* 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. [00:00:02] I BEGIN [Press Conference: “2024 College Football Playoff Announcement”] EVERYTHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE WE'RE ALL TEXANS. AND EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT A TEXAN, YOU ARE TODAY AND YOU CERTAINLY WILL BE FOR THE 2024 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, WHICH IS GONNA BE RIGHT HERE IN THIS BUILDING. MY NAME IS MARK VANDERMEER. I'M THE VOICE OF YOUR HOUSTON TEXANS. AND YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING, WELL, WHAT'S HE DOING HERE? WELL, THIS BUILDING HAS BEEN THE HOST OF MANY GREAT COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAMES, NO DOUBT. THE TEX ACT, TEXAS BOWL, MANY COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS. AND WE'VE GOT SOME NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY IN A WAY HERE. THE LAST TEAM FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS TO WIN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WAS WHAT, THE 2005 TEXAS LONGHORNS. RIGHT? RIGHT BEFORE THEY WON THAT GAME AT THE ROSE BOWL, THEY WON THE BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP IN THIS BUILDING. VINCE YOUNG AND COMPANY PREVAILING RIGHT HERE AT NRG STADIUM AND OF COURSE WITH THE HOUSTON TEXANS. WE'VE HAD MANY NATIONAL CHAMPIONS PARTICIPATING WITH OUR ORGANIZATION OVER THE YEARS, INCLUDING THE ONLY PLAYER EVER INDUCTED SO FAR IN OUR RING OF HONOR. ANDRE JOHNSON, MVP OF THE 2001 ROSE BOWL NATIONAL CHAMPION MIAMI HURRICANES. ALRIGHT, AND TOMORROW WE FIND OUT IF ANDRE GETS INTO THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME, BUT HE'S ALWAYS A HALL OF FAMER TO US AND HE'S A NATIONAL CHAMPION WITH THE MIAMI HURRICANES AND GET READY TO WATCH TEXANS PRESIDENT GREG GRISSOM'S EYES ROLL HERE. AS I SAY, I WAS THE ANNOUNCER OF THAT MIAMI HURRICANES TEA JUST SOLD. BISHOP CONVENIENTLY ALWAYS BROUGHT GREG'S, LIKE YOU'RE INSERTING YOURSELF INTO THE NARRATIVE. OH MY GOSH. ALRIGHT, WELL WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS PANEL FOR YOU TODAY TO HEAR FROM, TO GET US READY FOR THIS COLOSSAL EVENT, THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2024. LET'S MEET THE PEOPLE ON STAGE HERE, WON'T YOU SAY HELLO TO HOUSTON MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER, HARRIS COUNTY SPORTS AND CONVENTION CORPORATION CHAIRMAN BISHOP JAMES DIXON, HOST COMMITTEE PRESIDENT AND HARRIS COUNTY HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY VICE PRESIDENT CHRIS MASSEY, ALSO HOUSTON HOST COMMITTEE CHAIR. JUNE DEDRICK, THE PRESIDENT OF YOUR HOUSTON TEXANS, GREG GRISSOM AND COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BILL HANCOCK. ALRIGHT, NOW LET'S KICK OFF THE EVENT WITH A VIDEO TO GET YOUR HYPE FOR THIS BIG EVENT. 2024 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. LET'S ROLL. AND NOW TO PRESENT THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SEQUENCE FIVE, WE CANNOT FEEL A BUZZ IN THE AIR INTENSE, DIFFERENT AND DIFFERENT MOTIVAT TO READY. TRY WIN 2 1 0 ALL ENGINE RUNNING. BOY, IF THAT DOESN'T GET YOU EXCITED FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL IN THIS UPCOMING SEASON, I DON'T KNOW WHAT DOES. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. WE ALL KNOW THAT THESE MEGA EVENTS, THEY DON'T JUST MATERIALIZE. IT TRULY TAKES A VILLAGE. IT TAKES A HEAVY LIFT. BUT HERE IN HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY, WE KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT THE COMMUNITY TO DO JUST THAT. I KNOW THAT WE'RE UP FOR THE CHALLENGE. I STAND HERE AS JUST ONE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS COMMUNITY IS SUCCESSFUL IN, IN HOSTING THE EVENT. THIS IS A COMMUNITY OF LEADERS AND DOERS WHO RALLY TO SUPPORT AND UPLIFT EVENTS IN OUR REGION. AND I'D LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO CONTINUE TO CHAMPION OUR EFFORTS TO THE OFFICE OF JUDGE LENA HILDAGO AND OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR US TO MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER AND OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE SUPPORT OF OUR ORGANIZATION AND TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE THESE GREAT EVENTS. TO BISHOP JAMES DIXON, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HARRIS COUNTY SPORTS AND CONVENTION CORPORATION, AND TO ALL THE HARRIS COUNTY SPORTS AND CONVENTION BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR PROVIDING SUCH A WONDERFUL FACILITY THAT WE CAN HOST GREAT SPORTING EVENTS LIKE THIS TO GREG GRISSOM, [00:05:01] THE PRESIDENT OF THE TEXANS, AND FOR THEIR ROLE IN THEIR TEAMS, UH, CHAMPIONING OF FOOTBALL AND OUR COMMUNITY TO THE TEXAS BULL AND THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY DO TO CONTINUE THOSE EFFORTS. THANK YOU TO MR. HANCOCK AND HIS STAFF TO THE CFP FOUNDATION AND THEIR TEAM. IT'S TRULY BEEN A PLEASURE GETTING TO KNOW YOU AND WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FORWARD TO ROLLING UP OUR SLEEVES AND GETTING THE WORK DONE. YOU GUYS REALLY HAVE INSPIRED US TO ELEVATE WHAT WE DO AS A COMMUNITY AND TO CHAMPION YOUR EVENT TO NEW LEVELS. TARA HARRIS COUNTY HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU. I SEE A NUMBER OF YOU IN ATTENDANCE TODAY. NO SURPRISE THERE. YOU GUYS ARE ALWAYS GREAT SUPPORTERS OF EVERYTHING THAT WE DO. SO THANK YOU TO THE HOUSTON HOST COMMITTEE BOARD, A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS THAT HAS COME TOGETHER TO REALLY SUPPORT AND STRENGTHEN THE EFFORTS OF THIS COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT, AND WHERE WE KNOW THAT FOOTBALL REALLY SHINES IN HOUSTON AND IN TEXAS, THAT WE LIVE UP TO THAT LEGACY. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THANK YOU TO OUR EDUCATIONAL LEADERS. WE'VE REALLY SET OUT FOR SET FORTH TO, TO CHAMPION TEACHERS IN EDUCATION AS A LEGACY PROGRAM TIED INTO THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. AND WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT THEIR SUPPORT AND EFFORT. SO THANK YOU TO THOSE EDUCATIONAL LEADERS. SO WITH THAT SAID, I'D LIKE TO CLOSE BY ISSUING A CHALLENGE TO OUR COMMUNITY. WE WANT TO HELP MAKE THIS THE MOST MEMORABLE CFP CHAMPIONSHIP EVER. SO WITH THAT, WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING OVER THE COMING MONTHS TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE LOCAL VENDORS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS TO FULFILL ALL OF THOSE NEEDS. WE'LL BE PUTTING AN EMPHASIS ON MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES TO GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY, REINVESTING IN WHAT IS INVESTED IN US. WE'LL ALSO BE RECRUITING THOUSANDS, LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE GONNA BE THE AMBASSADORS THAT THAT WELCOMING COMMITTEE FOR, FOR OUR COMMUNITY AS WE HAVE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF VISITORS COMING IN FOR THE GAME. WE WOULD LOVE YOUR HELP AND SUPPORT IN DOING JUST THAT. SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN GETTING INVOLVED IN THE EVENT IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, I WOULD VERY MUCH ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISIT HOUSTON 2020 FOUR.COM, SIGN UP FOR OPPORTUNITIES AND YOU'LL RECEIVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT THE GREAT WAYS THAT YOU CAN GET AND ENGAGE WITH THIS CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND. ALTHOUGH WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THE FOOTBALL GAME, IT'S MUCH MORE THAN JUST A FOOTBALL GAME. IT'S ABOUT COMMUNITY AND IT'S ABOUT UPLIFTING OUR COMMUNITY. SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CAPITALIZE ON THAT OPPORTUNITY. SO WITH THAT, I IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE ONE OF THOSE CHAMPIONS OF, OF SPORT IN OUR COMMUNITY, THE CHAIR OF OUR HOST COMMITTEE, MS. JUNE DIEDRICK. THANK YOU CHRIS. WE ARE TRULY EXCITED TO HOST THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR CITY'S HISTORY, WE ARE ALSO HUMBLED BY THE TRUST THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF HAS PLACED ON US, THE HOST COMMITTEE TO ORGANIZE WHAT WE BELIEVE WILL BE AN INCREDIBLE EVENT FOR THE CITY AND OUR ENTIRE REGION. AT THIS TIME, I TOO WANT TO THANK ALL THOSE WHO'VE HAD A ROLE IN BRINGING THIS EVENT TO OUR CITY. FROM HARRIS COUNTY HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY, CEO, JANICE BURKE, TO THE HOUSTON HOST COMMITTEE PRESIDENT CHRIS MASSEY HARRIS COUNTY SPORTS AND CONVENTION CORP. CHAIRMAN BISHOP JAMES DIXON, TEXANS PRESIDENT GREG GRISSOM, HARRIS COUNTY JUDGE LENA HIDALGO, AND OUR FABULOUS HOUSTON MAYOR, SYLVESTER TURNER, TO ALL WHOM I'VE MENTIONED, AND THOSE WHOM I HAVEN'T. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TRUST AND HELP IN TURNING THIS DREAM INTO A REALITY AT THE PRESENT TIME. WE ARE 334 DAYS OUT FROM THE EVENT. SO NOW THE HARD WORK BEGINS AFTER PARTICIPATING IN THE GREAT EXPERIENCE THAT LOS ANGELES PUT TOGETHER A FEW WEEKS AGO, OUR MISSION IS TO DEVELOP AN EVENT THAT WILL MAKE OUR CITY PROUD AND ONE THAT CONTINUES TO ELEVATE HOUSTON'S PLACE AS ONE, AS THE PREMIER SPORTS MARKETS IN THE UNITED STATES. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL, WE PUT TOGETHER A TEAM OF EXPERIENCED SPORTS PROFESSIONALS WHO KNOW THE CITY SPORTS LANDSCAPE AND WHO ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT TURNING SPORTING EVENTS INTO MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES. ALL OF THEM ARE ALREADY HARD AT WORK DEVELOPING PLANS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND INITIATIVES THAT WILL BE UNVEILED IN THE COMING MONTHS. ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL DEVELOP A SERIES OF COMMUNITY DRIVEN EVENTS AND PHILANTHROPIC INITIATIVES THAT WILL ENHANCE THE IMPACT OF THIS EVENT TO GO BEYOND WHAT HAPPENS ON THE FIELD AND LEAVE A LASTING LEGACY THAT BENEFITS OUR CITY AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR EFFORTS OR WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER TO BE PART OF THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, AS CHRIS SAID, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW HOUSTON 20 FOUR.COM. OUR AIM ONCE AGAIN IS TO DELIVER AN EVENT WHICH ALL HOUSTONIANS AND THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF MAY PROUDLY PROCLAIM AS THE BEST EVER. THAT GOAL OFFICIALLY BEGINS TODAY. AND FINALLY, AS CHRIS MENTIONED, THE HOUSTON 24 HOST COMMITTEE IS COMMITTED TO SUPPLIER DIVERSITY. [00:10:01] WE WILL BE ACTIVELY ENGAGING WITH LOCAL DIVERSE SUPPLIERS TO MAXIMIZE THE PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THESE HIGH PROFILE EVENTS. THROUGH OUR BUSINESS CONCEPT AND CONNECT PROGRAM, WE WILL SUPPORT MINORITY WOMAN L-G-B-T-Q-I-A AND VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES WITH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS, NETWORKING EVENTS, AND ACCESS TO SUBCONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES. THE HOST COMMITTEE ENCOURAGES ANY INTERESTED BUSINESS OWNER TO VISIT OUR WEBSITE AND SIGN UP SO THAT WE HAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION. WE WILL FORMALLY LAUNCH BUSINESS CONNECT LATER THIS SPRING, AND WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH ALL INTERESTED COMPANIES TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DETAILS IN THE COMING WEEKS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND AT THIS TIME, IT IS MY HONOR TO BRING UP THE HARDEST WORKING MAYOR IN THE COUNTRY. MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER. LET ME THANK, UH, JUNE AND, UH, CHRIS, AND WE'RE GONNA BE THINKING A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE BEFORE IT'S OVER THIS MORNING. UH, LOOK, LET ME JUST START OFF. I ONLY HAVE ONE REGRET. ONLY ONE REGRET, AND THAT IS THAT THIS GAME IS NOT ON DECEMBER 31ST, 2023. UH, IT WON'T BE HERE. I MEAN, IT'LL BE HERE, BUT I WON'T BE MAYOR. THAT'S MY ONLY BILL THAT'S, WE CAN, I OUGHT TO PUT FORTH AN EXECUTIVE ORDER, YOU KNOW. BUT LOOK, I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY FOR ANOTHER GREAT ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT SPORTING EVENT COMING TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND HOUSTONIANS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PROUD OF OUR CITY'S PLACE AS ONE OF THE GREAT SPORTS TOWNS IN THIS, IN THIS COUNTRY, HOUSTON HAS PLAYED HOST TO JUST ABOUT EVERY MAJOR EVENT YOU CAN IMAGINE, UH, FROM BEING THE HOME OF THE TWO TIME WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS, THE HOUSTON ASTROS, THE HOUSTON ROCKETS, HOUSTON DYNAMO, HOUSTON TEXANS TO THE CONSTANT FLOW OF INTERNATIONAL SOCCER GAMES AND TOURNAMENTS. AND IN 2026, WE WILL HOST SOME OF THE WORLD CUP GAMES. AND LET'S NOT FORGET THAT HOUSTON HAS PLAYED HOST TWO TWO SUPER BOWLS AND THE RODEO, WHICH IS LIKE A SUPER BOWL EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR 21 DAYS. AND HOUSTON CAN NOW CLAIM TO HAVE A NEW MILESTONE IN 2024. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR CITY'S HISTORY, HOUSTON WILL HOST THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. AND LET ME TELL YOU, WE WILL HOST IT RIGHT, BILL, IT WILL BE LIKE NINE OTHERS. SO MUCH SO THAT BILL, YOU ALL WERE JUST WANT TO COME AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. I KNOW YOU HADN'T HEARD THAT, SO I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST THROW THAT IN . I CONGRATULATE EVERYONE WHO MADE THAT HAPPEN, INCLUDING THE 2024 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF HOUSTON HOST COMMITTEE, UH, CHRIS JUNE AND EVERYONE THAT WORKED WITH YOU ALL. THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH. UH, WE COULDN'T BE HAPPIER OR PROUDER TO WELCOME COLLEGE FOOTBALL FANS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TO OUR CITY. AND QUITE FRANKLY, THIS IS A FOOTBALL FOOT FOOTBALL. UH, CITY TRAVEL, TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY ARE KEY DRIVERS FOR THE CITY'S ECONOMY AND THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS FROM THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS WILL TOUCH HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, BARS, RETAIL, TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING. I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCO IS IN THE OFFICE NOW. SHE'LL STILL BE HERE AS A COUNCIL PERSON. JUST THE MAYOR WON'T BE, THIS MAYOR WON'T BE HERE. YOU KNOW, UH, I DO KNOW THAT THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL NATIONAL PLAYOFFS WILL BE A SOURCE OF PRIDE FOR HOUSTONIANS AND WILL SHOW HOUSTON IN A POSITIVE LIGHT TO A NATIONAL AUDIENCE. AND SO WE STAND SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE HOUSTON HOST COMMITTEE, AND WE ARE READY TO SUPPORT THEIR COMMUNITY AND PHILANTHROPIC EFFORTS WHEREVER WE CAN. ONE THING ABOUT THIS CITY, IT'S NOT JUST ONE ENTITY MAKING IT HAPPEN. IT'S ALL OF US COMING TOGETHER. AND SO, UM, IT'S A SEAMLESS COORDINATED PROCESS. THIS PRO THESE PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES WILL BE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO HELP IGNITE THE ENTHUSIASM ACROSS THE CITY AND KEEP HOUSTON IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT. MONSTER, THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES MOVES ON. I ALSO WANT TO THANK ALL THOSE WHO HAVE HAD A ROLE IN BRINGING THIS EVENT TO OUR CITY. I'VE NAMED SOME ALREADY, UH, BUT I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, JANICE BURG AND THE BOARD OF THE HARRIS HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY. IT'S A TEAM EFFORT. I WANT TO THANK YOU, UH, FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE. I'VE MENTIONED CHRIS, UH, AND JUNE, I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE CHAIRMAN BISHOP JAMES DIXON, UH, THE TEXAS PRESIDENT, GREG GRISSOM AND THE HARRIS COUNTY JUDGE, LENA HOGO. UM, THESE INDIVIDUALS ALONG WITH, SO WHAT SO MANY OTHERS HAVE HELPED TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. AND IT WOULDN'T BE HAPPENING WITHOUT ALL OF [00:15:01] OUR SPORTS TEAMS AND FANS WHO REALLY PUT ON A FINE JOB. AND I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT THIS CITY IS KNOWN FOR PUTTING ON BIG EVENTS. SO I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE POLICE AND FIRE AND MUNICIPAL WORKERS AND ALL OF THE OTHERS WHO HAVE STEPPED UP EVERY SINGLE TIME ON EVERY SPORTING EVENT TO SHOW NOT ONLY THOSE NATIONALLY, BUT INTERNATIONALLY. HOUSTON KNOWS HOW TO PUT ON A BIG EVENT. THERE IS NO OTHER CITY THAT CAN COMPETE WITH US IN PUTTING ON BIG EVENTS. AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, WE ARE JUST A FRIENDLY CITY. SO BILL, WHEN EVERYBODY COMES, IF THEY RUN INTO SOMEBODY THAT'S RUDE OR ARROGANT, THEY'RE NOT. THEY'RE FROM NEW YORK, THEY'RE NOT FROM , THEY'RE NOT A HOUSTONIAN. THAT'S, THAT'S NOT WHO WE, THAT'S NOT WHO WE ARE. WE TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN PUTTING TOGETHER GREAT EVENTS, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE JUST TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN BEING HOSPITABLE. UH, THAT'S JUST THE HOUSTON WAY. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU. I'M, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS EVENT. AND THEN THE OTHER THING, UM, IT'S A SORT NO ONE MAYOR CAN HAVE ALL THE THINGS AT ONE TIME, BUT IN THIS CITY, WE ARE PART OF A RELAY RACE. IT MAY NOT FINISH ON YOUR WATCH, BUT YOU RUN YOUR LAP AND THEN YOU PASS THE BATON TO THE NEXT. AND IN THIS CASE, WE'LL RUN OUR LAP. AND AS MAYOR, UH, WE'LL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET THIS GAME READY, UH, 4 24, AND THEN WE'LL PASS THE BATON TO THE NEXT PERSON COMING BEHIND. AND THEN WE'LL JUST KEEP RUNNING AND RUNNING AND RUNNING, BECAUSE THAT'S JUST WHO WE ARE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. I'M EXCITED. AND NOW I HAVE THE GREAT PLEASURE OF PASSING THE BATON ON THIS PANEL, UH, TO CHAIRMAN BISHOP JAMES DIXON, FORMER FOOTBALL PLAYER, UH, WHEN HE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND . BUT NOW, UH, HE'S THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HARRIS COUNTY SPORTS AND CONVENTIONAL CORPORATION. PLEASE GIVE IT UP FOR CHAIRMAN BISHOP JAMES DIXON. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND DID YOU NOTICE THAT WHEN HE WAS INTRODUCED, ALL OF US WAS JUST CALLED BY OUR NAMES? AND THEN IT WAS THE FABULOUS MAYOR AND, UH, GREG AND I LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND SAID, WELL, WE ARE NOT FABULOUS . UH, AND WE ARE NOT THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON. LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR THE, HE IS A FABULOUS MAYOR, A FABULOUS LEADER, A FABULOUS VISIONARY WHO HAS DONE GREAT AND OUTSTANDING THINGS FOR OUR CITY AND WE APPRECIATE, UH, OUR MAYOR AND, UH, ABOUT THAT PAST THE DEON BATON FOR MAYOR. I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M A BELIEVER WE MIGHT CHANGE THE RULES, BUT BY, BY THEN, BECAUSE HUS COULD STAND ANOTHER TERM OF SYLVESTER TURNER, DON'T YOU THINK HE'S DONE A GREAT JOB? GIVE HIM A HAND, WON'T YOU? THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. WE APPRECIATE YOU AND TO ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED, WE APPRECIATE YOU SO VERY MUCH, UH, TODAY. UH, MY NAME IS JAMES DIXON AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE, OF THE HARRIS COUNTY SPORTS AND CONVENTION CORPORATION, UH, HERE AT NRG PARK. AND WE ARE HONORED TO WELCOME YOU, UH, TO, UH, THIS FACILITY. AND I'M HONORED, UH, TO ANNOUNCE OF COURSE, WE ARE ON BEHALF OF HARRIS COUNTY, THE THE LANDLORDS OF NRG PARK. AND WE'RE EXCITED, UH, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOST THIS PRESTIGIOUS EVENT. IT'S SO FITTING THAT TO HOST THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THIS MAGNIFICENT EVENT, AS WE CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE OUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY, UH, HERE AT NRG PARK AND NRG PARK, OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS, HAVE TOUCHED OVER 10 BILLION LIVES. WOULD YOU JUST COME UP, JUST GIVE IT UP FOR THAT, BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN AN AMAZING PLACE FOR AMAZING THINGS IN CASE YOU EVER NOTICED, I AM AFRICAN AMERICAN AND I'M A PREACHER, AND SO AMEN'S, BUT WHENEVER I'M SPEAKING, I GOTTA HEAR SOMETHING BACK. AMEN. UH, YEAH. I'M NOT PRESBYTERIAN EPISCOPALIAN, I'M BLACK BAPTIST. SO YOU GOTTA SAY SOMETHING BACK TO ME. . UH, THANK YOU. THAT'S THAT, THAT WAS A RIGHT SOUND RIGHT OVER THERE. UH, BUT WE'VE BEEN EXCITED ABOUT THIS EVENT COMING, UH, TO HOUSTON SINCE THE VERY FIRST SITE VISIT MORE THAN A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. AND LET ME JUST SAY THAT FOOTBALL IS NEAR AND DEAR IN MY HEART. THE MAYOR ANNOUNCED I'M A FORMER QUARTERBACK. THE ONLY REASON I DIDN'T PLAY IN THE NFL IS BECAUSE GOD CALLED ME TO BE A PREACHER. THAT'S IT, . UH, IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH MY SIZE, MY SPEED, MY THROWING ARM WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. IT WAS EVERYTHING. JUST THE FACT THAT GOD SAID SOMETHING DIFFERENT, UH, THAT, THERE YOU GO. NOW. NOW THERE YOU. THERE YOU GO. THERE YOU GO. BUT I AM CERTAIN PROUD TO SERVE HERE ON THIS BOARD FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS. I WANNA OFFER MY CONGRATULATIONS OF COURSE, [00:20:01] TO JUNE, UH, DDRICK, UH, OUR LEADER. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. GIVE HER A HAND. SHE'S A GREAT LEADER AND OUR HOST COMMITTEE CHAIR, AND I'D LIKE TO ALSO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK RYAN WALSH, OUR CEO HERE AT ENERGY PARK WITH OUR CORPORATION, GIVE RYAN AND THIS TEAM A BIG HAND, DOES A GREAT JOB. OF COURSE, OUR STAFF, MARK AND JEFF AND LEAH AND, UH, ALL OF THOSE WHO WORK, UH, TO MAKE THIS, MAKE THIS HAPPEN EVERY, EVERY, EVERY DAY. AND WE ARE HONORED, UH, TO KEEP SEE USING THE WORD TEAM, OUR A SMM GLOBAL TEAM WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH, UH, AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORK DILIGENTLY TO WITH THE HOST COMMITTEE AND WITH CFP TO ENSURE THAT THIS IS THE BEST COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYER OF CHAMPIONSHIP EVER, EVER SEEN. WHEREVER YOU'VE BEEN, WE'RE PALE IN COMPARISON TO WHAT YOU RECEIVE HERE IN IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. I WANT TO COMMEND, OF COURSE, OUR BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL AS JOHN AND THE CIC CAROL STIFF, UH, TWO OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS ARE HERE. UH, WE ARE COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT WE ELEVATE THE EXPERIENCE FOR, FOR CFP. WE HAVE THE EXPERIENCE, WE HAVE THE STAFF TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE INTEND TO DO. I ALSO WANNA COMMEND, OF COURSE, UH, THE SPORTS AUTHORITY JANUS AND YOUR TEAM AND YOUR BOARD, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU ALL CONTINUE TO DO. UH, WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK AND, UH, I WANT TO, BEFORE I PASS THIS BATON, UH, TO, TO GREG GRISSOM SAY THAT IT REALLY IS ABOUT TEAM. IT REALLY IS ABOUT, AND AMEN GOES RIGHT THERE. AMEN. UH, YEAH. UH, IT, IT REALLY IS ABOUT, ABOUT, ABOUT TEAM. AND, UH, WHENEVER WE UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLE OF TEAM AND WE APPLY THE PRINCIPLE OF TEAMWORK, IT ALWAYS HAPPENS THAT GREAT THINGS HAPPEN AS A RESULT. UH, AND I'LL, I'LL CLOSE WITH THIS. EVERY PREACHER GETS THREE CLOSES. THAT'S MY SECOND ONE. UH, I, I I, I'LL CLOSE WITH, WITH THIS TEAM HAPPENS WHEN WE IS BIGGER THAN ME SAY THAT, THAT'S WHEN TEAM HAPPENS. WHEN WE IS BIGGER THAN ME. WE UNDERSTAND THAT HERE AT NRG AND WITH ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT AFFILIATES AND PARTNERS, WE ARE GONNA DISPLAY TEAMWORK BECAUSE WE IS BIGGER THAN THAN ME. HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY IS A LARGE CITY, LARGE COUNTY. WE SERVE A LOT OF PEOPLE. BUT WE WANT THE WORLD TO KNOW THAT WE ARE A GLOBAL DESTINATION FOR HOSPITALITY. AND WHEN WE COME TOGETHER AS A TEAM, THERE'S NO EVENT TOO BIG FOR US. IN FACT, IF YOU BRING US A LITTLE EVENT, WE ARE BIG ENOUGH TO MAKE THAT BIG. THAT'S WHAT TEAMWORK DOES. AMEN. WELCOME TO HOUSTON. AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO YOU SAYING, WE'VE GOTTA GO BACK TO HOUSTON BECAUSE NOBODY CAN DO IT LIKE H TOWN. THANK YOU. I'M HONORED NOW TO PRESENT TO YOU THE PRESIDENT OF THE HOUSTON TEXANS. AND I, I I, WHEN THEY TALKED ABOUT MY, MY BACKGROUND IN SPORTS AND THE ROCKETS WON CHAMPIONSHIPS. I DO WANNA ALSO SAY THIS, GREG, THE ROCKETS WON TWO CHAMPIONSHIPS. I KNOW HAKEEM WAS THERE, KENNY SMITH, DREXLER, ALL THAT CREW, BUT I WAS THE CHAPLAIN BOTH YEARS. , I'M JUST SAYING IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I WAS A CHAMPION A LONG TIME. THEY WON A LONG TIME SINCE I WAS A CHAPLAIN. I WAS A CHAPLAIN BOTH TIMES. THE ROCKETS WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP. I'M JUST SAYING, I KNOW YOU JUST GOT A GREAT COACH, BUT I WAS THE CHAPLAIN BOTH TIMES. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, RECEIVED MY FRIEND THE LEADER OF HOUSTON. TEXANS A GREAT MAN, A GREAT LEADER, GREAT VISIONARY. GREG GRISSOM. THANK YOU. WOW. HOW COME I ALWAYS HAVE TO FOLLOW HIM? UH, WELL BISHOP, I NOTED. OKAY, NOTED. UH, I'VE HEARD THAT ONCE OR TWICE BEFORE. AND, UH, AND I WILL JUST SAY, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE ON YOUR TEAM AND EVERYBODY'S TEAM HERE OUT AT NRG PARK. SO, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE HOUSTON TEXANS AND LONE STAR SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT LED BY DAVID FLETCHER, WHO I KNOW IS HERE, IF WE COULD GIVE DAVID A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR HERE HE IS RIGHT HERE FOR ALL OF HIS HARD WORK. UH, WE'RE JUST THRILLED TO BE PART OF THIS HISTORIC EVENT OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS. NRG STADIUM HAS HOSTED NUMEROUS MAJOR EVENTS. YOU'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT 'EM, BUT INCLUDING TWO SUPER BOWLS. AND THESE ARE ALL FOR THE BENEFIT FOR EVERYONE IN HARRIS COUNTY IN HOUSTON. AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO ADDING ANOTHER MAJOR EVENT TO THE GROWING LIST, WELCOMING THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP THIS COMING YEAR. FOOTBALL'S ALWAYS BEEN AN AMAZING AND INTEGRAL PART OF HOUSTON STORY. AND WE'RE PROUD, PROUD TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE, UH, IN GROWING THE GAME AND ELEVATING OUR GREAT CITY ON THE NATIONAL STAGE THROUGH OUR YOUTH FOOTBALL PROGRAMS. WE WORKED YEAR ROUND TO ENSURE PLAYERS OF ALL AGES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND LOVE THE GAME. IT IS OUR GOAL TO NOT ONLY INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF COLLEGE AND PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES ON THE FIELD, BUT ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY. TOO. MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THIS PAST WEEKEND WE HAD OUR ANNUAL HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SHOWCASE RIGHT OVER [00:25:01] HERE AT THE HOUSTON METHODIST TRAINING CENTER. AND OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TOUCHDOWN CLUB AND MANY OTHERS, UH, OVER I THINK, UH, SOMEWHERE AROUND 4,000 SCHOLARSHIPS AND OVER $140 MILLION OF, OF ACADEMIC IMPACT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED. SO WE'RE JUST PROUD TO BE A PART OF FOOTBALL IN OUR CITY THROUGH LONE STAR SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT'S PARTNERSHIP WITH ESPN, WE'RE ALSO PROUD TO BRING THE TEXAS TAX, THE TAX ACT, TEXAS BOWL TO NRG STADIUM EACH YEAR. THE BOWL HAS HAD THE HIGHEST ATTENDANCE ON AVERAGE OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS OUTSIDE OF THE NEW YEAR'S SIX GAMES THIS YEAR GAME, THIS YEAR'S GAME BETWEEN TEXAS TECH AND OLD OLE MISS FEATURED 53,000 FOOTBALL FANS WHO ENJOYED A GREAT GAME AND A WEEK OF, UH, HOSPITALITY THAT ONLY HOUSTON IS KNOWN FOR. THAT HOSPITALITY IS ONE OF THE MANY REASONS THAT HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY REMAINS A PREMIER DESTINATION FOR WORLD-CLASS EVENTS LIKE THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. AND BILL, IN MY OPINION, NO ONE DOES IT ANYBODY ANY BETTER THAN HOUSTON WHEN IT COMES TO HOSPITALITY. I WANT TO THANK MAYOR TURNER, JUDGE ALGO AND HER TEAM, BISHOP DIXON, THE BOARD OF THE HARRIS COUNTY SPORTS AND CONVENTION CORPORATION, JANICE, CHRIS JUNE, THE ENTIRE BOARD OF THE, THE HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY SPORTS AUTHORITY AND THE HOST COMMITTEE FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND HARD WORK TO MAKE THIS A REALITY. AND LAST, BUT NOT, CERTAINLY NOT LAST, NOT LEAST, THANK YOU TO BILL AND YOUR TEAM FOR PROVIDING HOUSTON THIS INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO HOST A CHOOSE CELEBRATION FOR THE GAME OF FOOTBALL. WE'RE HONORED AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A GREAT GAME ON JANUARY 8TH, 2024. BILL. HEY EVERYBODY. SO GOOD TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE HERE, UH, BE WITH THESE PEOPLE ON THE DEUS. AGAIN, I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW THEM AS WE'VE WORKED THROUGH THE PROCESS ALREADY. UM, WHEN THE MAYOR CAME IN, I SAID, I'M BILL AND THE MAYOR SAID, I KNOW A MAYOR TURNER, WHEN ARE YOU COMING BACK? NOT. HOW WAS YOUR FLIGHT NOW? HAS NOT, HOW'S YOUR STAY THEN? BUT WHEN ARE YOU COMING BACK? THAT MAY BE WORTHY OF AN AMEN. I'M NOT SURE . AMEN. I HAVE SO MUCH TO TELL YOU. I'M HERE REPRESENTING COLLEGE FOOTBALL AS A WHOLE. UM, I WAS DIRECTOR OF THE NCAA MEN'S FINAL FOUR FOR 16 YEARS BEFORE I CAME OVER TO FOOTBALL. THIS WILL BE MY 19TH SEASON IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL. AND HERE'S WHAT IT TAKES TO GET AN EVENT LIKE THE FINAL FOUR OR THE CFP INFRASTRUCTURE STADIUM, CONVENTION CENTERS, HOTELS AIRPORT. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS? PEOPLE. PEOPLE. AND EVERYBODY'S TALKED ABOUT THAT HERE. I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT EVERY YEAR GETS TO EXPERIENCE IT. AND I CAN TELL YOU IT'S ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE. UM, A MINUTE AGO WE TALKED ABOUT VINCE YOUNG AND THERE WAS SOME HOOTING AND HOLLERING FROM SOME SEGMENTS OF THE AUDIENCE. UM, I'D JUST BE CURIOUS TO KNOW IS, IS THERE ANY OTHER SCHOOLS REPRESENTED HERE BESIDES, UH, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS? RIGHT OVER HERE. RIGHT OVER HERE. NICE. NICE. AND THAT'S ERVING A AN AMEN. ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO JUST KIND OF HOLLER OUT YOUR SCHOOL? EAT EM UP. CATS TECH. T-S-U-T-S-U. WHO? TIGERS. TEXAS. LSU TIGERS. TEXAS TIGERS. WHO WHERE? RAMBLING STATE. GRAMBLING STATE. UNIVERSITY OF IOWA. IOWA. INDIANA MOTOR. NICE. WHO'S IN INDIANA? RIGHT HERE. SO YOU MIGHT AS WELL QUIT PLAYING THIS SEASON 'CAUSE YOU BEAT PURDUE . WELL, COOL. HAD A GREAT DAY. THAT'S RIGHT. I WENT TO OKLAHOMA. SORRY TO THE LONGHORN PEOPLE, BUT I HA I HAPPENED TO GET THE HONOR OF REPRESENTING ALL OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL, AS I SAID. AND WHAT YOU'VE SEEN HERE IS THE SPIRIT OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS COMING TO THIS CITY. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO BE COMING TO HOUSTON ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, I GREW UP IN A, IN A FARM TOWN IN SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA WHERE WE HAD A BIG RODEO EVERY YEAR. WE THOUGHT IT WAS A BIG RODEO. . LITTLE DID I KNOW ABOUT RODEOS. UM, BUT I REMEMBER THAT HOUSTON WAS, WE KNEW DALLAS A LITTLE BIT, BUT HOUSTON WAS LIKE THIS MAGICAL MYTHICAL PLACE UP ON A HILL THAT WAS SO FANTASTIC THAT NONE OF US EVER THOUGHT WE WOULD EVER GET TO GO THERE. I MEAN, WE WERE IN AWE OF HOUSTON. AND NOW HERE I GET TO STAND HERE ON THIS DEUS AND SAY HOW GRATEFUL I AM THAT, THAT YOU HAVE BEEN KIND ENOUGH TO BRING OUR EVENT HERE AND, AND WELCOME US, AND THAT WE ALL GET TO WORK HERE FOR THE NEXT YEAR. IT'S, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF A DREAM COME TRUE FOR ALL OF US THAT WE, WE GET TO COME TO HOUSTON AND MAYOR, WILL WE COME BACK? I CAN'T OVER PROMISE, BUT Y'ALL HAVE SHOWN US EVERYTHING THAT [00:30:01] ANY HOST WANTS TO SEE AND WE COULD NOT BE MORE GRATEFUL. UH, OH, I FORGOT ONE THING. REALLY IMPORTANT. UH, WHEN WE STARTED THE CFP, WE KNEW WE WANTED TO HAVE A CHARITABLE COMPONENT. AND WE WERE SO LUCKY WHEN WE STARTED, IT WAS 12, IT WAS IN 2012. GET THIS, I WAS THE ONLY EMPLOYEE. AND IT WAS SO COOL TO BE ABLE TO BE INVOLVED IN BUILDING THE WHOLE THING FROM SCRATCH. AND, BUT WE KNEW WE WANTED TO HAVE A CHARITABLE COMPONENT. SO WE GOT A COMMITTEE TOGETHER. WE ARE HIGHER EDUCATION AFTER ALL, SO WE HAVE TO HAVE COMMITTEES. AND WE TALKED ABOUT EVERY POSSIBLE CHARITY. AND SOMEONE SAID, HOW ABOUT EDUCATION? AND I SAID, WELL, NO, WE CAN'T. YEAH, THAT'S GREAT, BUT WE CAN'T DO HIGHER EDUCATION BECAUSE THAT'S WHO WE ARE. AND SOMEONE ELSE SAID, HOW ABOUT K THROUGH 12 TEACHERS, K THROUGH 12 TEACHERS, BINGO, WE HAD IT AND THAT THUS WAS BORN EXTRA YARD FOR TEACHERS. AND IN CONNECTION WITH THE HOST COMMITTEE, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE OVER THE NEXT 10 MONTHS AND BEYOND, UH, SOME GREAT THINGS HAPPEN FOR TEACHERS, UH, BE, UH, BECAUSE OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF. SO KEEP YOUR EYE ON WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN BETWEEN THE HOST COMMITTEE AND CFP, UH, ON, ON, ON, ON TEACHERS. WE LOVE IT. WE'D LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK HERE. COULD NOT BE MORE GRATEFUL. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE PEOPLE POWER AND GO HAWKEYES, . ALRIGHT. AS CHRIS AND JUNE SAID, UNFORTUNATELY, HARRIS COUNTY JUDGE LENA HIDALGO COULD NOT BE HERE, BUT WE HAVE OUR PR ASSISTANT, ALEJANDRA HEBERT. ALEJANDRA, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. ALL RIGHT, HOW ABOUT ANOTHER HAND FOR ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS, OUR PANEL HERE TODAY? WHO WANTS TO TAKE A SELFIE WITH A TROPHY? OKAY, LET'S GET FIRED UP. COLLEGE FOOTBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 2024 RIGHT HERE. LET'S GET THE PANEL IN SOME PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES NOW AS WE REMOVE THE PODIUM AND GET READY. LET'S ROCK. * 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.