* 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: "Lynn Wyatt Square Grand Opening"] [00:00:19] MY NAME IS DAVID MINTZBERG AND I SERVE AS CHAIR OF HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION. IT'S MY HONOR TO WELCOME YOU TO THE GRAND OPENING OF LIN WYATT SQUARE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS AND TO THE WELL DESERVED RECOGNITION OF ITS PATRON. LYNN WYATT. Y'ALL HAVE BEATEN ME TO MY GOOD PUNCHLINES, MY GOOD APPLAUSE LINES. MY ENVIABLE TASK TODAY IS TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK THE MANY FOLKS WHO MADE THIS SQUARE POSSIBLE BEFORE PROCEEDING. I WANT TO ASK LYNN'S RABBI AND COINCIDENTALLY, MY RABBI, RABBI DAVID LYON OF TEMPLE BETH ISRAEL TO OFFER A BLESSING. RABBI LYON, CONGRATULATIONS TO LYNN WYATT, MAYOR TURNER, AND HOUSTON. FIRST FOR THE BRILLIANT RESULTS THAT FLOWED FROM EXTRAORDINARY IMAGINATION, DEDICATION, AND GENEROSITY. IN PSALM 96, WE READ, SING A NEW SONG UNTO GOD. BUT YOU SEE IN HEBREW, THE WORD SONG ALSO MEANS A POEM. WE CAN LEARN FROM THIS THAT GOD IS HONORED BY US WHEN WE USE OUR HEARTS AND SOULS, VOICES, HANDS, LEGS, AND BODIES TO EXPRESS ALL GOD'S GIFTS TO US. WE CALL THEM THE ARTS AND WE EXPERIENCE THEM AS CULTURE, AND THE RESULT IS HUMAN AWARENESS AND PERSONAL GROWTH IN A VIBRANT CITY THAT NEVER STOPS IMAGINING. ON THIS SEPTEMBER DAY, WE ANTICIPATE NOT ONLY COOLER WEATHER AND FALL COLORS, BUT ALSO THE VARIETY OF PERFORMANCES THAT IT WILL EMERGE FROM THIS MAGNIFICENT LYNN WYATT SQUARE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS. WE ARE GRATEFUL, SO WE PRAY, OH GOD, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CREATIVE ACTS REFLECTED IN GENEROUS HEARTS THAT WELCOME, TALENTED, AND GIFTED HUMAN BEINGS TO FIND THEIR SONG AND THEIR POEM WITH THEM. MAY THEY ENTHRALL US WITH THEIR PERFORMANCES AND MOVE US TO SEE AND FEEL THAT ART IS IN ALL OF US AND ALL AROUND US TOO. MAY WE BE WORTHY OF FINDING BEAUTY IN ALL YOUR CREATIONS. OH GOD, EVERYWHERE WE ARE IN YOUR HOLY NAME WE PRAY AND WE SAY TOGETHER. AMEN. THANK YOU, RABBI LYON. AND HE'S ALSO JOINED HERE TODAY BY RABBI SCOTT, BOTH OF TEMPLE, HIS COLLEAGUE, BOTH OF TEMPLE, BETH ISRAEL. THANK YOU BOTH FOR, FOR BEING HERE TODAY. I'M JOINED ON THE PODIUM BY MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER, HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION, CEO, MICHAEL HECKMAN, DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY PRESIDENT CHRIS LARSON, THE AER DISTRICT CHAIR HILLARY HART, AND OF COURSE THE STAR OF HOUSTON, LYNN WYATT. THIS PARK AND ITS DEDICATION HAS HAD A FEW BUMPS ALONG THE WAY. SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE HEARD ABOUT A HURRICANE NAMED HARVEY, IN WHICH WHERE YOU'RE SITTING RIGHT NOW, THERE WERE SEVERAL JUST UNDERNEATH. THERE WERE SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND GALLONS OF TOXIC WATER THAT HAD TO BE REMOVED BEFORE WE COULD EVEN BEGIN FIGURING OUT WHAT TO DO WITH THIS PARK AND THE CHALLENGES OF THE PANDEMIC. HOWEVER, TODAY MAY JUST BE THE EXACT RIGHT DAY FOR LIN. FIVE DAYS AGO, MARKED RUSH HASHANAH, THE JEWISH NEW YEAR, WHICH IS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY A 10 DAY PERIOD OF REFLECTION, RENEWAL, AND A TIME OF NEW BEGINNINGS SUCH AS THIS PARK. JUST AS OSH HASHANAH MARKS THE BEGINNING OF THE JEWISH CALENDAR, THIS PARK DEDICATION SYMBOLIZES A FRESH START FOR THIS PART OF THE CITY, CELEBRATING THE RICH CULTURAL TAPESTRY THAT LYNN HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THROUGH HER SUPPORT OF THE ARTS. [00:05:01] THIS PARK SERVES AS A REMINDER OF THE POWER OF COMMUNITY AND THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF LYNN WYATT'S GENEROSITY TO THE HOUSTON ARTS COMMUNITY. PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE FIRST OF MANY OVATIONS TO LYNN. WHILE THE MAYOR WILL RECOGNIZE ELECTED OFFICIALS, I WISH TO RECOGNIZE MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS STARTING WITH, AND I'M GONNA ASK MY BOARD MEMBERS TO PLEASE STAND AS I CALL THEIR NAME. AND THEN IF YOU'D WAIT FOR A SECOND, THE VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD. DESIREE MORGAN, COUNCIL MEMBER AND MAYOR PRO TEM. DAVE MARTIN, SOPHIA, AND DROGE, ALEX BRENNAN, MARTIN, ELIZABETH GONZALEZ, BROCK, NIKKI KEENAN, REGGIE MARTIN, RYAN MARTIN, PAUL PUENTE, TOM SSTA, BOBBY SINGH, GERALD WOMACK, AND COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS. I DON'T SEE JAY ZEIDMAN HERE TODAY IS JAY, BUT JAY AS WELL TO MY BOARD, MY COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR DEDICATION, YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY AND YOUR TREMENDOUS EFFORTS. AS I SAID, THE MAYOR WILL RECOGNIZE LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS. WE IN THE WYATT FAMILY ARE ALSO HONORED BY THE ATTENDANCE OF, AND I'M GONNA ASK THEM EACH TO STAND, AND ONCE AGAIN, PLEASE HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE. THERE'S A NUMBER OF THEM WHO HAVE MADE THE TRIP FROM OUT OF TOWN TO BE WITH US. JIM WELLS COUNTY JUDGE PETE TRAVINO OF ALICE, TEXAS, DUVAL COUNTY, JUDGE ARNOLDO CANTU CANTU OF SAN DIEGO, TEXAS. JIM HALL COUNTY JUDGE JUAN CARLOS GUERRA OF HEBER BROWNVILLE, TEXAS. DUVAL COUNTY, SHERIFF ROME RAMIREZ OF SAN DIEGO, TEXAS. JIM WELLS COUNTY SHERIFF DANNY BUENO OF ALICE TEXAS. HIDALGO COUNTY SHERIFF EDDIE GUERRA OF EDINBURGH AND MCALLEN, TEXAS STAR COUNTY SHERIFF ORTA FUENTES OF RIO GRANDE, TEXAS CLEAVER COUNTY COURT AT LAW. JUDGE JAIME CARILLO OF KINGSVILLE, TEXAS. JIM WELLS COUNTY ATTORNEY MICHAEL GUERRA OF ALICE, TEXAS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. DAVID AND MARLO GARZA OF BENAVIDES, TEXAS POLICE CHIEF EDEN GARCIA OF ALICE, TEXAS, AND DUVAL COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES CHIEF JUAN GARCIA. PLEASE JOIN ME IN THANKING THEM FOR MAKING THE TRIP IN HERE AS THEY HONOR THE WYATT FAMILY BY THEIR PRESENCE. THANK YOU ALL. MICHAEL HECKMAN, WHO HAS WONDERFULLY LED HOUSTON FIRST STARTING, WE, WE ASKED HIM TO TAKE OVER AS CEO DURING THE PANDEMIC AND HE'S DONE A WONDERFUL JOB LEADING THIS ORGANIZATION THROUGH THE PANDEMIC AND THE RECOVERY WILL RECOGNIZE THE ENTIRE HOUSTON FIRST TEAM. HOWEVER, AS THIS PROJECT HAS LASTED MY ENTIRE TENURE AS CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND ASK TO STAND AND AGAIN, HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE. THREE INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT WHOM THIS PARK WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN REALIZED FIRST, AND I SAW HIM STANDING BACK THERE. ANDY ICKEN, CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND A WONDERFUL GUIDE AND RESOURCE TO ME ON A VERY, VERY REGULAR BASIS. AND FROM HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION, TWO EXTRAORDINARY PROFESSIONALS, ENGINEER CHRISTIE GOLDER, PROJECT DIRECTOR WHO JOINED THE TEAM IN 2020 AND HAS BEEN ACTIVE IN THE DAY-TO-DAY MANAGEMENT OF THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION TEAM. AND ARCHITECT ROXANNE VIC, URBAN DEVELOPMENT OFFICER IN CHARGE OF THE PROJECT SINCE 2017. RESPONSIBLE AMONGST OTHER THINGS FOR THE VISIONING, STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT, ARCHITECTURAL PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, DESIGN PARAMETERS, AND RFQ FUNDRAISING, DAY-TO-DAY MANAGEMENT AND TROUBLESHOOTING ON ALL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION ITEMS. IT MAY TAKE A VILLAGE, YET IT NEEDED THESE THREE PEOPLE TO LEAD THE EFFORT. ROXANNE, ANDY, KRISTEN. THANK, THERE'S CHRISTIE BACK THERE ALMOST EIGHT YEARS AGO, MAYOR TURNER APPOINTED ME AS CHAIR OF HOUSTON FIRST, AND AMONGST A REASONABLY LONG LIST OF THINGS HE ASKED ME TO DO WAS TO REIMAGINE THIS BLOCK THAT STARTED WITH A VISIT BY ROXANNE AND ME TO ANNE STERN OF THE HOUSTON ENDOWMENT FOUNDATION TO DISCUSS [00:10:01] THE BLOCK'S HISTORY. ANNE WAS WONDERFULLY, WONDERFULLY GRACIOUS TO US AND SET US FORTH ON A NEW NAMING PLAN, ONE THAT CULMINATED IN TODAY'S NAMESAKE AND IN A FULL CIRCLE KIND OF WAY THIS MORNING, I HEARD ANNE INTERVIEWED ON THE RADIO IN WHICH SHE SAID, PARKS AREN'T JUST A NICE THING, PARKS ARE ESSENTIAL. ROXANNE, MYSELF, AND MANY OTHERS FROM HOUSTON, FIRST CAME HERE AND WALKED THIS PLAZA QUICKLY SEEING ITS PROMINENCE FOR OUR FANTASTIC THEATERS, WHICH YOU SEE ALL AROUND US. EVERYBODY'S BEEN REMARKING ON THAT TODAY. OFFICE TOWERS CITY HALL IN THE FEDERAL BUILDING. OUR TEAM AT HOUSTON FIRST SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS LOOKING AT HOW TO MAKE THIS A MORE USEFUL SPACE, MORE OPEN, MORE ACCESSIBLE, MORE SUSTAINABLE. HOW COULD WE USE IT IN A WAY THAT PLAYS TO ITS LOCATION? IN THE HEART OF THE THEATER DISTRICT, WE WORKED WITH MANY STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING THE THEATERS, THE DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, THE LANDLORDS IN THIS AREA AND THE CITY OFFICIALS AND BY CITY OFFICIALS. LET THERE BE NO DOUBT THAT INCLUDES OUR VERY HANDS-ON SYLVESTER TURNER. I CAN ASSURE YOU VERY HANDS-ON. WHAT WE HEARD CONSISTENTLY WAS A DESIRE FOR A SQUARE THAT WAS OPEN AND GREEN FROM GRABBING BREAKFAST IN THE MORNING TO GATHERING TOGETHER BEFORE A PERFORMANCE IN THE EVENING AND ONCE FULLY ENVISIONED. WE NEEDED A NAMESAKE, AN INDIVIDUAL WHO EMBODIES THE SPIRIT OF HOUSTON, AND WE FOUND IT SOMEONE WHOSE NAME IS SYNONYMOUS WITH THE ARTS HERE AND AROUND THE WORLD. AND THAT LED US TO THE ONE AND ONLY LYNN WYATT, A PROMINENT PHILANTHROPIST AND PATRON OF THE ARTS. WITH LYNN IN PLACE, WE AGAIN STEP BACK TO ENSURE THAT THIS PROJECT PROPERLY HONORED HER LEGACY IN THE ARTS, THAT IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT LYNN AND HER ENTIRE FAMILY WOULD BE PROUD OF NOW AND FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. A LEGACY THAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO THE MAYOR, TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND FOR THOSE OF US THAT SERVE AND WORK AT AT HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION. AND I HOPE WHEN YOU DEPART HERE TODAY, YOU FEEL THAT WE WILL HAVE ACHIEVED THAT GOAL. I'M SO HONORED THAT LYNN HAS ALLOWED US TO NAME THIS SQUARE FOR HER. THANK YOU LYNN, FOR YOUR GENEROSITY AND FOR YOUR LONG ADVOCACY FOR THE ARTS AND FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. IN ADDITION TO HER LOVE OF THE ARTS, FASHION, AND PHILANTHROPY, LYNN HAS ALWAYS LOVED THE OUTDOORS AND RANCHES EVER SINCE SHE WAS A CHILD. JOINING US TODAY ARE ASSOCIATES OF THE FAMILY'S CATTLE RANCHES IN WEST AND SOUTH TEXAS WHO HAVE COME HERE TO HONOR HER. I'M SURE MANY OF YOU SAW THE THE HORSES UP THERE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR, FOR MAKING THE TIME AND BEING A PART OF, OF THIS CELEBRATION. AND I'M ALSO PLEASED THAT OSCAR WYATT, PROMINENT BUSINESSMAN, HOUSTONIAN AND GREATEST GENERATION VET IS HERE TODAY AND WITH US AT AGE 99. PLEASE, I WANNA THANK CHRIS AND THE DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AS WELL AS HILLARY IN THE THEATER DISTRICT FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP ON THIS EFFORT AND THE ENTIRE TEAM. IT TOOK AN ENTIRE TEAM AT HOUSTON FIRST FOR MANAGING THIS PROJECT AND HELPING US CREATE A NEW GEM FOR THIS CITY. NOW I WANNA INVITE MY COLLEAGUE AND PARTNER WHO IN ADDITION TO ANDY AND MY WIFE LAINEY, I SPEAK TO EVERY DAY, LAINEY MIGHT SAY MORE TO THEM SOMETIMES THAN TO HER HOUSTON FIRST, CEO MICHAEL HECKMAN, TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE PARK AND THE TEAM BEHIND IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU DAVID, UM, FOR THOSE KIND REMARKS. UH, AND LET ME WELCOME EVERYONE HERE AS WELL FOR A WONDERFUL MORNING, UH, ON SUCH A SPECIAL DAY HERE IN DOWNTOWN HOUSTON, TEXAS. I DO WANNA START BY BY THANKING OUR CHAIRMAN, UH, FOR HIS LEADERSHIP ON THIS PROJECT. HE MENTIONED IT WAS HIS ENTIRE TERM, UH, AS CHAIRMAN OF HOUSTON FIRST, AND THAT IS CORRECT. DAVID HAS BEEN A GUIDING FORCE ON THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THIS SQUARE, HELPING LEAD THE FUNDRAISING EFFORT AND CHAMPIONING THE [00:15:01] TRANSFORMATION INTO SOMETHING TRULY SPECIAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, BUT I THINK THAT YOU ALL AGREE THAT THE END RESULT IS SOMETHING PRETTY SPECTACULAR. I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE THE ENTIRE BOARD AT HOUSTON. FIRST, THEIR SERVICE, THEIR SUPPORT, THEIR PARTNERSHIP ON ALL OF OUR INITIATIVES THAT WE UNDERTAKE FOR THIS CITY IS INVALUABLE, INCLUDING FOR THIS PROJECT. I WOULD LIKE TO SPECIFICALLY RECOGNIZE VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD, DESIREE MORGAN. DESIREE HAS BEEN THE LONGTIME CHAIR OF THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE THAT OVERSEES THIS TYPES OF TYPE OF WORK THAT WE DO AND HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN THE PROJECT THAT GOES BACK MANY, MANY YEARS IN THE PROCESS FROM DUE DILIGENCE TO VISITING OTHER CITIES AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WERE, THAT WERE CONTEMPLATED IN LOOKING AT WHAT THIS PARK COULD ONE DAY BE. DESIREE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. THE CREATION OF THIS SQUARE IS JUST THE LATEST EXAMPLE OF THE MOMENTUM THAT THE TEAM AT HOUSTON FIRST HAS BEEN BUILDING TO FULLY RECOVER FROM THE PANDEMIC. OUR TEAM HAS WORKED EXTREMELY HARD TO GET HOUSTON BACK ON FIRM FOOTING WITH GROWTH IN TOURISM CONVENTIONS AND SIGNATURE PROJECTS LIKE THIS ONE. OUR WORK IS HELPING FILL HOTEL ROOMS AND BUILD VIBRANCY FOR OUR DESTINATION, WHICH ULTIMATELY CREATES VALUE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS OUR MISSION AT HOUSTON FIRST. BUT WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US THAT ARE HERE TODAY? WELL, THE GROWTH AND HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES HELPS FUND NOT ONLY THE WORK THAT WE DO PROMOTING HOUSTON ALL OVER THE WORLD, BUT IT MEANS MORE MONEY FOR THE ARTS GROUPS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND NOT JUST THE LARGE ONES THAT THAT SURROUND US HERE TODAY. OUR COMMUNITY GROUPS THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT MAKE UP WHAT HOUSTON IS AS A CITY, A VIBRANT, DYNAMIC ART SCENE IS THE PILLARS OF THE VALUE PROPOSITION AND BRAND AS A DESTINATION AND INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO THE IDENTITY THAT WE HAVE AS A WORLD-CLASS CITY. WHEN I TALK TO MY COUNTERPARTS AROUND THE COUNTRY, IT'S CLEAR THAT HOUSTON HAS RECOVERED MUCH FASTER AND FRANKLY MORE COMPLETELY THAN OTHER DESTINATIONS AROUND THE US. THIS IS A TESTAMENT TO THE STRONG AND STEADY LEADERSHIP OF MAYOR TURNER. HE NAVIGATED THE PANDEMIC BETTER THAN ANY MAYOR IN THE UNITED STATES, AND HOUSTON IS MUCH BETTER OFF BECAUSE OF IT. ADDITIONALLY, AS HIS EIGHT YEARS COMES TO A CLOSE, SADLY IT'S CLEAR THAT HE HAS HAD A VISION NOT ONLY FOR THIS SQUARE, BUT A VISION FOR OUR ENTIRE CITY OF HOUSTON. WE ARE ALL GRATEFUL FOR, FOR YOU MAYOR TURNER. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE LIN WHITE SQUARE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE THE POWER OF COLLABORATION BY WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE MANY CONSTITUENCIES THAT DAVID MENTIONED EARLIER. WE HAVE CREATED A SPECIAL PLACE FOR THE THEATER DISTRICT DOWNTOWN AND FOR ALL OF HOUSTON, NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE UNLESS IT COULD BE FUNDED. SO AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE PARK'S NAMESAKE, LYNN WYATT AND FAMILY FOR THEIR AMAZING LEAD GIFT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALSO, THE DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY WHOSE SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL SUPPORT ALLOWED THIS PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD. ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE GRATEFUL TO THE SUPPORT FROM THE FOLLOWING LOCAL FOUNDATIONS, ELKINS CULLEN, FRAN WORTHHAM, MD ANDERSON, ROBERT, AND JANICE MCNAIR, VIVIAN L SMITH, AND THE HERSTEIN FOUNDATION. PLEASE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL OF THOSE THAT HELPED FUND THIS PROJECT. I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY THANKS AND RECOGNIZE THE TEAM THAT TRANSFORMED OUR VISION INTO THE BEAUTIFUL DESIGN THAT WE'RE CELEBRATING TODAY LED BY THE INTERNATIONAL FIRM OF RIOS. THE TEAM INCLUDES SEVERAL LOCAL FIRMS, INCLUDING HARRISON, KORNBERG ARCHITECTS, AURAURA ROBINSON, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS, AND EIGHT MORE TALENTED ENGINEERING FIRMS AND SPECIALISTS. THANK YOU ALSO TO MANHATTAN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY TEAM WHO TRANSFORMED THE DESIGN INTO THE PHYSICAL REALITY THAT WE CAN TOUCH, FEEL, AND ENJOY TODAY AND WILL FOR MANY, MANY YEARS TO COME. FINALLY, LET ME ADD MY GRATITUDE TO ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES AT HOUSTON FIRST THAT INSPIRE ME EACH AND EVERY DAY. THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ARE EXECUTING AND DELIVERING ON THE HUGE OBJECTIVES THAT ARE LAID BEFORE HOUSTON. FIRST. THEY ARE THE ONES THAT DO THE WORK. THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE MAKING HOUSTONIANS PROUD FROM ALL THAT THEY DO. I'M CONSTANTLY IN AWE OF WHAT THEY ACHIEVE FOR HOUSTON. SO PLEASE, [00:20:01] A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES AT HOUSTON FIRST. NOW IT IS MY PLEASURE TO TURN IT OVER SOME FOR, FOR SOME REMARKS TO CHRIS LARSON, WHO'S THE PRESIDENT OF CENTRAL HOUSTON AND THE DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ESTEEMED GUESTS AND FELLOW HOUSTONIANS. UM, MY NAME IS CHRIS LARSON AND UM, I GET TO WEAR A LOT OF DIFFERENT HATS, UM, IN HOUSTON, UH, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A VERY COMPLEX ORGANIZATION AND WE'VE GOT LOTS OF DIFFERENT TOOLS THAT WE BRING TO THE TABLE TO HELP TO WORK ON PROJECTS LIKE THIS. UM, TODAY I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND BEFORE I GET INTO MY REMARKS, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE CHAIR OF THE DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. CURTIS FLOWERS. I THINK WE ALSO HAVE JAMES HARRISON. I SAW HIM BACK THERE. JAMES, WHAT'S UP JAMES? UH, ANY OTHER REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BOARD MEMBERS HERE TODAY? I'D LIKE TO THANK BOTH OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THESE ARE VOLUNTEERS THAT GIVE THEIR TIME TO GIVE THEIR EFFORT TO SUPPORT PROJECTS LIKE THIS, TO TALK ABOUT MAKING HARD DECISIONS ON WHERE TO INVEST PUBLIC FUNDS. UM, AND SO THAT IS NO SMALL TASK AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED EFFORT AND DEDICATION TO THIS KIND OF WORK. UM, ALSO NEED TO THANK ALAN DOUGLAS, WHO IS ALL THE WAY IN THE BACK. HE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE SURPRISED THAT I CALLED HIS NAME. ALAN IS THE, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OUR DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND HE IS, UM, THE GREASE AND THE MACHINE THAT MAKES ALL OF THIS WORK. AND FINALLY, THIS IS THE SECOND PARK THAT I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP CUT A RIBBON ON. UH, JUST THIS YEAR, BOTH OF THOSE PARKS WERE STARTED BY SOMEBODY ELSE. I'VE ONLY BEEN IN THE JOB FOR TWO YEARS AND THEY STARTED A LONG TIME AGO. BUT MR. BOB URI, WHO'S DOWN FRONT HERE, ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALAN AND BOB. SO I'D LIKE TO SHARE SOME REMARKS ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS NEAR AND DEAR TO OUR HEARTS. THE PARKS AND OPEN SPACES OF DOWNTOWN HOUSTON. OUR CITY WITH ITS TOWERING SKYSCRAPERS AND WORLD CLASS ATTRACTIONS MAY BE KNOWN FOR ITS OWN BREED OF URBAN HUSTLE, BUT IT'S THE GREEN O ACS NESTLED WITHIN DOWNTOWN THAT TRULY MAKE THIS NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIAL. YOU SEE, PARKS AND OPEN SPACES ARE NOT JUST PATCHES OF GRASS AND CONCRETE WITH A FEW BENCHES. THEY ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF OUR COMMUNITY. THEY PROVIDE US WITH A SANCTUARY FROM THE DAILY GRIND, A PLACE WHERE WE CAN CONNECT WITH NATURE, REJUVENATE OUR SPIRITS, AND FOSTER A SENSE OF BELONGING. THIS PARK, LYNN WYATT SQUARE, THANK YOU MA'AM, JOINS A GROWING LIST OF REMARKABLE URBAN SPACES THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT OR RE-ENVISIONED IN DOWNTOWN JUST OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES. FROM HERE WITHIN THIS SPACE, WE CAN LOOK IN ALMOST ANY DIRECTION AND BEHOLD THE BOUNTIES OF ARTS AND CULTURE FROM TOP-NOTCH THEATERS TO EXCELLENCE IN DANCE AND MUSIC. THE VISION FOR THIS SPACE INCORPORATES THE IDEA THAT PARKS AND THE ARTS ARE MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL. OUR PERFORMING ARTS GROUPS CAN PLAY AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN ACTIVATING THIS PARK, AND IN TURN, THIS PARK WILL EXPAND AND AND IMPROVE THE EXPERIENCES OF THEATERGOERS. MOREOVER, PLACES LIKE THIS ARE NOT JUST FOR, FOR ADULTS. THEY'RE INVALUABLE TO THE NEXT GENERATIONS FOR WHOM WE BUILD THIS CITY. THESE ARE THE OUTDOOR STAGES AND CLASSROOMS IN WHICH YOUNG MINDS EXPLORE, PERFORM, AND THRIVE. FINALLY, THIS SQUARE WILL ALSO ADVANCE THE ECONOMIC VITALITY OF DOWNTOWN HOUSTON. IT WILL ATTRACT VISITORS, TOURISTS, AND BUSINESSES, WHICH WILL IN TURN CREATE JOBS AND STIMULATE LOCAL COMMERCE. A VIBRANT URBAN CENTER NEEDS THESE GREEN LUNGS TO BREATHE LIFE INTO ITS STREETS AND MAKE IT MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR RESIDENTS, INVESTORS ALIKE. SO FINALLY, CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE INVOLVED IN BRINGING LYNN WYATT SQUARE INTO FRUITION. NOW LET'S CONTINUE TO INVEST IN OUR PARKS, ADVOCATE FOR THEIR SUSTAINED WELLBEING AND COLLABORATE AS PARTNERS TO ENSURE THAT THE HEART OF OUR CITY REMAINS VIBRANT, HEALTHY, AND GREEN. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN HOUSTON THAT WE ALL LOVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU CHRIS. AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE IMPACT THAT YOU'VE HAD SINCE ARRIVING IN HOUSTON. WE ARE GLAD THAT YOU'RE A HOUSTONIAN NOW. SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE. NOW I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE HILLARY HART. HILLARY IS THE CHAIR OF THE THEATER DISTRICT HOUSTON AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THEATER UNDER THE STARS. HILLARY, GOOD MORNING. I AM INCREDIBLY HONORED TO BE STANDING HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE DISTRICT, THE MANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT CALL IT HOME AND THE INNUMERABLE HOUSTONIANS THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS INCREDIBLE JEWEL IN THE CROWN OF DOWNTOWN LIN WYATT SQUARE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT ADDITION TO THE [00:25:01] LANDSCAPE OF HOUSTON. THIS PROJECT, MANY YEARS IN THE MAKING SHOWS WHAT IS POSSIBLE WHEN PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY, MUNICIPAL PARTNERS AND THE ARTS JOIN IN A SHARED VISION HERE IN THE HEART OF THE THEATER DISTRICT. IT CREATES THE PERFECT PLACE FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE THE ARTS TO CONNECT AND THOSE NEW TO HOUSTON'S DIVERSE AND DYNAMIC ARTS SCENE, TO BE ABLE TO DISCOVER THE WORK OF THE INCREDIBLY TALENTED ARTISTS WHO ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THIS COMMUNITY. AS ARTISTS AND ARTS MAKERS, WE HAVE THE IMMENSE PRIVILEGE OF BEING PART OF AN INDUSTRY THAT ENTERTAINS CREATES SAFE HAVENS FOR EXPLORATION AND GENERATES A SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC RETURN FOR OUR CITIES. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THROUGH OUR WORK, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING TOGETHER SEEMINGLY DISPARATE GROUPS OF PEOPLE FOR A SHARED EXPERIENCE, EXPERIENCES THAT LEAD TO A VISION THAT WE KNOW LEADS TO THRIVING COMMUNITIES. IT IS NO COINCIDENCE THAT THIS BEAUTIFUL PLAZA AND THE SEEMINGLY DISPARATE GROUP OF PEOPLE GATHERED HERE TODAY EXEMPLIFY SOME OF THE BEST OF WHAT THE ARTS AND HOUSTON HAS TO OFFER AND THE EXCELLENCE THAT CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH PUBLIC-PRIVATE COLLABORATION. ON BEHALF OF THE THEATER DISTRICT, HOUSTON ARTISTS AND ARTS SUPPORTERS, I WANNA THANK LYNN WYATT, HER INCREDIBLE GENEROSITY, HER UNWAVERING SUPPORT OF THE ARTS. TO SAY THAT WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE AND CONTINUE TO DO FOR ARTS AND CULTURE THROUGHOUT THE CITY IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK HOUSTON FIRST, THE DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND THE MANY FOUNDATIONS WHO DEDICATED SO MUCH OF THEMSELVES, THEIR TIME, ENERGY, AND RESOURCES TO SEEING THIS VISION THROUGH WE COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THIS PLAZA AND FOR THE ARTS IN HOUSTON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, HILLARY. NOW I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE PATRICK SUMMERS. I'M SURE YOU ALL KNOW PATRICK, BUT THE ARTISTIC AND MUSIC DIRECTOR FOR THE HOUSTON GRAND OPERA FOR A FEW REMARKS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THIS IS A BRIEF PROSE POEM PERSONALLY FOR LYNN. UH, ONCE A LETTER REACHED HER HERE IN HOUSTON, UH, THE LETTER CAME FROM FRANCE. IT WAS ADDRESSED SIMPLY LYNN WYATT, TEXAS. SHE IS POETRY AND PROSE, SO SOMETIMES SHE RHYMES SO WELL. SHE CHOSE TO READ BETWEEN LINES. INSPIRED BY HER FAVORITE GRACE, THE FAMOUS PRINCESS OF MONACO, HER NEIGHBOR OF MANY YEARS. SHE IS THAT SAME FOREVER LAND OF KINDNESS AND GRACE. HER GREATEST GIFTS ARE HER TIME, HER ADVOCACY, HER LOVE. SHE HAS AN ORBIT BECAUSE SHE IS A SON, A CENTER OF GRAVITY. WHEN SHE IS YOUR FRIEND, YOU REALLY HAVE KNOWN A FRIEND. GRACE IS A WORD WITHOUT SYNONYM OR CYNICISM. GRACE DESCRIBES THIS BEAUTIFUL NEWLY GIFTED SPACE, THIS GATHERING PLACE FOR OUR GREAT CITY. WHEN LYNN SAYS THAT THE ARTS ARE A CITY'S SOUL, SHE MEANS IT A MOMENT OF REFLECTION AND GRATITUDE ON THOSE WHO GIVE OF THEMSELVES FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN TO MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR OTHERS. HOW MIRACULOUS THEY ARE, HOW RARE, HOW NEEDED HOWLIN, HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE. ART TELLS THE TRUTH WHEN LIFE CANNOT. ART IS NOT JUST A DISTRACTION FROM OUR JOYLESSLY, HECTIC, OUR ART IS FUNDAMENTAL. AND LYNN UNDERSTANDS THIS. ARTISTS ARE SOULS SEARCHING FOR MEANING. SHE ALSO UNDERSTANDS THIS ONLY ONE THING WILL COMPLETE THIS SQUARE AND BRING LYNN ALL OF HER FUTURE JOY. THE ARTISTS FROM THE GREAT COMPANIES THAT YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS VERY SPOT AND BEYOND, THEY ARE THIS SQUARE. THEY WILL FILL IT. AND MOST ESPECIALLY THE AUDIENCES WHO WILL GATHER HERE BEFORE AND AFTER EVENTS THAT WILL DEFINE THEIR MEMORIES. THEY WILL BRING THE MOST JOY TO LYNN AND BRING HER FAMILY THE MOST PRIDE IN WHAT SHE HAS GIVEN HERE. WHEN GREAT SYMPHONIES PLAY, WHEN SHAKESPEARE SPEAKS, [00:30:01] WHEN TCHAIKOVSKY'S CLARA SOARS AND WHEN THE WORLD'S GREAT SINGERS VIBRATE OUR AIR, THEY WILL GATHER HERE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. AND WHEN THEY DO, THEY WILL REMEMBER THE PEOPLE WHO CHANGE THE WORLD JUST BY WALKING IN A ROOM. THEY WILL REMEMBER LYNN AND HER PERFECT SENSE OF OCCASION GIVING SO GENEROUSLY OF HER OWN BLESSINGS. THEY WILL ALSO REMEMBER THE LYNN THAT WE KNOW AND LOVE TODAY, THE LYNN OF LAUGHTER AND SMILES, THE LYNN THAT GETS THINGS DONE. SHE'S GUCCI AND VERDI ESQUE TO LA BOEM. SHE IS CHANEL AND TAHI AND BEETHOVEN. NEIL, SIMON AND CHEKHOV. GREAT SOUFFLE'S AND NUTCRACKERS. SHE'S ALL OF THAT. SO SOMETIMES SHE RHYMES. AND SO WILL THE END OF THIS POEM. LADY GAGA EQUIPPED WITH A KNOWING GRIN THAT IF SHE GREW UP, SHE'D WANT TO BE LYNN LOOKING DAZZLING ALWAYS, EVEN IN AWFUL MAGENTA. LYNN TREASURES THREE OSCARS, HER OWN ELTON'S PARTY AND THEN DELAU RENTA FOR ALL OF HER GLAMOR. SHE'S NOT HIGHFALUTIN, SO WE CUT HER SOME SLACK FOR THAT ROOM. HELMUT NEWTON NEVER EXPLAIN, NEVER COMPLAIN. SHE DID NOTHING MUNDANE WITH SHIRLEY MCCLAIN. JUST DON'T FORGET THE ICE CUBE FOR HER CHAMPAGNE. THANK YOU DEAR LYNN FOR THIS PEERLESS OCCASION. THIS WILL NOW BE A GATHERING PLACE OF GRATEFUL HOUSTONIANS, ENJOYING THEIR ART AND REALIZING ALWAYS THAT THEY LIVE IN A PLACE OF SUCH OVERWHELMING GENEROSITY, GRACE AND STYLE. ON BEHALF OF ALL OF MY ARTIST COLLEAGUES WHO ARE HERE TODAY FROM ALL OF THE COMPANIES WE ARE PROUD TO BE WHERE THAT LETTER ONCE FOUND YOU. LYNN, WYATT, TEXAS. THANK YOU PATRICK, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ELOQUENCE. CHRIS AND HILLARY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR BOTH KIND WORDS AND, AND ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT THROUGH THIS PROJECT AND THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT, THAT YOU DO COLLABORATIVELY WITH US AND THAT YOU DO FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, MAYOR TURNER ASKED ME TO LOOK AT WHAT REDEVELOPMENT OF THIS BLOCK WOULD LOOK LIKE WHEN I ACCEPTED THE ROLE OF CHAIRMAN OF HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION. THE MAYOR WAS THE ONE WHO ENVISIONED THE INCREDIBLE UNTAPPED POTENTIAL OF THIS SPACE, AND I HOPE THAT HE'LL FEEL THAT WE'VE DONE HIM, LYNN AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON PROUD IN THIS RE-IMAGINING MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER. THANK YOU AND, AND GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE. UM, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO FOLLOW PATRICK, UH, THAT WAS SIMPLY AMAZING. UM, AND THEN HILLARY THIS MORNING AND DAVE, CHRIS, UM, MICHAEL. UM, BUT WHAT AN AMAZING, WHAT AN AMAZING MORNING. UH, IF I HAD GOOD SENSE, IF I HAD GOOD SENSE, I WOULD SIMPLY JUST BRING UP LYNN WYATT AND TAKE MY SEAT IF I JUST HAD GOOD SENSE. BUT, UM, I DO WANNA START OFF, UH, BY ACKNOWLEDGING, THANKING ALL OF YOU, UH, FOR BEING PRESENT FROM HOUSTON. FIRST, THE DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, UH, CERTAINLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF MY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE. ONE THING I'VE LEARNED IN EIGHT YEARS, YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING BY YOURSELF. UH, IT IS A PARTNERSHIP. SO I CERTAINLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS. WE ARE IN HIS DISTRICT THIS MORNING. COUNCIL MEMBER MIKE KNOX, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN. UH, AND I HOPE I HAVEN'T, WHOEVER, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN AND COUNCIL MEMBER ABBEY CAYMAN. SO LET ME, UH, PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE PRESIDENT AND I WILL TELL YOU AS MAYOR CITY OF HOUSTON, TO SEE SO MANY ELECTED OFFICIALS AND DIGNITARIES COMING FROM THE VALLEY, THE RIO GRANDE AREA TO BE HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. UH, THANK YOU AND, AND WELCOME TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON. IF YOU RUN INTO ANYBODY WHILE YOU ARE HERE, UH, THAT'S RUDE TO YOU. UH, [00:35:01] THOSE PERSONS ARE FROM NEW YORK. THEY'RE NOT FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON. SO WELCOME TO THE CITY, TO, UH, TO OSCAR WT, UH, 99. AND, UH, THEY JUST CELEBRATED THEIR 60TH, UH, WEDDING ANNIVERSARY, UM, AND TO THE ENTIRE, TO THE ENTIRE FAMILY. UH, THAT'S HERE TODAY. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU. UM, AND I KNOW WITH THE EXCEPTION OF OSCARS, THE REST OF YOU WOULD JUST STAND ONE MORE TIME, THE ENTIRE FAMILY OF, UH, OSCAR LEE AND WYATT. THANK YOU. ALSO BE FOR BEING PRESENT. JUST A FEW COMMENTS AND THEN YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM, UH, LYNN THIS MORNING. FOUR YEARS AGO, UH, WE STOOD NEAR THIS SPOT AND MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT, UH, THAT WE'LL BE A GAME CHANGER FOR THE HOUSTON THEATER DISTRICT. WE KNEW THAT RENAMING JONES PLAZA AS THE LAND, WT SQUARE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS WAS THE BEGINNING OF TRANSFORMING THIS SPACE AND CONNECTING THE CITY'S MAJOR PERFORMING ARTS GROUPS THAT ATTRACTS THOUSANDS OF THEATER GOERS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. AND I SAID THEN THAT I BELIEVE THAT A THRIVING ARTS CULTURE IS THE CORNERSTONE OF A PROSPEROUS CITY. THE TRANSFORMATION OF THIS SPACE WILL NOT ONLY SERVE AS A CORNERSTONE FOR DOWNTOWN, BUT A DYNAMIC EPICENTER OF HOUSTON'S CULTURAL FOOTPRINT. AND TODAY WE'VE KIND OF ADDED TO THE THEATER DISTRICT TRANSFORM SOME OF THE SPACE ON THREE CORNERS OF IT WITH THIS PARK JONES PLAZA, THE ALLEY, AND QUITE FRANKLY, IN YEARS TO COME, WE HAVE ONE OTHER PIECE THAT NEEDS TO BE TRANSFORMED BEFORE IT IS COMPLETE. AND THAT'S TO THE SPACE RIGHT OVER THERE, UH, WHICH NEEDS A SIGNIFICANT UPLIFTING AS WELL. IN RECOGNITION OF LYNN'S LEGACY OF PHILANTHROPY, IT IS FITTING THAT THIS SPACE BE NAMED AFTER HOUSTON'S GREATEST BENEFACTOR OF THE ARTS, LYNN WYATT. I'M EXCITED TO SEE THE SQUARE COME TO LIFE AS A PUBLIC SPACE THAT CONNECTS THE ART AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT CONNECTS PEOPLE TO THE ARTS. I THANK HOUSTON'S LIVING LEGEND, LYNN WYATT AND HER ENTIRE FAMILY FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO THE CITY AND TO THE ARTS. IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US FOR THIS SPACE TO REFLECT LYNN'S GRACE, HER STYLE, AND HER BEAUTY. THE NEW $26.5 MILLION GREEN SPACE, 1.5 ACRES INCLUDES A FLEXIBLE PERFORMANCE LINE FOR CONCERTS AND OTHER FREE PROGRAMMING, A CASCADING WATER FEATURE, ACCESSIBLE ENTRIES, GARDEN TREES, ONE OF A KIND ROCKER SEATING LIKE LIGHTING AND SOUND ELEMENTS. AND WE ADDED A BIT OF YELLOW IN THE PARK BECAUSE THAT'S SIMPLY HER CAR COLOR. SO WHAT YOU SEE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE POLLS AROUND YOU WERE INTENTIONALLY, INTENTIONALLY CHOSEN TO BE IN YELLOW. AND EVEN THOUGH WE ARE HERE TODAY, WE ARE HERE TODAY, TONIGHT. IF THINGS ARE STILL AS WE PLAN TONIGHT, LAND IN YOUR HONOR, THIS ENTIRE PARK WILL BE ILLUMINATED AND LIT UP SHOWCASING, SHOWCASING THE EXTRAVAGANT LIGHTING DELICATELY DONE TO REFLECT ON THIS SPACE. I HOPE YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME BY AND CHECK IT OUT. AND THERE ARE MANY MURALS COVERING TRAFFIC BOXES AROUND THE SQUARE. THIS IS A PLACE YOU CAN BRING YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER OR YOUR PARENTS CAN BRING THEIR CHILDREN, OR HOUSTONIANS CAN BRING THEIR GUESTS FROM OUT OF TOWN. HOUSTON FIRST WILL MAINTAIN AND OPERATE THE SQUARE, WHICH WILL OFFER YEAR ROUND PROGRAMMING INSPIRED BY HOUSTON'S CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND THE AWARD-WINNING PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATIONS SURROUNDING THE PARK. WE CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS IN THIS CITY BY WORKING TOGETHER THROUGH PUBLIC PRIVATE COLLABORATIONS LIKE THIS ONE BETWEEN LYNN WYATT, THE DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, HOUSTON FIRST AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS A WHOLE. LASTLY, THIS SPACE IS THE HEART OF [00:40:01] DOWNTOWN HOUSTON AND TRULY EXEMPLIFIES THE BEST OF THE BEST AS IT HONORS LYNN WYATT. LYNN HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS A SOCIALITE AND A FASHION ICON WHO HAS RUBBED SHOULDERS WITH LIKES OF NICK JAGGERS AND THE ROLLING STONES AND KINGS AND QUEENS. SHE HAS GRACED THE COVERS OF VOGUE AND TOWN AND COUNTRY MAGAZINES AND HAS EVEN BEEN NAMED THE MOST FASHIONABLE BY MANY PUBLICATIONS. SHE'S SOMEONE WHO'S TAUGHT ME HOW TO TAKE PICTURES, ALWAYS MAY TURN THE, UM, WHAT YOU CALL IT, THE FLASH ON. IF THE FLASH IS NOT ON, IT DOESN'T CAPTURE YOU RIGHT. SHE IS AN ILLUSTRIOUS PATRON OF THE ARTS AND SHE IS AN EXCEPTIONAL PERSON. AND WITH ALL THE ADJECTIVES WE CAN DESCRIBE AND ALL OF THE OTHER NAME ENTITIES WE CAN ATTACH TO HER NAME. WHAT I LIKE MOST IS THAT SHE IS HOUSTON'S OWN AND HOUSTON PROUD, AND WE ARE SO PROUD OF WHAT SHE HAS DONE FOR THIS CITY TO OUR CITY. SHE IS ONE OF US A ONE OF A KIND THIRD GENERATION TEXAN WHOSE HEART IS AS BIG AS A WARM AND GENEROUS SPIRIT. I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF TALKING WITH HER, SITTING NEXT TO HER TO DINNER, ENGAGING IN CONVERSATION, BUT SHE IS AS DOWN TO EARTH AS THEY COME. AND SHE HAS SAID THAT THE YARDS REPRESENT THE SOUL OF OUR CITY. WELL, QUITE FRANKLY, LYNN, WE HOPE THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CAPTURE THAT IN THIS SPACE. AND SO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT'S MY PRIVILEGE BEFORE I BRING HER UP, BECAUSE OF WHAT SHE HAS DONE CONTINUES TO DO FOR OUR CITY. AND IN MY LAST THREE MONTHS OF BEING MAYOR, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SAYING, THEREFORE I, SYLVESTER TURNER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROUDLY PROCLAIM THIS DAY AS LYNN WISE'S DAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. WE ARE SO THANKFUL AND HONORED FOR EVERYTHING THAT SHE DOES. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PRESENT TO YOU, NONE OTHER THAN THE LYNN WYATT, HOLD ONTO THIS RIGHT THERE. I'M CRYING. MAYOR TURNER, THANK YOU FOR THAT BEAUTIFUL INTRODUCTIONS THAT YOUR WORDS TOUCH ME. I AM HONORED TO BE BY IT. LOVE YOU. LOVE YOU. I HAVE BEEN VOTED, BEEN DEVOTED TO THE ARTS BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE ARTS, INCLUDING THE PERFORMING ARTS, ARE THE SOUL OF ANY CITY. I'VE BEEN LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT AND BE INVOLVED IN MANY ARTS GROUPS AS I HAVE. GIVING BACK TO ONE'S COMMUNITY COMES FROM ONE'S FAMILY. MY BROTHER AND I WERE INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE TO BE BORN INTO SUCH A FAMILY. HOUSTON HAS BEEN MY HOME FOR MY ENTIRE LIFE, AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID I WAS BORN AND BRED AND BUTTER IN HOUSTON. THE OLDER A PERSON COMES, HONORS LIKE THIS BECOME SO MUCH MORE MEANINGFUL. ONE LOOKS BACK ON ONE'S LIFE AND FEELS VERY, VERY APPRECIATIVE. MY HEART IS TRULY TOUCHED. I WAS SO SURPRISED AND DEEPLY MOVED WHEN MAYOR TURNER INFORMED ME THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS JUST NAMED THE SQUARE IN MY HONOR. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. IT IS MY FERVENT WISH THAT THIS SQUARE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS IS ENJOYED BY ALL PEOPLE. FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. LONG AFTER I'M GONE, I THINK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TODAY. THANK YOU. LOOK AT THIS. LOOK AT THIS. LOOK AT THIS. LOOK. I LOVE IT. ALL OF THESE PEOPLE HERE, THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, SO MUCH, SO MUCH. THANK LYNN. I THINK WE COULD EASILY GO ON WITH TRIBUTES AND ACCOLADES, [00:45:01] BOTH FROM THOSE OF US ON THE STAGE. UM, YOU NICELY MENTIONED, ROBERT, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. ROBERT'S SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL, AND FROM SO MANY OF YOU IN THE AUDIENCE THAT SOMEHOW IT DOESN'T FEEL SUFFICIENT. BUT FROM ALL OF US, THANK YOU LYNN WYATT, I WANT TO AGAIN THANK PATRICK SUMMERS, UH, MICHAEL, CHRIS, HILLARY, UM, AND OF COURSE MAYOR TURNER. BEFORE WE CUT THE RIBBON, I DO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT FOR A SPECIAL SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT. WE'RE GONNA CUT THE RIBBON IN JUST A, UH, 60 SECONDS OR 90 SECONDS FROM NOW. MICHAEL AND I MET WITH MAYOR TURNER ABOUT EIGHT OR 10 OR 12 WEEKS AGO AND INFORMED HIM THAT HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION HAD DECIDED TO UNANIMOUSLY. THAT IS MICHAEL AND MYSELF. NAME THE CENTRAL WALKWAY OVER HERE. SYLVESTER TURNER WAY UNBEKNOWNST TO THE MAYOR. UNBEKNOWNST TO THE MAYOR, IS THAT FOLLOWING THE RIBBON CUTTING WILL BE THE PLAQUE UNVEILING OF THE WALKWAY. PLEASE JOIN US FOR BOTH THE RIBBON CUTTING AND FOR THE UNVEILING OF THE PLAQUE THAT IS IN PLACE RIGHT OVER THERE. THANK YOU, JEFF. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, FOLLOWING THAT, PLEASE COME ACROSS THE STREET TO JONES HALL TO SEE THEIR WONDERFUL UPDATES AND GET SOME COOL WATER AND REFRESHMENTS, WHICH SHOULD BE THE DRAW. NOW. PLEASE JOIN ME TO CELEBRATE LYNN AND TO CUT THE RIBBON. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY. * 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.