERATIONS. UH, SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO WELCOME HER. WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THE LINEUP. WE HAVE WE MANY, UH, HOUSTON, UH, GROUPS WHO WILL BE PERFORMING AND JUST CAN'T WAIT. BUT LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT THIS NEXT, UH, THIS NEXT SPEAKER, CHRIS LARSON HAS ALREADY MADE HIS MARK ON, UH, THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT. OF COURSE, HE'S RELATIVELY NEW, I WILL SAY, UH, UH, IN HIS LEADERSHIP ROLE. UH, AND WHAT HE HAS BROUGHT, HE'S BEEN REALLY SIGNIFICANTLY, UH, ENTHRALLED IN, UH, MAKING ART HAPPEN. SO HE'S BEEN WORKING WITH NOT ONLY OUR CULTURAL, UH, AFFAIRS OFFICE, BUT ALSO, UH, THE MAYOR AND, UH, RODNEY ELLIS, UH, IN THE PUSH FOR MURALS DOWNTOWN. UH, BUT WHAT HE HAS PLANNED FOR THIS, UH, HOLIDAY SEASON WITH, UH, MAKING HOUSTON BE AS FESTIVE AS IT EVER HAS BEEN, IS JUST TRULY GOING TO BE, UH, A DELIGHT FOR US ALL. SO PLEASE WELCOME CHRIS LARSON. UH, HE'S THE PRESIDENT OF THE DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SUSAN AND MAYOR TURNER. UH, SO CHRIS LARSON, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CENTRAL HOUSTON. WE MANAGE THE DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT AS WELL AS THE DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. UM, AND CERTAINLY EVERYONE KNOWS THAT HOLIDAYS ARE BETTER WHEN YOU CELEBRATE THEM WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY. THAT'S WHY THIS YEAR, CENTRAL HOUSTON AND HOUSTON FIRST AREN'T HAVING SEPARATE EVENTS. INSTEAD, WE ARE PARTNERING TO PRODUCE CITY LIGHTS, DOWNTOWN HOLIDAY MAGIC, AND THIS WILL BE A COMPLIMENT TO THIS WONDERFUL FESTIVAL THAT WE'RE HERE TO CELEBRATE TODAY. UM, AND I'D LIKE TO EXTEND A THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS AT HOUSTON. FIRST, THE CITY OF HOUSTON AT ALL THE PARTICIPATING VENUES AS WE'RE CALLING THEM THIS YEAR, FESTIVE HOLIDAY VILLAGES WITHIN THE EIGHT HOLIDAY VILLAGES SCATTERED AROUND DOWNTOWN. THERE'S TRULY SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. THIS YEAR WE HAVE HOLIDAY THEME FILMS FOR YOUR FAMILY, MOVIE NIGHTS GIFT WRAPPING STATIONS TO IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS GINGERBREAD HOUSE, MAKING MILLIONS OF TWINKLE LIGHTS FOR GAZING, AND OF COURSE, ICE SKATING. WHAT'S MORE THERE WILL BE ROAMING KALER VENDOR MARKETS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO GET THOSE COVETED PICTURES WITH SANTA. WE'LL ALSO BE BRINGING BACK OUR SPECTACULAR INSTAGRAM READY LIGHTING AND DECOR ON BAGBY STREET, WHICH WAS VISITED BY 34,000 HOUSTONIANS LAST YEAR. OUR EVENTS [00:10:01] AND INSTALLATIONS WILL ALL KICK OFF WITH A COORDINATED LIGHTING CEREMONY ON NOVEMBER THE 18TH, AND OUR PROGRAMMING WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE NEW YEAR. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.ORG/HOLIDAYS. AND ONE LAST COMMENT FOR MAYOR TURNER. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT, UH, I BEGAN LEARNING PIANO THIS YEAR, AND IT'S ALL BUILDING TOWARDS HOPEFULLY A RECITAL AT NEXT YEAR'S BIG EVENT, , BECAUSE AS YOU CONTINUE TO TELL ME, WE NEED TO GET EVERYTHING DONE BY 2023. THAT IS CORRECT. UH, SO I'LL BE WORKING TO PREPARE MYSELF FOR MY BIG DEBUT IN PUBLIC RECITAL, UH, AT NEXT YEAR'S HOLIDAY. SPECTACULAR. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYONE. HAPPY HOLIDAYS. OKAY, CHRIS, WE'LL BE HAVING THAT, UH, THOSE TRYOUTS FOR THE SHOW, MAYBE ABOUT, UH, SEPTEMBER . BUT WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SPONSORSHIP OF THIS EVENT AND ALL YOU DO, UH, FOR DOWNTOWN. LOOK, UH, MAYOR ALREADY SAID IT. SATURDAY, DECEMBER THE THIRD, SIX O'CLOCK, RIGHT OUT HERE AT, UH, IN FRONT OF, UH, CITY HALL HERMAN SQUARE, UH, AT CITY HALL BY THE REFLECTION POOL. IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT SHOW. WE LOOK FORWARD TO HOSTING THE 103RD RELIANT LIGHTS, MAYOR'S HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR. THANK YOU ALL. I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS INCREDIBLE EVENT. THANKS. THANKS, CHRIS. ALRIGHT, GOT HERE JUST IN TIME FOR THE MEAT FRANK. THANK GOOD DEAL. UM. * 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.