* 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. [Economic Development Committee on January 22, 2026.] [00:00:11] I DO WANT TO WELCOME MY COLLEAGUES AND STAFF AND GUESTS IN ATTENDANCE. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO IS HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN IS HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ IS HERE. WE ALSO HAVE STAFF FROM VICE MAYOR PRO TEMP PECK'S OFFICE FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S OFFICE FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ'S OFFICE, AND ALSO COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER OFFICE. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. THIS MEETING IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND IS BEING HELD IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY. WE'RE ALSO BROADCASTING LIVE ON HOUSTON, HTV, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF. IF YOU'LL JUST HOLD YOUR QUESTIONS. UM, IF YOU'RE ONLINE AND YOU WANT TO PUT THOSE QUESTIONS IN THE CHAT POD, YOU CAN DO THAT. WE DO HAVE ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TODAY. IF YOU ARE HERE AND YOU'D LIKE TO SIGN UP TO SPEAK, THERE IS A SIGNUP SHEET AT THE FRONT TABLE TO YOUR RIGHT. UM, PUBLIC SPEAKERS WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO SPEAK AT THE CONCLUSION OF OUR PRESENTATION. ANY QUESTIONS THAT MAY NOT BE ANSWERED TODAY CAN DEFINITELY BE EMAILED TO OUR OFFICE AT DISTRICT K@HOUSTONTX.GOV, AND WE CAN FORWARD THOSE RESPONSES BACK FROM THE RESPECTIVE DEPARTMENTS. UM, ALSO WANT TO, UH, WELCOME STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON'S OFFICE TO THE MEETING TODAY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. WE DO HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS TODAY. OUR FIRST PRESENTATION WILL BE FROM OUR HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM DIRECTOR, JIM SNYK, AND HE WILL BE PRESENTING ON THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM, GIVING US SOME, UM, GREAT UPDATES. UH, WE'RE VERY HOPEFUL THAT THE WEATHER WON'T CAUSE ANY PROBLEMS FOR US, UH, THIS WEEKEND. SO, UH, DIRECTOR SNYK, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. IF YOU ARE READY, WE ARE READY TO HEAR FROM YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS'S STAFF IS ONLINE. ALSO WANNA REC RECOGNIZE STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS'S OFFICE WHO HAS JOINED US ONLINE. HELLO, DIRECTOR. HOW YOU DOING? IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE TODAY. UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, SO I FIGURED IT'D BE A GOOD TIME TO COME IN AND DO A PRESENTATION AND LET YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE AIRPORT, WHAT WE'RE DOING. UM, AND THEN ALSO, UH, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE ITEMS THAT ARE GONNA BE COMING BEFORE YOU IN THE NEAR FUTURE. AND SO WE WANT TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHAT THAT ENTAILS SO YOU CAN ASK QUESTIONS, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE, UH, BIG DOLLAR AMOUNTS. SO, UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, JUST GENERALLY WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AT THE AIRPORT, UM, FROM A PASSENGER, UM, EXPERIENCE OUTTA THE HOUSE, SO WE CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, NEXT SLIDE. SO, UH, AGAIN, GOOD GROWTH THIS YEAR, PARTICULARLY INTERNATIONAL. UM, SO WE JUST GOT OUR NUMBERS IN AND COMPLETED FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR OF 2025. UM, INTERNATIONAL GROWTH WAS UP, UM, WHICH WAS VERY POSITIVE CONSIDERING WE JUST OPENED THE NEW INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL. UM, AND THEN ALSO OUR AIR CARGO NUMBERS WERE UP AND VERY STRONG, SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. 'CAUSE AGAIN, IT'S A LITTLE, LITTLE KNOWN PART OF THE, THE, THE, THE AIRPORT, BUT IT'S ABOUT $13 BILLION IN ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE, TO THE REGION FOR THE CARGO OPERATION THAT HAPPENS AT THE AIRPORT. ON THE DOMESTIC SIDE, WE WERE DOWN A LITTLE BIT, UM, THAT HAD TO DO, UH, WITH A COUPLE OF FACTORS. SO, UH, NUMBER ONE, ABOUT THIS TIME LAST YEAR, WE WERE CLOSED FOR A DAY, UM, BECAUSE OF THE SNOWSTORM. UM, SO THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON OUR NUMBERS. AND THEN WE'VE SEEN SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN THE DOMESTIC MARKET. WE'VE GOT SOME AIRLINES THAT ARE UP AND SOME AIRLINES THAT ARE DOWN. UM, SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, UNITED AND FRONTIER AT THE AIRPORTS HAVE BEEN UP PRETTY GOOD. AND THEN, UH, SPIRIT AIRLINES WITH THEIR BANKRUPTCY CHALLENGES HAS BEEN DOWN AT THE AIRPORT. UM, AND THEN SOUTHWEST, YOU KNOW, SYSTEMWIDE HAS BEEN DOING SOME REORGANIZATION OF THEIR SYSTEM, AND SO THEY WERE DOWN A LITTLE BIT, BUT THAT WAS A UNIVERSAL THING ACROSS THEIR NETWORK. THEY'VE BEEN DOWN AND THEN THEY'VE GOT A CHALLENGE WITH THEIR AIRCRAFT. RIGHT NOW. THEY'RE, UM, WAITING FOR BOEING TO GET THEIR, UH, 7 37 7 MAXES CERTIFIED. SO WE'RE HEARING THAT, THAT THAT WILL HOPEFULLY HAPPEN SOMETIME THIS YEAR AND ALLOW SOUTHWEST TO CONTINUE TO GROW, UM, AS THEY CONTINUE TO GET AIRPLANES, UH, AND INTO THEIR FLEET. AGAIN. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, AGAIN, JUST TALKING ABOUT THAT INTERNATIONAL GROWTH. UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE SAW A LOT, UH, YOU'LL SEE THE BOAT BOLDED, UH, DESTINATIONS. THOSE ARE A LOT OF NEW DESTINATIONS OR ADDITIONAL COMPETITION ON ROUTES. SO WE'RE ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GROW THE PIE, UM, NUMBER ONE, BUT THEN ALSO HAVING A COMPETITIVE MARKET HERE. UM, SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF SOME OF THESE NEW DESTINATIONS THAT WE HAD. UM, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO ADD, YOU KNOW, DOMESTIC DESTINATIONS TOO. I WAS JUST INFORMED TODAY ABOUT ANOTHER INTERNATIONAL, UM, TWO, TWO MORE INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS THAT WE'RE GONNA GET, BUT I CAN'T ANNOUNCE 'EM YET. SO YOU'LL, YOU'LL HAVE TO FOLLOW OUR TWITTER. IT'LL BE, IT'LL BE ON THERE IN A COUPLE DAYS ONCE IT'S, UH, PUBLIC WITH THE AIRLINE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, AGAIN, TALKING ABOUT THAT CARGO AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO THE REGION, UM, YOU SAW THAT WE'RE, AGAIN, RECORD SETTING OVER HERE. SAW A LOT OF NEW GROWTH, UM, WITH, UH, AGAIN, THE, THE SEMICONDUCTORS [00:05:01] PARTICULARLY THAT ARE COMING IN, UH, TO THE MARKET BECAUSE OF, AGAIN, WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IN HOUSTON, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF FEED THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE AUSTIN REGION, UM, AND THEN ALSO FEEDING THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE SAN ANTONIO REGION. SO A LOT OF GOOD STUFF GOING ON IN THERE. AND THEN WE'VE GOT, OBVIOUSLY, THE SIGNIFICANT OPERATIONS BY FEDEX, UPS AND PRIME AIR, WHICH IS THE AMAZON AIR, UH, WING. SO, UM, ALL THE, THE THINGS YOU ORDER ON AMAZON, A LOT OF IT FLIES IN AND OUTTA THE AIRPORT TOO. SO, UH, BEING, SEEING STRONG NUMBERS THERE. AND AGAIN, UM, JUST RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT WE GOT A SECOND FREQUENCY FROM SILK WAY AIRWAYS. THEY'RE GOING DIRECT, UH, FROM HERE TO, UH, BAKU AZERBAIJAN. UM, SO, UH, IT'S ONE OF THOSE UNIQUE LOCATIONS AND, UH, NOW PEOPLE OUGHT TO THINK ABOUT. BUT, UH, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, PRIMARILY THE OIL BUSINESS. SO WE SEND A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT'S PRODUCED HERE IN HOUSTON FROM AN OIL PERSPECTIVE OVER ON THAT AIRPLANE, UH, TO GET INTO THE MARKETS OVER THERE WHERE THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF OIL PRODUCTION. SO, AGAIN, TYING INTO THE, MAKING SURE THAT THE AIRPORT IS SU IS SERVICING THE, UM, UH, THE ECONOMY OF, OF THE THE HOUSTON REGION. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO SOME TERMINAL IMPROVEMENTS I WANNA TALK ABOUT. NEXT SLIDE. UH, INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL. SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, REDEVELOPMENT WISE, WE'RE, WE'RE PROGRESSING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PRETTY MUCH DONE WITH THE BUILDING ITSELF. UM, SO THIS IS JUST SOME, SOME SHOTS OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE BUILDING RIGHT NOW. SO YOU'LL SEE THAT THE TICKET TICKET LOBBY IS BASICALLY, UM, COMPLETE. UM, YOU'VE GOT THE OCULUS THERE IN THE MIDDLE. UM, YOU'VE GOT UNITED'S TERMINAL B THERE ON THE UPPER. UH, WE'VE GOT THE SECURITY CHECKPOINT 17 LANE SECURITY CHECKPOINT THERE ON THE RIGHT. AND THEN ON THE CENTER, UM, CENTER BOTTOM, YOU'LL SEE ALSO THAT WE'VE GOT THE NEW METRO 500 SERVICE HAS NOW BEEN MOVED FROM TERMINAL C OVER TO THE INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL TO PICK UP OVER THERE. UM, AGAIN, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT GOOD SERVICE THERE, PARTICULARLY FOR OUR INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY TEND TO, TO TAKE PUBLIC TRANSIT TO THE AIRPORT A LOT MORE THAN AMERICANS DO. AND SO BY MOVING THIS OVER TO THE INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL, IT KIND OF EASES THAT. SO WE DON'T HAVE TO SEND THEM ALL THROUGH THE AIRPORT. THEY CAN JUST WALK RIGHT OUT ON THE DOOR AND, AND JUMP ON THAT, THAT METRO BUS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, AGAIN, THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE LOWER HALL. SO AGAIN, WE'VE GOT THE, THE, THE INFORMATION BOOTH THAT'S THERE NOW IN OUR STAFF, IN OUR ORANGE POLOS TO BE ABLE TO HELP A LOT OF THE INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS THAT COME INTO THE, UH, FACILITY, ANSWER ANY OF THEIR QUESTIONS. AND THEN YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THAT OCULUS THERE. UM, SO THAT'S AGAIN, WHERE YOUR METERS AND GREETERS HAPPEN, AND THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE, WHEN THEY WALK OUT OF CUSTOMS, UM, THAT'S WHERE THEIR FIRST KIND OF IMPRESSION OF HOUSTON IS IN THERE. SO, QUITE AN IMPRESSIVE PIECE. AND THEN WE'RE PUTTING SOME CONCESSIONS IN THERE, UH, TO BE ABLE TO KEEP PEOPLE THERE. 'CAUSE AGAIN, YOU'RE AN INTERNATIONAL VISITOR. WE GET A LOT OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT'LL SHOW UP TO GREET 'EM THERE, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT SOME AMENITIES FOR THEM. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, WE'VE ALSO REALLY FOCUSED ON CLEANING UP THE AIRPORT THIS YEAR. SO LAST, YOU KNOW, IF YOU REMEMBER THIS TIME LAST YEAR, WE FOCUSED ON GETTING COMPONENTS OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE OPEN PRIOR TO THE HOLIDAYS SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, RELIEVE THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION THAT WE HAD AT THE AIRPORT. UH, THIS YEAR WE WERE FOCUSING ON CLEANING UP THE THING BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS. UM, SO A LOT OF THE BARRELS ARE GONE, THOSE, UH, THE LITTLE CANDLESTICKS THAT ARE ALL OVER THE ROADWAY. UM, SO NOW WHEN YOU ENTER THE AIRPORT, IT LOOKS MORE LIKE AN AIRPORT AND NOT A CONSTRUCTION SITE. UM, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, AND THEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN ARE WE GONNA OPEN THE BUILDING FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CARRIERS? WELL, RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT, WE'RE GONNA DO THAT IN LATE FEBRUARY. AND SO WE'RE GONNA DO IT IN A STAGED, UM, MANNER. WE'RE NOT GONNA DO ALL AIRLINES ON ONE DAY, SO WE'LL MOVE A COUPLE PER DAY, UM, SO THAT WE CAN EASE OURSELVES INTO THAT FACILITY. UM, BUT THAT IS BASICALLY, UH, CONTINGENT ON OUR, OUR BAGGAGE SYSTEM. THAT'S THE LAST PIECE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW. UH, IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL KIND OF SEE THE BAGGAGE SYSTEM. SO THAT'S IT. SO IT'S, IT'S ALL, IT'S AN ENTIRE BUILDING THAT'S BUILT FOR A BAGGAGE SYSTEM. UM, AND SO WITH THAT BAGGAGE SYSTEM, YOU GOT ALL KINDS OF BELTS AND DRIVES, AND THEY ALL GOTTA BE WORKING IN HARMONY. SO THE GOOD THING IS, IS THAT OUR VENDOR, UM, INSTALLED THE FCI, UH, INSTALLED THE MACHINERY. THEY HAVE TESTED IT, IT WORKS. WE HAVE A THIRD PARTY THAT'S GOING IN AND DOING TESTING RIGHT NOW OF THE SYSTEM. SO AGAIN, THAT'S GOING WELL. AND THEN AGAIN, EARLY FEBRUARY, WE'LL HAVE THE TSA THAT GOES IN FOR THE FINAL INSPECTION OF THAT, THAT MACHINERY. AND THEN ONCE WE CLEAR THE TSA TEST, THEN WE'LL BE LIVE, READY TO GO, UM, AND THEN WE CAN START OPERATING THE FACILITY, UH, WITH THE INTERNATIONAL CARRIERS OVER IN THERE. SO THAT'S THE KIND OF LAST PIECE OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE NEED TO COMPLETE FOR THAT TERMINAL. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. TERMINAL B, GOOD PROGRESS ON TERMINAL B. SO IF YOU LOOK AT, UH, MAY, 2024, UM, SO AGAIN, THIS IS A TERMINAL THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS TO, TO CONSTRUCT IT OVER THERE. UH, YOU LOOK AT DECEMBER OF 2022, UM, YOU SEE THE TWO PIERS THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT OUT THERE. SO IF YOU REMEMBER, THOSE USED TO BE THOSE ROUND CIRCULAR BANJO GATES THAT WE USED TO HAVE OUT THERE THAT, UH, HAD THEIR OWN UNIQUE SMELL, UM, THAT WERE ORIGINAL FROM THE AIRPORT IN 1969. UM, THOSE AGAIN HAVE BEEN REMOVED, AND THEN THESE TWO NEW BEAUTIFUL CONCOURSES HAVE BEEN BUILT IN, IN ITS PLACE. UH, AND THEN ON THE TOP OF THE SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE, THE TERMINAL. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE, THE, THE SQUARE BOX THERE, THAT IS THE TERMINAL B ORIGINALLY ON THE LEFT, YOU'LL SEE, UH, ON THE RIGHT THAT WE'VE EXTENDED THAT TERMINAL, UH, AND PUT IN A LOT MORE. [00:10:01] SO BASICALLY WE'RE DOUBLING THE TICKET HALL THERE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, THIS IS JUST SOME PHOTOS OF THE, THE SITE AND WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE. SO, UM, THAT THE, THE LEFT PHOTO IS A, A CENTRAL, YOU KNOW, JUST A PICTURE INSIDE THE TICKETING HALL. SO THAT'S KIND OF THE GROUND FLOOR WHERE YOU'RE GONNA WALK IN THERE. AND, UH, THE ABOVE YOU, UH, IS THE CEILING. AND THAT CEILING ABOVE THAT IS THE TSA CHECKPOINT WHERE IT WILL BE. UM, AND THEN YOU'LL SEE ON THE PHOTO ON THE RIGHT, IT'S AGAIN A COMPLETE GLASS CURTAIN WALL AROUND THAT AREA. SO IT'LL BE NICE AND BRIGHT AND AREA IN THERE. AND IF YOU LOOK ON THE TOP RIGHT OF THAT PHOTO, YOU'LL KINDA SEE THE INSTALLATION OF THE, BASICALLY THE, THE, THE, UM, CURB COVER THAT'S GONNA GO AROUND THE TERMINAL TO ALLOW ALL THAT TRAFFIC TO BE, UM, PROCESSED ON THAT BUILDING AND THEN KEEP EVERYBODY OUT OF THE WEATHER. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THIS IS A SHOT. UM, THIS IS FROM THE UNITED'S, UH, IT'S GONNA BE, AGAIN, THEIR WORLD'S LARGEST, UH, UNITED CLUB. UM, SO THIS IS FROM THAT MEZZANINE LEVEL. UH, SO IT'S A, YOU KNOW, 50,000 SQUARE FOOT LOUNGE THAT'S GONNA BE THERE. UH, IT'S GOT A GREAT VIEW OVERLOOKING THE AIRFIELD. AND SO, UH, AGAIN, VERY EXCITED. AND AGAIN, A LOT OF FLOOR TO CEILING WINDOWS IN THERE TO BRING IN A LOT OF NATURAL LIGHT. UH, AND THEN THE PHOTO ON THE RIGHT IS, AGAIN, JUST A PICTURE OF THE CONCOURSE ITSELF FROM THE INTERIOR. UH, AGAIN, A LOT OF FLOOR TO CEILING WINDOWS. UH, MAKE SURE IT'S NICE AND BRIGHT AND AIRY. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, AT HOBBY, UH, WE'RE CONTINUING TO MAKE PROGRESS AND WHAT WE'RE DOING OVER HERE. UM, SO YOU'LL SEE THAT THE CANOPY, UH, CONNECTING THE GARAGE TO THE TERMINAL IS, IS IN PROGRESS AND, AND CONSTRUCTED. AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF BASICALLY JUST FRAMING IT OUT. NOW, UM, YOU'LL SEE THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF A DATED PROJECT, OR A LITTLE DATE OF A PHOTO RIGHT NOW, BUT IF YOU WERE TO GO OUT THERE TODAY TO THE RIGHT OF THIS CANOPY, YOU WOULD ACTUALLY SEE SOME TENTS. AND SO THOSE TENTS ARE OUT THERE TO PROTECT, UM, THE SKYLIGHTS THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN FOR THE BAGGAGE CLAIM BELOW. SO IF YOU'RE OUT THERE AND WONDERING WHAT'S GOING ON, WE WANNA KEEP THE ELEMENTS OUT OF THOSE HOLES AS WE OPEN THEM IN THE TERMINAL. UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS KIND OF FACE OF HOBBY IS GONNA BE VERY, UM, IMPROVED. UH, AND AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE ON THAT ARCHITECTURAL RENDERING, YOU'LL SEE ONTO THE RIGHT OF THE CANOPY. YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE, UH, THE, THE, THE, UH, SKYLIGHTS THAT ARE POPPING UP THROUGH THERE. SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, GONNA BE A BIG IMPROVEMENT FOR, FOR HOBBY. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, I MEAN, AGAIN, DOING A LOT OF WORK AND IT'S, IT'S STARTING TO PAY OFF. SO ON OUR BAG CLAIM NOW, WE HAVE THREE OF THE NEW CAROUSELS UP AND IN SERVICE. UM, SO AGAIN, WE'VE GOTTA PHASE THAT 'CAUSE WE ALWAYS, WE'RE GONNA ULTIMATELY HAVE SIX DOWN THERE, UH, BUT WE ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE FOUR AVAILABLE. UM, SO WE CAN HANDLE THE TODAY'S OPERATIONS. SO WE KIND OF BUILT SOME OF THE FIVE AND SIX, WHICH ARE THE, THE, THE, THE NEW ONES. UM, AND THEN NOW WE'RE STARTING TO GET INTO THE OLD ONES BY TAKING THEM, THEM OUT. UH, ADDITIONALLY DOWN IN THE BAGGAGE CLAIM, YOU'LL SEE WE'VE ACTUALLY HAVE NEW RESTROOMS IN THERE. SO THAT'S THE PHOTOS OF THE NEW WOMEN'S AND THE NEW MEN'S RESTROOMS DOWN THERE. SO THEY'RE VERY NICE, UM, MODERN, AIRY, UM, AND EXPANDED. SO THAT'S, AGAIN, A LOT MORE CAPACITY IN THERE. SO AGAIN, STARTING TO SEE SOME PROGRESS DOWN THERE AT HOBBY, UM, SOME TERRAZAS GETTING DONE, UH, IN THAT AREA ALSO. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, KIND OF PHOTO OF THE CONSTRUCTION ITSELF. SO YOU KINDA SEE THAT THE PIER IS COMING OUT THERE. AND THEN THE ROOF PIECE IS, IS PRETTY MUCH FINISHED. UM, THEY SHOULD START HANGING SOME GLASS ON THERE, UM, PRETTY SOON. UM, SO AGAIN, PROGRESSING A LOT. AND THEN THEY'RE STARTING TO DO A LOT OF THE CONCRETE WORK, UH, IN AND AROUND THERE THAT'S GONNA SUPPORT WHERE THE AIRCRAFT PARK THEMSELVES. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, WE'VE ALSO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE, THE, THE TERMINALS ARE VERY EXCITING, UH, BUT WE HAVE TO DO A LOT OF WORK TO MAINTAIN THE AIRFIELD TOO. SO IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, WE JUST COMPLETED OUR, UM, RUNWAY EIGHT RIGHT RENOVATION. SO WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THAT RUNWAY IS AGAIN, ONE OF THE MORE ORIGINAL ONES AT THE AIRPORT. UM, AIRPLANE TIRES ARE BALD. UM, AND SO WHEN THEY LAND, THE GROOVES ARE IN THE RUNWAY TO PROVIDE THE WATER RUNOFF. AND SO WE HAD REACHED A POINT WHERE WE NEEDED TO REGROOVE THE RUNWAY. SO WE THANK YOU FOR THE PROVING THAT. UM, AND SO THAT WAS JUST RECENTLY COMPLETED ON EIGHT, RIGHT? UH, AND WE'RE GONNA BE DOING THE SAME PROJECT ON 9 2 7 UP THERE, UH, SOMETIME THIS SPRING. UM, SO AGAIN, JUST CONTINUING OUR MAINTENANCE UP THERE. IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I GET A LOT OF, LOT OF, IT'S A TWO MILE LONG RUNWAY, AND SO WE'VE GOTTA GO OUT THERE AND, AND GRIND IT, BASICALLY FLAT, AND THEN WE'VE GOTTA REGROUP IT. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, ALSO DOING A SIGNIFICANT, UH, TAXIWAY RECONSTRUCTION OVER THERE. SO, UM, SIERRA ALPHA AND SIERRA BRAVO ARE THE TAXIWAYS THAT PARALLEL RUNWAY 9 2 7, UM, 9 2 7 IS ABOUT 10,000 FEET LONG. SO THOSE TAXIWAYS ARE BOTH 10,000 FEET LONG. AND SO WE ARE IN THERE, UM, REDOING IT. SO THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT KIND OF SHOWS THE ALLIGATOR CRACKING, UM, THAT WAS ON THE OLD PAVEMENT. AND SO IT HAD REACHED ITS CONDITION, UH, THAT WHERE WE NEEDED TO REPLACE IT. AND THEN NOW YOU CAN SEE THE SLIDES ON THE, UH, PICTURES ON THE RIGHT, KIND OF SHOWED THE NEW ASPHALT. UH, AND THAT SHOWS THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE'VE GOT A NICE NEW PIECE OF PAVEMENT OUT THERE FOR YOU NEXT PLACE. UH, AND THEN FOR HOBBY, WE'VE GOT THE RUNWAY. WE HAD 13 RIGHT, CLOSED FOR A WHILE BECAUSE WE'RE DOING A SAFETY EN ENHANCEMENT AT HOBBY. UH, AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THERE'S A PROJECT THAT THE FAA FUNDED WITH SOME GRANT FUNDING AND SOME AIRPORT FUNDING. [00:15:01] UM, BECAUSE HOBBY WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED BACK IN THE DAY, IT'S NOT, IT WASN'T UP TO MODERN STANDARDS AS FAR AS THE INTERSECTIONS. AND SO WE'RE, WE BASICALLY, WE, WE CHANGED IT SO THAT THERE, EVERYTHING'S KIND OF GOING INTO A 90 DEGREE, UM, ENTRANCE TO THE RUNWAYS. AND SO THAT ALLOWS THE PILOTS TO PULL UP TO THE HOLD LINE, AND THEN THEY CAN LOOK LEFT AND RIGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE CLEAR, UM, TO GO ON THE RUNWAY. AND THERE'S NOT A TRAFFIC TRYING TO LAND ON THERE. SO IT'S JUST AN ADDED SAFETY FEATURE FOR THAT. UM, AND SO WITH THOSE NEW CHANGES, WE'VE OPENED THE RUNWAYS NOW AND, AND, AND, AND PROVED THE, UH, SITUATION AT HOBBY. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, ONE OF THE KEY THINGS, OBVIOUSLY WHEN, WHEN, WHEN I TOOK THE JOB, THE MAYOR WAS, UH, VERY FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE WE FIXED THE TRAFFIC AT THE AIRPORT, AND THEN WE ALSO FIXED THE RESTROOMS. AND, UH, AGAIN, I, I, YOU KNOW, THE RESTROOMS OVER THERE KIND OF SPOKE FOR THEMSELVES. SO YES, ABSOLUTELY WE FOCUS ON THAT. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, SO WE ARE IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW AND WE HAVE OPENED SOME OF OUR NEW RESTROOMS. SO WE, AGAIN, WE THANK YOU FOR THE FUNDING TO ALLOW THIS. BUT, UM, ABOUT $30 MILLION IN RESTROOMS AT TERMINAL A AND D. AGAIN, A LOT OF THAT'S GONNA BE GRANT FUNDED TO FROM THE FAA. UM, WE HAVE OPENED, UH, NEW SETS OF RESTROOMS IN TERMINAL D UH, TERMINAL A RESTROOMS ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW, AND WE'LL BE OPENING SOMETIME, UH, IN THE SPRING. UM, AND THEN WE'VE GOT SOME HOBBY RESTROOMS THAT ARE ABOUT TO OPEN, UM, AT HOBBY. UH, SO AGAIN, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. UH, 'CAUSE THE NEW RESTROOMS DO MAKE A BIG IMPROVEMENT ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION FOR WHAT WE SEE AT THE AIRPORT. SO AGAIN, WE MEASURE CUSTOMER FAT SATISFACTION WITH OUR RESTROOMS, WITH THE, UH, LITTLE SMILEY FACE, FROWNY FACE AT THE AIRPORT. AND SO WHEN WE'VE OPENED A NEW RESTROOMS, THOSE SMILEY FACES SKYROCKET. UH, AND THEN WHEN WE HAVE OUR OLD DATA RESTROOMS, UH, THE SMILE, THE FROWNY FACES, WE CAN KIND OF SEE THAT. SO VERY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY DELIVER THESE, UH, 'CAUSE IT'S SOMETHING AT THE AIRPORT. WE LOVE IT. UH, AND THEN THE PASSENGERS LOVE IT TOO. NEXT SLIDE. UH, GOOD THING TOO IS UNITED AIRLINES HAS ACTUALLY STARTED THEIR RESTROOM PROJECTS. SO IF YOU LOOK OVER THERE ON THE LEFT, THAT'S THE EXISTING RESTROOMS IN TERMINAL C. UM, THEY'RE A LITTLE LONG IN THE TOOTH ALSO. UM, THE DESIGN ON THE RIGHT IS KIND OF WHAT THEY'RE GONNA GO TO IS THEIR MODERN, UM, RESTROOM DESIGN. AND THEN IF YOU'LL NOTICE, YOU KNOW, ON THE RIGHT SIDE, AGAIN, STALL DOORS THAT KIND OF GO ALL THE WAY DOWN, OR ALMOST ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE GROUND. SO NO SEAMS IN THERE. SO, UH, A LOT BETTER CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE FOR THAT. UM, AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED THAT THAT'S ACTUALLY KICKED OFF. SO, AGAIN, UNITED, UM, IS, YOU KNOW, RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RESTROOMS AND C AND E. UM, SO B OBVIOUSLY IS GONNA COME WITH ALL NEW RESTROOMS. UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND SO YOU'LL SEE THAT THIS IS THE PROJECT THAT THEY STARTED, UM, IN Q4. UM, WELL, IT WAS ACTUALLY, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT, UH, IT WAS ACTUALLY STARTED IN Q1. UH, IT WAS A COUPLE DAYS AFTER THE HOLIDAYS. WE WANTED TO KEEP THE RESTROOMS, UH, OPEN AND AVAILABLE FOR THE, THE HOLIDAYS. BUT, UM, 17 RESTROOM SETS. SO THEY'VE, AGAIN, GOTTA DO THEM IN A PHASED STAMP, UH, PHASED WAY SO THAT WE, WE DON'T CLOSE ALL THE RESTROOMS IN, IN THE AREA. WE'VE GOTTA DO ONES E TWOSIES, UM, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE PASSENGERS USE THAT. BUT OUR CURRENT ONES ARE AT E 11, SO THAT IS THE FIRST SET THAT THEY'RE GONNA DO. UM, THAT'S GONNA ALSO GONNA GIVE UNITED THE ABILITY TO KIND OF LEARN SOME LESSONS ABOUT WHAT THEY FIND BEHIND THE WALLS. 'CAUSE YOU ALWAYS FIND STUFF BEHIND THE WALLS, UH, ON OLDER TERMINALS. UM, SO THAT'S GONNA GIVE THEM THE ABILITY, BUT THEY'LL CONTINUE TO PROGRESS AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED THAT THEY'RE UNDERWAY. UM, SO THAT WE CAN GET THOSE OPENED. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS. SO WE'VE, UH, OBVIOUSLY BEEN FOCUSED ON THE ROADWAY IMPROVEMENT. SO I WAS VERY EXCITED TODAY. I RAN THE NUMBERS FOR 2025, UM, AND, UH, WE HAD ZERO SEVERE TRAFFIC AT BUSH. SO VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE, AND THEN HEAVY TRAFFIC WAS, WAS DI MINIMIS. SO, YOU KNOW, ON PEAK, UH, HOLIDAYS OR IF YOU HAD A THUNDERSTORM EVENT, THAT'S THE ONLY TIME REALLY WE'RE SEEING HEAVY TRAFFIC. SO BIG IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ROADWAY TRAFFIC AT THE AIRPORT. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, AGAIN, FOR OUR FOLKS THAT COME IN OFF WILL, CLAYTON, YOU WILL KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON OVER THERE. SO THAT IS THE, UH, WILL CLAYTON SWICK INTERSECTION. SO SWICK ROAD IS A, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S A FOUR, UH, FOUR LANE ROAD OUT TO THE NORTH OF IT AND GOES DOWN TO A TWO LANE. AND THERE USED TO BE A INTERSECTION IN THE MIDDLE AND YOU HAD TO MAKE A U-TURN TO GO TO THERE. AND IT WAS A BIG, GIANT MESS, UH, AND VERY, YOU KNOW, KIND OF NOT CONDUCIVE TO SMOOTH FLOW OVER THERE. UM, SO WE WORKED WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, THE, UM, THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO PUT THIS INTERSECTION IN. THIS ALSO DOES ALLOW US TO MOVE TRAFFIC OFF OF LEE ROAD, UM, COMING FROM THE NORTH. SO 1960 TO LEE ROAD IN THE AIRPORT. UM, THAT'S A LOT. THAT'S OUR CARGO AREA. AND SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF CARGO TRAFFIC THAT HAPPENS ON THAT ROAD. AND WE WE'RE MIXING IT TOO MUCH WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC OVER THERE. AND SO BY DOING THIS INTERSECTION, THAT'S GONNA ALLOW US TO, UH, ENHANCE THE CARGO OPERATIONS THERE. AND THEN ULTIMATELY WE'RE GONNA EXPAND THE CARGO, UM, FACILITY ACROSS LEE ROAD. UM, SO THIS GIVES US THE ABILITY TO, TO, TO DO THAT CARGO EXPANSION IN THE FUTURE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, CENTRAL UTILITY PLANT. SO THIS IS ONE THAT I WANNA SORT OF PUT ON YOUR AGENDA, UH, OR ON YOUR, ON YOUR RADAR BECAUSE WE ARE GONNA BE COMING, ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS OR, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, [00:20:01] THE, THE APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THIS ON, ON THE SCHEDULE. SO JUST TO KIND OF RECAP ON THAT, UM, THE ESSENTIAL UTILITY PLANT WAS BUILT BACK IN 1960, UH, NINE WE RENOVATED IN 2012. UH, BUT WE'VE, YOU KNOW, ONLY DID SOME OF IT. AND SO NOW WE'RE COMING BACK IN HERE TO, TO DO A LOT OF THE, THE STUFF THAT WASN'T DONE. SO AGAIN, WE'VE GOT SEVEN CHILLERS OUT THERE, BUT TWO OF 'EM ARE THE OLD FASHIONED STEAM CHILLERS. UM, AND SO WE'RE WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE UPGRADE THE NEW STUFF, UM, TO MODERN STANDARDS. SO IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING, AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA BE REPLACING FOUR OF THE, UH, CHILLERS OUT THERE, UH, AND DEMOLISHING THE STEAM BOILERS. UM, SO AGAIN, THAT'S GONNA HELP US ALSO FROM A A, A GAS USAGE PERCENTAGE, UM, AT THE AIRPORT FOR NOT, WE'RE USING THE STEAM BOILERS. UM, WE'VE GOT SOME COOLING TOWERS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT WE'RE GONNA RE UH, RENOVATE. UM, AND WE'RE ALSO GONNA DO A LOT OF THE SWITCH GEARS AND THE TRANSFORMERS THAT, THAT FEED FACILITIES. SO KIND OF A COMPLETE REHAB OF THE WHOLE FACILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S THERE AND READY FOR US TO PERFORM, UH, INTO THE FUTURE. SO, UH, FROM A APPROPRIATION STANDPOINT, UH, THANK YOU AGAIN. IN JUNE OF 2024, YOU KIND US GAVE US THE SEED MONEY TO KIND OF DO OUR DESIGN AND SOME DEMO OUT THERE. UM, VERY SHORTLY WE'LL BE COMING TO ASK FOR SOME FUNDS, UM, FOR OUR ADVANCED PURCHASES FOR THE, THE LONG LEAD MECHANICAL ITEMS. SO THERE'S, AGAIN, THE CHILLERS THEMSELVES AND THE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT, UM, AND THEN SOME ADDITIONAL DEMO WORK. AND THEN SOMETIME LATER IN THE SUMMER, WE'LL COME FORWARD WITH THE FINAL APPROPRIATION, UH, WHEN WE GET OUR, OUR, OUR, UH, GMP FROM THE, THE CONTRACTOR THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, SO AGAIN, ALSO, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE AIRPORT EXPERIENCE IS THE PARKING AND GROUND TRANSPORTATION, UH, THAT WE GET HERE. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO INVEST, YOU KNOW, AGAIN FROM CURB TO GATE. UH, NEXT SLIDE. OKAY, SO THIS IS AGAIN OUR NEW RIDE SHARE AREA. SO ONE OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT WE'VE GOT, UH, WAS THAT THE RIDE SHARE AREA IN TERMINAL C WAS TOO SMALL. UM, SO WE WORKED WITH UNITED AIRLINES TO RELOCATE SOME PARKING. AND WITH THAT, UH, WE HAVE A NEW RIDE SHARE AREA THERE. IMPORTANTLY, UM, IT DOUBLED THE ENTRANCE AND EXIT CAPACITY OF THAT AREA AND THEN ADDED A BUNCH OF CURBS THERE, ALMOST DOUBLING IT. SO, UM, THEY'RE MORE THAN DOUBLING THE CURB CAPACITY THERE. SO IF YOU WANNA PLAY THE VIDEO, UM, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE'VE GOT, AGAIN, THESE NICE GRAPHICS IN HERE. UH, WE'VE ALSO UPGRADED THE LIGHTING SYSTEM IN THERE TO MAKE SURE IT'S NICE AND AIRY. UM, WE HAD INSTALLED SPECIAL WIFI THERE BECAUSE THE, UH, CELL SERVICE WAS, WAS NOT THE GREATEST. UM, BUT, UH, HAPPY TO SAY THAT THE, UH, CARRIERS HAVE NOW, UM, UPGRADED THE CELL COVERAGE IN THE AREA TOO. BUT WE STILL HAVE THE, THIS, UH, WIFI THERE JUST IN CASE. UM, BUT THIS IS HAVE A BIG IM IMPROVEMENT TO CUSTOMER SATISFACTION. 'CAUSE WE USED TO GET THIS, UM, IT WAS A BAD EXPERIENCE 'CAUSE IT TOOK YOU TOO LONG TO GET YOUR UBER. AND THEN ALSO THAT TRAFFIC ULTIMATELY BACKED UP INTO THE CORE BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT YOU ONLY HAD ONE ENTRANCE IN WAGA EXIT. NOW WITH THE TWO ENTRANCES AND TWO EXITS, UH, REALLY MAKING A IT FLOW A LOT BETTER. AND SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE, THE PERFORMANCE THAT, THAT IT'S DONE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, AGAIN, WE'VE COMPLETED OUR CURB WORK. SO AGAIN, A REMINDER, UM, LAST, YOU KNOW, YEAR, WE WERE JUST OPENING THESE NEW FACILITIES AND TO THE LEFT USED TO BE THAT TEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS CURVE THAT USED TO CHOKE THE EXIT OF THE AIRPORT. AND THAT IS THE, WAS THE BANE OF OUR EXISTENCE AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT IT IS GONE. UM, BUT NOW WE'VE GOT ON THE NICE, UH, NUDE ARRIVALS LEVEL, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE'VE GOT, UH, THAT THOSE MODERN LANES DOWN THERE. UH, AGAIN, WE'VE GOT A NICE PIECE OF ARTWORK DOWN THERE TO WELCOME YOU TO HOUSTON, UH, AND IT, AND IS FUNCTIONING AND FLOWING VERY WELL. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. ALSO, WE'VE IMPROVED THE PARKING CONTROL SYSTEM AT THE AIRPORT. SO, UH, AGAIN, YOU GET THAT, UM, NEW SYSTEM. 'CAUSE THAT WAS ANOTHER COMPLAINT THAT WE AS THE AIRPORT WOULD RECEIVE FROM THE, THE, THE TRAVELING PUBLIC IS, IS THAT THE OLD SYSTEM? IT WAS HAD A HARD TIME READING THE BARCODES. UM, AND THEN AGAIN, IT WAS, IT DIDN'T ALLOW US TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE. SO IF YOU TOUCH THAT, I THINK IT'S A VIDEO THERE. SO NOW YOU'VE GOT THE NEW SYSTEM, AND IF YOU REGISTER WITH THE AIRPORT, UH, FOR YOUR PARKING, IT NOW WILL RECOGNIZE YOUR LICENSE PLATE. AND IT JUST READS YOUR LICENSE PLATE. THE GATE GOES UP, YOU GO PARK, AND THEN WHEN YOU LEAVE, YOU SHOW UP, IT READS YOUR LICENSE PLATE, THE, THE GATE GATE GOES UP AND YOU JUST WALK OUT THE FACILITY OR YOU DRIVE OUTTA THE FACILITY. UM, AND IT JUST BUILDS YOUR CREDIT CARD. UM, SO IT'S VERY, VERY FAST AND EFFICIENT AND, UH, CUSTOMER FRIENDLY BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO DIG FOR THAT TICKET AND AFTER YOUR, YOUR TRIP AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU LEFT IT AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS. SO, UM, AGAIN, WE DO, UM, POST PARKING SURVEYS WITH OUR TRAVELING PUBLIC THAT COME TO THE AIRPORT AND SEE HOW THEIR EXPERIENCE WAS, UM, PRIOR TO THIS, UH, NEW SYSTEM. AND THEN COUPLED WITH THE TRAFFIC CONCERNS THAT WE USED TO HAVE IN THE AIRPORT, THEY USED TO BACK UP THE GARAGE. UH, WE HAD NEGATIVE, UH, NET PROMOTER SCORES ON OUR PARKING, UH, A LOT AT A LOT OF THE AIRPORTS. NOW WE ARE, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY POSITIVE. SO THIS HAS MADE A BIG CHANGE IN THE PARKING EXPERIENCE OF THE AIRPORT. SO VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE SEEING THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, COME TO COME TO PASS IS THAT YOU'VE [00:25:01] GOT THIS NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TURN INTO A POSITIVE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. UH, ADDITIONALLY FOR THE PARKING SHUTTLES AT THE AIRPORTS, SO WE'VE GOT A BRAND NEW FLEET OF THE PARKING SHUTTLES. UM, AND THOSE NEW COME, UH, NEW SHUTTLES COME WITH GPS. AND SO NOW WE CAN WATCH THEM. AND THEN THERE ARE NOW DISPLAYS AT THE SPOTS WHERE THE, THE BUSES PICK UP AND DROP OFF THAT GIVE YOU THE, THE, THE ESTIMATED TIME UNTIL YOUR NEXT SHUTTLE BUS SHOWS UP. UM, ALSO ON THE LEFT YOU'LL SEE WE ADDED SOME BUS SHELTERS FOR OUR RENTAL CAR PASSENGERS. SO TRADITIONALLY, UM, THOSE AREAS WHERE IT GET CONGESTED AND WITH THAT CONGESTION, PEOPLE WOULD BE WAITING IN THE SUN OR THE RAIN. AND SO WE DECIDED THAT IT'S NO, THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE FOR OUR PASSENGERS. SO WE PUT THE BUS SHELTERS IN THERE. UH, AND THEN ALSO THE NUMBER OF RENTAL CAR BUSES WE INCREASED FOR THIS SUMMER, UH, TO HELP, HELP CUT DOWN ON THE, UM, THE TIME IT WOULD TAKE YOU GET TO THE RENTAL CAR FACILITY. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO THIS IS ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT ON YOUR RADAR BECAUSE THIS IS GONNA BE COMING BEFORE YOU. SO WE'RE GONNA BE DOING A MODERNIZATION OF THE SKYWAY SYSTEM. AND SO THE SKYWAY SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, FIRST INSTALLED IN 1999, UM, THE CONTROL SYSTEM ON IT IS OLD BUT RELIABLE TECHNOLOGY. BUT WITH THAT, UM, WE HAVE TO KEEP A LARGE GAP BETWEEN, BETWEEN TRAINS. AND SO THAT LEADS US RUNNING TO 117 SECOND HEADWAYS IN THERE. AND SO THE VEHICLES ALSO ARE GETTING PRETTY CLOSE TO THE END OF THEIR LIFE. UM, BUT IT'S IN A VERY IMPORTANT PIECE OF INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE AIRPORT. IT MOVES ABOUT 10 MILLION PASSENGERS PER YEAR, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST ON THAT LITTLE TRAIN SYSTEM. AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE UPGRADE IT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE GROWTH THAT WE NEED TO MATCH THE GROWTH THAT'S HAPPENING AT THE AIRPORT. SO IT'S GONNA BE NORTH OF $260 MILLION IN CAPITAL UPGRADES. UM, THANKFULLY IT IS ALSO GRANT ELIGIBLE WITH THE FAA. SO I KNOW A LOT OF US GOT EMAILS ABOUT GRANTS. UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE WILL BE PUTTING IN FOR GRANT FUNDING IN THAT. BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC TO THE GRANTS THAT WE'RE ON, UM, THAT WE WERE ASKED ABOUT, UM, WE HAVE BEEN PUTTING IN GRANTS FOR THE AIRPORT SYSTEM ON THOSE FOR THAT GRANT PROGRAM. AND WE HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL, UM, SO FAR WITH THAT, UM, TERMINAL SPECIFIC GRANT PROGRAM. WE'VE SECURED $68 MILLION IN GRANTS. UH, AND WE ARE GOING OUT FOR, UH, THIS NEXT ROUND OF GRANTS AVAILABILITY AGAIN FOR, UH, THE SKYWAY, SOME FUNDING FOR THAT. AND THEN ALSO, AGAIN, OUR CONVEYANCE IS AT THE AIRPORT, SO WE'RE TRYING TO UPGRADE OUR ESCALATORS AND ELEVATORS AT THE AIRPORT USING SOME GRANT FUNDING. SO WE'LL, WE'LL SEE SOME APPLICATIONS GO IN FOR THAT. UM, BUT WITH THAT NEW SYSTEM FOR THE SKYWAY, WHEN WE GET IT, UM, IT'S GONNA INCREASE THE SYSTEM CAPACITY BY 18% JUST BY USING THAT, THE CONTROL SYSTEM, BECAUSE WE CAN SHRINK THE HEADWAYS DOWN, UH, BETWEEN TRAINS. UH, ADDITIONALLY WE'RE GONNA BE INCREASING THE FLEET SIZE OF THE, UM, TRAIN SETS THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE. UM, SO WITH THAT, THAT WOULD GET US A NET, UH, INCREASE TO ABOUT 30% CAPACITY FOR THE TRAIN SETS, I'M SORRY, FOR THE, FOR THE SYSTEM OVER THERE. AND THEN WE'LL ALSO DO SOME UPGRADES OVER THERE. SO AGAIN, NEW PLATFORM DOORS. UM, AND AGAIN, THIS IS GONNA BE A COMPLEX PROJECT THAT'S GONNA GO PROBABLY SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF FOUR YEARS TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS WHOLE, UM, PROJECT, UH, WITH ADDITIONAL TO GET THE, THE NEW SYSTEMS. BUT THE REASON IT'S SO LONG IS BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE WANNA MINIMIZE THE IMPACT OF THE TRAVELING PUBLIC. UM, SO WE'VE WORKED WITH THE CONTRACTOR THAT'S GONNA ALLOW US TO, UM, SHUT DOWN THE SYSTEMS ONLY IN THE, IN THE LOW PERIODS. SO WE'VE GOT JANUARY INTO FEBRUARY WE WOULD HAVE THE SYSTEM CLOSE DOWN, UH, AND THEN ALSO SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER AFTER LABOR DAY WE WOULD CLOSE IT DOWN. SO THEN THAT WAY THEY CAN DO A BUNCH OF WORK. AND THEN AS THE TRAFFIC STARTS TO BUILD UP, WE WOULD REENERGIZE THE SYSTEM AND THEY'LL STILL DO A LOT OF THE WORK AT NIGHTTIME, UM, WHEN, WHEN THE PASSENGERS AREN'T THERE. BUT WE WANNA, AGAIN, TRY AND MAKE SURE THAT, UH, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE'RE MOVING 10 MILLION PEOPLE ON THERE, WE DON'T WANT TO SHUT IT DOWN FOR YEARS. UM, 'CAUSE THERE ARE SOME AIRPORTS THAT HAVE DONE THAT. THEY'VE BASICALLY SHUT DOWN THEIR SYSTEM TO REDO IT AND THEN YOU, YOU CONVERT TO A BUSING OPERATION. AND THE BUSING OPERATION IS JUST NOT VERY PASSENGER FRIENDLY OR EFFICIENT. AND SO WE WANNA MINIMIZE OUR NEED TO DO THAT. SO THIS IS GONNA BE A WAY FOR US TO, TO GET THIS GREAT UPGRADE FROM A CAPACITY STANDPOINT, BUT MINIMIZE OUR, OUR IMPACT ON THE TRAVELING PUBLIC. UM, AND THEN ALSO COMING THE CUST UH, COMING KIND OF WITH THAT PACKAGE IS ALSO A NEW O AND M CONTRACT FOR THE OPERATORS TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE THE SYSTEM INTO THE FUTURE. NEXT SLIDE. AND SO THAT'S KIND OF MY PRESENTATION FOR THE DAY, SO I'M READY TO, READY, WILLING, AND ABLE TO TAKE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS YOU'VE GOT. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. THAT WAS A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION, A LOT OF GOOD MOVING PARTS AT THE AIRPORT. DO WANT TO WELCOME COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS TO, UH, THE MEETING AS WELL. A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE AND DO WE ALSO HAVE SOME, UM, COLLEAGUES IN THE QUEUE? WHAT KIND OF RIDING DATA ARE WE SEEING FOR THE METRO BUS? GOING TO IAH YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'D PROBABLY HAVE TO ADDRESS WITH METRO. UM, YOU KNOW, I, AGAIN, I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS, IT'S A NEW SERVICE, RIGHT? RIGHT. SO IT'S, IT'S GONNA, IT'S [00:30:01] GONNA TAKE A LITTLE WHILE FOR IT TO START OFF. WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO RIGHT NOW AND WORK WITH METRO IS TO MAKE THE, THE BUS AS SUCCESSFUL AS POSSIBLE. AND SO WE WANT TO, THAT'S WHY WE KIND OF WORK WITH METRO TO MOVE IT TOWARDS THE INTERNATIONAL PASSENGER. AND PARTICULARLY WITH THE WORLD CUP COMING, UM, YOU'RE GONNA SEE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GONNA HAVE LOTS OF, OF INTERNATIONAL VISITORS COMING HERE. THAT'S GONNA BE VERY EASY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SEND, UH, FOLKS TO THE METRO AND THEN TAKE THE 500 DIRECTLY INTO DOWNTOWN. UM, IF WE THINK ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE'VE GOT GERMANS, WE'VE GOT DUTCH THAT ARE COMING IN, WE'VE GOT THE PORTUGUESE, THOSE ARE PEOPLE ALL ACCUSTOMED TO USING, UM, UH, THEY'RE ALL ACCUSTOMED TO USING THE, UH, THE TRANSIT OPTION TO THE AIRPORT. SO, UH, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO WORKING AGAIN COMMUNICATION WISE TO TRY AND MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM. SO RIGHT NOW, IF YOU GO TO THE BAGGAGE CAROUSELS, THIS IS A CHANGE THAT WE MADE THE OTHER DAY. UM, THE BAGGAGE CAROUSELS NOW IN, IN, IN THE BOTTOM OF, UH, THE INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL NOW HAVE A, A GRAPHIC IN THERE THAT BASICALLY HIGHLIGHTS THIS SERVICE. 'CAUSE IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT ON THIS BECAUSE IT'S A, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT'S A NEW SERVICE SO PEOPLE ARE RIGHT. YOU KNOW, KIND OF USED TO IT. HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN DOING IT? UH, IT STARTED IN THE FALL. UM, IN THE FALL? YEAH. OR, BUT YEAH, LIKE, I THINK IT WAS AUGUST, SOMETIME AUGUST, SEPTEMBER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT WAS, YEAH, IT'S BEEN, IT'S ONLY BEEN THERE FOR A LITTLE BIT, SO, OKAY. UM, BUT YEAH, IT'S A NEW SERVICE. WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT. AND THEN AGAIN, IT'S LIKE $4, $4 AND 50 CENTS. YES. $4 AND 50 CENTS. SO, AND IF I WANTED TO RIDE THE METRO TO IAHI COULD GET IT AT GEORGIA BROWN. YES. I CAN GO TO GEORGIA BROWN. YES. AND IT'S HOP ON THE METRO PAY FOUR 50 AND GET TO IAH. YES. AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE'VE, WE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR STAFF USE IT, THEY USE IT TO GO DOWNTOWN. SOME OF 'EM ACTUALLY USE IT TO GO TO THE, THE, THE ASTROS GAMES. UM, SO THEY'LL COME FROM THE AIRPORT AND AFTER THE, THE, THE AIR AFTER DAY OF WORK, THEY'LL JUMP ON IT AND GO TO THE ASTROS GAMES. SO IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S, AND AGAIN, THE KEY THING IS BRINGING IT DOWN TO THE GEORGE R. BROWN. IT'S SERVING THOSE TWO, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF BIG HOTELS THERE. RIGHT. UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THE FIFA IT'S GONNA BE VERY CLOSE TO THE, TO THE FAN CENTER. UM, BUT THEN ALSO IT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE METRO KIND OF NETWORK FROM A RAIL PERSPECTIVE IS ALL RIGHT THERE. SO IF YOU NEED TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE A CONNECTION ON ANOTHER ROUTE THERE, UH, ULTIMATELY IT'S ALSO GONNA GET ROLLED OUT TO HOBBY AIRPORT. UM, SO WE'LL HAVE A CONNECTION TO HOBBY. UM, AND SO WE'LL OFFER THAT, YOU KNOW, METRO'S GONNA OFFER THAT SERVICE. IT'S GOOD. 'CAUSE SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, WE GET PEOPLE AT BUSH THAT SHOW UP LOOKING FOR SOUTHWEST AIRLINES, AND WE HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT YOUR, YOUR AIRPORT'S, UH, YOUR FLIGHT'S ABOUT 22 MILES AWAY. SO NOW WE CAN HAVE 'EM JUMP ON THE BUS AND THEN THEY CAN GO BACK THERE AND CATCH IT. SO. SOUNDS GOOD. THEN MY OTHER QUESTION IS, HOW ARE WE GETTING THE MESSAGING OUT ABOUT PARKING? I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF FOLKS, UM, ASK ME, YOU KNOW, DO I HAVE TO PARK, DO I HAVE TO REGISTER TO PAY TO PARK AHEAD OF TIME? AND I DIDN'T KNOW THAT. SO WHEN I GOT TO THE AIRPORT, YOU KNOW, I WAS, I WAS LATE, I ALMOST MISSED MY FLIGHT, ALMOST ALL STRESSED OUT. UM, HOW ARE WE GETTING OUR MESSAGING OUT ABOUT PARKING? SO, COUPLE WAYS. SO NUMBER ONE, WHENEVER I'M OUT IN THE TV FOR LIKE THE HOLIDAY, YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE TO, TO REGISTER FOR THEIR PARKING. ALSO, WE, WE LOCALLY TARGET ADS TO FOLKS VIA FACEBOOK AND THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM. SO I'M, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S POPPED UP ON YOUR FEED, BUT IT POPS UP ON MY FEED WHERE WE, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF, OF SIGNING UP FOR THERE AND YOU, IT'LL TAKE YOU RIGHT THERE. UM, WE'VE TWEAKED OUR WEBPAGE TOO. SO OUR WEBPAGE NOW HAS THAT PARKING, UM, RESERVATIONS RIGHT ON KIND OF THE, THE, THE, THE MAIN PAGE. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY IT'S LIKE TWO CLICKS UNTIL YOU CAN DO IT. UM, WE ALSO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT, UM, NOT ONLY HAS IT HELPED YOU, YOU KNOW, KIND OF, YOU KNOW, RESERVE YOUR SPOT AND, AND MAKE YOUR CONFIDENCE, UH, BUT IT'S ALSO USUALLY COMES WITH A DISCOUNT TOO. UM, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE AWARE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA TRY AND, AND GET PEOPLE TO USE THAT. UM, SO WE'LL GO OVER THERE. SO AGAIN, WE'RE USING THAT WITH THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DIRECT MARKETING VIA THE, THE NEWS STATIONS DURING THE HOLIDAY PEAK PERIODS. UH, BUT THEN ALSO WE DO OUR, OUR DIRECT MARKETING TO HOUSTONIANS, UM, ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS THAT WILL, YOU KNOW, SHOW 'EM THE, THE AD AIRPORT PARKING ADS, UM, TO BE ABLE TO, TO DO THAT. SO, AND AGAIN, OUR WEBPAGE IS ALSO WILL TELL YOU THAT IT'S A GOOD IDEA. AND THEN WE'LL, WE DO OUR OWN SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS TO, TO OUR TWITTERS AND OUR, OUR INSTAGRAM. RIGHT. SO IF I BOUGHT A TICKET FROM UNITED OR SOMEWHERE AND AFTER I PURCHASED MY TICKET, ANYWHERE IN THAT, DOES IT SAY YOU SHOULD RESERVE YOUR PARKING? I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL CARRIER WOULD HAVE TO INSTITUTE, BUT I THINK THAT WHEN PEOPLE BUY A TICKET, AT SOME POINT WE NEED TO SAY, GO AHEAD AND REGISTER FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR PARKING. BECAUSE IF I BUY THE TICKET, I'M NOT THINKING ABOUT GOING TO THE WEBSITE OF THE AIRPORT. YEAH. SO, SO WE'VE GOT, UM, SO WE DID ACTUALLY DO A PILOT PROGRAM WITH THAT FOR, FOR UNITED AND IT WAS PRETTY SUCCESSFUL. WELL, SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT SO THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, IT'S NOT PART OF YOUR TICKET PROCESS, RIGHT. UH, BUT WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE FLYING, UH, AND SO SINCE WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE FLYING, WE WILL [00:35:01] SEND YOU THE EMAIL, UM, ADS THAT WILL, WILL SHOW, YOU KNOW, REGISTER YOU FOR YOUR PARKING ON THERE. SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO. I DO, I DO THINK THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE PERSON THAT CAME UP TO ME, THEY WERE VERY UPSET ABOUT NOT KNOWING THAT THEY HAD TO REGISTER THE PARK. I WAS LIKE, HEY, I, I I WILL MAKE SURE THAT I SHARE YOUR MESSAGE. YEAH. AND, AND AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S GENERALLY DURING THE HOLIDAYS AND THEN DURING THE SUMMER PEAK IS WHEN, WHEN WE HAVE, WHEN WE GO TO RESERVATIONS ONLY, AND THEN CERTAIN LOTS. SO AGAIN, ON THE, UM, WILL CLAYTON INBOUND, THE, THE ECONOMY LOT THERE, THAT ONE TENDS TO FILL UP ON A REGULAR BASIS. UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THE SIMPLEST THING YOU CAN DO IS JUST REGISTER FOR YOUR PARKING AND YOU'RE ALWAYS GOOD TO GO. ALRIGHT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO HAD A QUESTION. THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO TEM DIRECTOR. THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE ON ALL THE PROJECTS, UH, GOING ON AT OUR AIRPORTS AND WHAT WE'RE DOING TO KEEP 'EM WORLD CLASS ON THE, ON THE METRO BUS. SO IT WASN'T, SEE IS IT NOW ONLY IN E OR IS IT IN C AND E? SO WE HAVE TWO METRO BUSES AT THE AIRPORT. THE EXPRESS BUS, EXPRESS BUS TO DOWNTOWN IS AT TERMINAL E. THE OTHER BUS, WHICH IS MORE EMPLOYEE FOCUSED IS AT TERMINAL C. SO WE'VE GOT THE TWO LINES THERE. AGAIN, THE EXPRESS BUS FOR PASSENGERS IS AT E AGAIN, WE WANTED TO PUT IT CLOSER TO THE INTERNATIONAL TRAVELER WHO'S MORE LIKELY TO USE IT. BUT THE TRADITIONAL BUS THAT WE'VE HAD THAT SERVICE IS GENERALLY THE, THE, THE WORKING FOLKS AT THE AIRPORT THAT STILL GOES INTO C. GOT IT. AND SO, UM, I MEAN, IT IS A GREAT SERVICE, GREAT VALUE, REALLY CONVENIENT. I'VE, I'VE USED IT MYSELF. UM, AND IT WENT TO C AT THE TIME, SO NOW IT'S GOING TO E IF THE RIDERSHIP WERE TO INCREASE, THERE COULD BE ADJUSTMENTS TO ACCOMMODATE MORE TERMINALS. YEAH. SO AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT METRO'S GOTTA DECIDE ON THEIR, THEIR KIND OF, THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IT TAKES THEM TO TURN A BUS. UM, SO AGAIN, WE'LL, WE'LL SEE THAT. UM, AND, AND WE'LL LET METRO MONITOR THAT AND SEE HOW IT DOES. UM, BUT WE WANNA, AGAIN, TRY AND MAKE, WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE THE SERVICE 'CAUSE IT'S A GREAT, YOU KNOW, AMENITY. 'CAUSE AGAIN, WE THINK ABOUT OTHER AIRPORTS WHEN WE TRY AND COMPETE FOR CONVENTIONS, PARTICULARLY, UH, OR INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN USE AS AN ADVANTAGE FOR US TO SAY YES, WE HAVE NONSTOP SERVICE INTO DOWNTOWN, SO CONVENTIONEERS AND AGAIN, TOURISTS AND GROUPS CAN HAVE THE ABILITY TO USE IT. UM, SO WE WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE THE SERVICE. AND THEN, UM, ON THE, THE SKYWAY UPDATE, THAT WAS REALLY, UH, GOOD INFORMATION TO SEE. ARE THERE ANY PLANS TO UPGRADE THE TRAM THAT'S SORT OF ON THE LOWER LEVEL, UM, AT BUSH? YEAH, SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW. THE CHALLENGE WITH THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE, THE GEOMETRY OF THE TUNNEL, IT'S A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED. THERE'S NOT, THERE'S NOT LIKE AN OFF THE SHELF KIND OF DESIGN FOR THAT. SO AGAIN, THE, THE EXISTING TRAM ITSELF WAS BUILT BY DISNEY. UM, BECAUSE BACK IN THE DAY, THAT'S THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT KIND OF DID THAT. SO, UM, WE'RE EXPLORING A BUNCH OF STUFF, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE FOCUSED RIGHT NOW ON THE SKYWAY. WE'LL GET THAT SQUARED AWAY AND THE, AND THE SUBWAY IS, WE'RE WORKING ON IT, BUT I JUST DON'T HAVE A SOLUTION RIGHT NOW TO, TO, TO BE ABLE TO BRING IT FORWARD YET. GREAT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ALCO, THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR. GREAT. UPDATES. REMIND ME THE SEVEN GATES AT HOBBY AND THAT WEST CONCOURSE, WHAT, WHAT'S THE TIMELINE ON THAT? UM, SO THEY'RE LOOKING LIKE, IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE THE FIRST PART OF 2027. UM, SO WE'LL, WE'LL OPEN UNITED IN THE FALL AT BUSH. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, JUST AFTER, UH, THAT JUST SOMETIME EARLY 2027, WE'LL OPEN IN, UH, THE HOBBY GATES AND WHAT AIRLINES WILL BE. IS THAT GONNA BE ALL SOUTHWEST OR WHO ELSE IS COMING THERE? SO SIX OF THE GATES ARE FOR SOUTHWEST. OKAY. AND ONE OF THE GATES IS A CITY GATE. SO THAT'S FOR US TO GO OUT AND MARKET AND TRY AND GET ADDITIONAL AIRLINES TO USE. OKAY, GOT IT. AND ON B, IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT UNITED? YES. OKAY. B IS WHAT, WHAT TIME? EARLY, EARLY 20, 27 FOR HOBBY AND YEAH. SO BUSH, UH, THE, THE UNITED GATES IS GONNA BE FALL OF 2026, SO THAT TOWARDS THE END OF THIS YEAR, UM, UNITED WILL BE OPENING, UH, THE TERMINAL B COM, UH, CONFERENCE. GREAT. THANK YOU. AND THE PARKING REGISTRATION, WILL THAT COME TO HOBBY TOO? IT'S THERE. OH, I MEAN, SO YOU CAN RESERVE YOUR PARKING AT, AT BOTH AIRPORTS. YOUR SLIDE JUST SAID IH, BUT YOU CAN REGISTER YOUR CAR FOR, CORRECT? YES. OKAY, GREAT. YEAH, SO WE HAVE THE MODERN SYSTEMS AT BOTH AIRPORTS NOW. OKAY, GOOD. UM, THERE'S AN ITEM ON TOMORROW'S AGENDA. I THINK WE GOT TODD, THANKS FROM SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED ON THE, UM, THERE'S A ITEM 13 ON NEXT WEEK'S AGENDA WE'RE PURCHASING, UM, A HANGAR AND SOME STUFF AT $1.7 MILLION NOT BEING USED BY THE COMPANY THAT OWNS IT. AND WHAT, DO WE HAVE A FUTURE USE FOR THAT? OR WHAT? YEAH, SO, SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE WANTING TO ACQUIRE IT FOR A COUPLE THINGS. UM, SO WE'VE GOT A PERSPECTIVE, UH, TENANT THAT THAT IS INTERESTED IT, BUT THEN ALSO IT'S, IT'S A LOCATION THAT WE THINK MAY BE GOOD FOR OUR ULTIMATE EVAL, UM, LOCATION. THAT'S MY NEXT QUESTION. YES. OKAY. SO, SO IT COMES WITH A LOT OF RAMP OUT IN THE FRONT. AND SO, UM, THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO USE EITHER TRADITIONALLY AS OUR HANGAR FOR, FOR SOME, SOME CORPORATE ACTIVITY, OR IT MAY BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PUT THE EOL [00:40:01] OPERATION AT, AT ELLINGTON IN THAT FACILITY. UH, 'CAUSE WHERE IT'S SITUATED. AND SO, UM, OKAY. WE SAW IT THERE AND, AND WE'RE LIKE, THIS PROBABLY BE GOOD FOR US. SO WE WANTED TO ACQUIRE IT EARLY. OKAY, GREAT. AND, AND ON THE EAL I GUESS THAT'S ALL STILL IN THE WORKS, UM, WITH, I MEAN, ARE WE WORKING WITH, WITH ALL THE COMPANIES? I KNOW WE DID SOMETHING UNITED DID SOMETHING WITH JOBY OR ARCHER OR UNITED ARCHER. YEAH. SO, SO A COUPLE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON WITH THAT. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE INTERNALLY WORKING ON STUFF, UH, IN THE, SOMETIME IN THE FIRST PART OF THIS YEAR, WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA BE WORKING A TABLETOP WITH THE FAA AND THE MANUFACTURERS, RIGHT? OH YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. UM, THAT ARE GONNA, SO WE'RE GONNA, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE LOCATIONS AT BUSH THAT WE ARE, ARE, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'RE THINKING ABOUT PUTTING THESE. OKAY. AND SO WE'RE GONNA SIT DOWN WITH THE MANUFACTURERS, UM, WITH THE TOWER CONTROLLERS AND THEN OUR PLANNING STAFF AND, AND KIND OF WORK THROUGH THIS AND LIKE, DOES THIS SITE WORK OR DOESN'T IT SITE WORK? OKAY. AND THEN ONCE WE GET DONE WITH THAT TABLETOP EXERCISE, THEN THAT GIVES US A LITTLE MORE VISIBILITY ON, ON WHAT INFRASTRUCTURE WE WOULD PUT AT BUSH, UM, TO, TO DO THE AND WHEN DOES THE TABLETOP, IT'S A, AGAIN, I THINK IT'S, IT'S SOMETIME THIS SPRING. OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, SHE HAD A QUESTION. YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MADAM DIRECTOR, UH, CHAIR. THANK YOU JIM. GREAT PRESENTATION. A LOT OF INFORMATION FOR BOTH BUSH AND HOBBY OF SOME GOOD THINGS COMING. UH, BUT JUST HAD A FEW QUESTIONS. OKAY. RELATIVELY THE ONE THAT GENERALLY COMES FROM ME BEING THE ONLY VETERAN NOW ON THE CHAMBER OF THE, WHAT IS THE CHANGES? HAVE THERE BEEN A BETTER, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION THAT WE, MY CONCERN LAST YEAR WAS ABOUT THE PARKING FOR VETERANS, THE, THE BENEFIT TO THEM AND IS THAT UNDERSTANDING AS WASN'T A DESIGNATED OR THERE IS A DESIGNATED PLACE ARE THEY DID AWAY WITH THE DESIGNATION. SO, SO THERE'S NO DESIGNATED LOCATION FOR IT. RIGHT. BUT THERE IS DESIGNATED ACCESS FOR IT. SO WE'VE GOT TWO. SO YOU'VE GOT TWO OPTIONS FOR YOU. SO IF YOU COME INTO THE GARAGE, YEAH, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO PARK THERE, UM, FOR, I THINK IT'S A WEEK. AND THEN, BUT IF YOU WANNA BE LONGER, YOU CAN GO TO THE ECONOMY LOTS AND THE ECONOMY LET A LOTS, LETS YOU GO WITH THE, THE A MONTH OR A MONTH PLUS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. GOOD. SO THOSE ARE OPTIONS. YEAH. AND I KNEW A LOT OF, LOT OF PEOPLE I'M SURE QUESTIONED YOU ABOUT THAT A YEAR AGO, BUT, BUT, BUT THEY CAME FOR A WEEK. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, AFTER THAT THEN YOU GO TO THE, TO THE, UH, THE ECONOMY ECONOMY A LOT. YES. GOT IT. VERY GOOD. OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS YOU WERE SHOWING THE CHANGES THAT WERE DONE AT, AT AT THERE AT IH THERE, ARE THERE SHOWERS BEING AVAILABLE IN CASE SOMEONE HAD EMERGENCY OR SOMETHING IN ANY OF THOSE TERMINALS OR THERE SHOWERS AVAILABLE? UM, SO WE DON'T HAVE GENERAL SHOWERS AVAILABLE. UM, THERE ARE GONNA BE SHOWERS, THERE'S EXISTING SHOWERS THAT, THAT ARE IN THE, UM, UNITED CLUBS. UM, SO SOME OF THE CLUBS HAVE SHOWERS IN THEM, BUT GENERALLY WE DON'T HAVE A, LIKE A A A A FACILITY IN THERE NOW. IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT BECAUSE WHEN, THE WAY THAT WE'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW IS WHEN THE INTERNATIONAL CARRIES MOVE OUT OF TERMINAL D, UM, THAT'S GONNA LEAVE THAT D TICKET HALL AVAILABLE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DO SOME, SOME, YOU KNOW, CONCEPTS IN THERE. AND SO THAT IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS AS WE'RE LOOKING AT AS AN ARRIVALS LOUNGE. UM, AND SO THAT WOULD PROBABLY INCLUDE SOME SHOWERS IN THERE FOR FOLKS, BUT, UH, WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE YET. OKAY, GOOD. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IN A LOT OF CASES PEOPLE HAVE EMERGENCIES OR WHATEVER. YEP. I'LL, I'LL WAIT AND GET BACK. YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? YEAH, WELL, I, GO AHEAD. I HAD A COUPLE OF 'EM AND I'LL WAIT TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE. OKAY. CHAIR. THANK YOU. A COUPLE OF THEM. . OKAY. UH, COUNCIL MAYOR RAMIREZ. . UH, THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND, AND, UH, DIRECTOR. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. JUST A FEW QUESTIONS. YOU MENTIONED THAT, UH, PASSENGER TRAFFIC, UH, DOMESTIC ANYWAY WAS, WAS DOWN A BIT IN 24 AND YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE OF AIRLINES RELATED TO THAT UNITED IN SPIRIT. UH, WHAT WAS THE, WHAT WAS THE TREND NATIONWIDE, DO YOU KNOW, UP OR DOWN? UM, SO IT'S GONNA BE MAY MAYBE DOWN TO MAYBE FLAT. I WOULD CALL IT PROBABLY FLATTISH NATIONALLY, MAYBE UP JUST A SMIDGE. BUT IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE MARKETS AND THE AIR AIRLINES AND THE AIRPORTS. SO AGAIN, IF WE TALK ABOUT SPIRIT, YES, THEY, FROM A BANKRUPTCY PERSPECTIVE, THEY, THEY'VE TAKEN DOWN CAPACITY, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY ACROSS THEIR NETWORK. AND SO, YOU KNOW, SOME AIRPORTS, I, I GOTTA GIVE YOU ONE OF THEIR BIG GIANT HUBS IS FORT LAUDERDALE, SO I'M SURE FORT LAUDERDALE IS TAKING A, A BIGGER HIT THAN A LOT OF AIRPORTS, UH, ARE CONSIDERED. OKAY. THE NEW BAGGAGE HANDLING SYSTEM IS THAT FOR ALL THE TERMINALS? UH, WHICH SHARE PORT, UH, IAH. YEAH, SO IAH THAT'S JUST, THAT'S JUST GONNA FEED THE, UH, THE INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL ITSELF. I SEE. SO, OKAY, GOT IT. AND THAT'S ALREADY BEEN TESTED AND IT'S WORKING FINE. YEAH, SO WE, WE HAD OUR, OUR, OUR, THE CONTRACTOR WHO INSTALLED IT, TESTED AND PERFORMED AS NEEDED. UH, WE'VE ARE DOING OUR THIRD PARTY TESTING RIGHT NOW AND IT'S PERFORMING AS, AS REQUESTED. AND THEN OUR NEXT STEP IS THE, THE TSA ULTIMATE FINAL AUTHORITY. AND SO THAT'LL BE TESTING, UM, STARTING IN, IN FEBRUARY. ALRIGHT. AND YOU SPOKE ABOUT THE SKYWAY [00:45:01] MODERNIZATION. DO, DO THEY STILL, DO YOU STILL HAVE THAT SORT OF UNDERGROUND RAIL THING? SUBWAY, THAT'S, WE GOT THE SKYWAY AND THE SUBWAY. YES. AND, AND HOW, UH, HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH USE DOES THAT GET? UM, SO I, I, I'VE, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT IT'S SIGNIFICANT. I MEAN, I THINK IT, IT'S, IT'S SIGNIFICANT. YEAH. IT'S, IT'S, IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, I THINK BOTH, BOTH TRAIN SYSTEMS AT THE AIRPORT INDIVIDUALLY, I THINK DO MORE PASSENGERS THAN ALL OF METRO'S RAIL. OH WOW. UM, COMBINED, SO, SO YEAH, THAT IT'S A, YOU KNOW, IT'S PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL USAGE UPSTAIRS AND THEN DOWNSTAIRS, I DON'T QUOTE ME ON THIS ONE, BUT I KNOW WE PROBABLY HAVE THAT, WE PROBABLY HAVE MONTHS OF THE YEAR WHERE WE'VE GOT 300 TO 400,000 PEOPLE USING THE, THE SUBWAY. HAVE YOU SHARED THAT COMPARISON WITH METRO ? NO. NO, I DON'T WANT TO. OKAY. AND LAST, LAST TOPIC. UM, THE EV TOLL. YES. UM, WHAT, WHAT CAN WE EXPECT WITH THAT COMING UP? BECAUSE YOU SPOKE ABOUT THE FACILITY HOBBY. WHAT ABOUT, UH, INTERCONTINENTAL? SO THAT, THAT'S AGAIN, PART OF THAT TABLETOP, SO WE CAN'T REALLY LOCATE A FACILITY YET UNTIL WE FIND OUT, UM, WHERE IT WORKS FROM AN AIRSPACE PERSPECTIVE. 'CAUSE WHAT WE WANT TO, OUR, OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO DO NO HARM, UM, AT BUSH AS FAR AS THE AIR TRAFFIC IS, IS CONCERNED. AND SO WE'VE GOTTA FIND OUT A SPOT WHERE IT DOESN'T INTERFERE WITH AIR TRAFFIC, UH, THE EXISTING AIR TRAFFIC. AND SO THAT'S, WE GOTTA FIGURE OUT FIRST BEFORE WE START TALKING FACILITIES. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS BACK IN THE QUEUE. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR. ONE, ONE LAST, THE, UH, YOU SPOKE ABOUT THE CENTRAL UTILITIES PLANT. UM, ARE THERE RIGHT NOW, UM, ANY CONTRACTS THAT ARE STARTING IN REGARDS TO THE WORK THAT'S GONNA BE, SO THE CONTRACT THAT CONSTRUCTED HAS ALREADY BEEN AWARDED. UM, AND SO IT'S A, IT'S A DESIGN BUILD CONTRACT THAT WAS AWARDED TO HENSEL PHELPS. WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW IS, IS THAT THE DESIGN IS DONE AND WE ARE PROCURING, THE CONTRACT IS PROCURING, UM, THE PIECES AND PARTS THAT THEY NEED TO BASICALLY DO THE CONSTRUCTION. SO IT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE? UH, YES. FOR, FOR THE CONTRACT ITSELF FOR THE, FOR THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE FACILITY? UH, YES. IT'S RIGHT NOW AGAIN, WE ARE GONNA BE ASKING FOR FUNDS FOR THE PIECES NOW OF IT BUILDING, YOU KNOW, BUYING THE CHILLERS AND THE TRANSFORMERS AND THOSE THINGS. OKAY. OKAY. VERY GOOD. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UM, DIRECTOR, WE GOT AN EMAIL FROM A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HOUSTON TAXI ASSOCIATION ON YESTERDAY. UM, HA WHEN WE, WE TALKED ABOUT THE EXPANSION OF, I GUESS THE PA THE, WHERE THE UBER AND TAXIS ARE. YES. UH, WAS THERE COMMUNICATION WITH THE, WITH THE TAXI DRIVERS? 'CAUSE I, I AM, I'M ASSUMING THAT THEY, UM, THEY FEEL LIKE THERE'S REDUCED PARKING SPACE THAT WILL IMPACT THE TAXI. SO IT'S A DIFFERENT, A DIFFERENT SITUATION, WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT. OKAY. SO WHAT, WHAT WE HAVE IS, IS THAT ON WILL CLAYTON PARKWAY, LET'S JUST CALL IT LIKE A HALF MILE OUTSIDE OF THE AIRPORT. UM, WE HAVE TWO STAGING AREAS. MM-HMM . SO WE HAVE A RIDESHARE STAGING AREA AND WE HAVE A TAXI STAGING AREA. AND SO THE VOLUME OF RIDESHARES IS SIGNIFICANT RIGHT NOW THAT WE HAD TO GO INTO THE TAXI STAGING AREA AND TAKE SOME SPACES THERE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, BALANCE THE LOAD. UH, 'CAUSE TAXIS HAVE, ARE SIGNIFICANTLY DOWN AT THE AIRPORT FROM A, COMPARED TO THE, TO THE, TO THE RENTAL. I'M SORRY, NOT THE RENTAL CAR, BUT THE, UM, THE, UH, UBER LYFT KIND OF OPERATIONS THERE. AND WHAT WE'RE HAVING RIGHT HAPPEN RIGHT NOW IS, IS THAT BECAUSE THAT, THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF TA UH, UBER LYFT LOT IS SO FULL, UM, THAT'S SPILLING BACK OUT ONTO WILL CLAYTON. AND WHEN IT SPILLS OUT ONTO WILL CLAYTON ROADWAY, IT, IT CAUSES CONGESTION COMING TO THE AIRPORT AND IT'S NOT VERY SAFE. UH, 'CAUSE THAT, THAT ROAD'S A 50 MILE AN HOUR ROAD. AND SO, UM, FOLKS TRAVELING ALONG THERE, UM, ARE, YOU KNOW, RUNNING INTO A TRAFFIC JAM THAT'S, THAT'S TRYING TO GET INTO THAT LOT. SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, UM, TAKE SOME OF THE SPACE OVER THERE TO BE ABLE TO, TO USE THAT. UM, AND THEN THAT'S GONNA HELP US PULL ALL THAT TRAFFIC OFF THE ROADWAY SYSTEM AND GET IT SOMEWHERE. UH, 'CAUSE WE JUST CAN'T, WE CAN'T TOLERATE PUTTING IT OUT ON ONTO WILL CLAYTON 'CAUSE IT'S JUST TOO DANGEROUS AND ON INTERFERES WITH THE AIR, UH, OPERATION. HAS, HAS THAT CONVERSATION BEEN HAD WITH THE HOUSTON TAXI ASSOCIATION? IT HAS, YES. OKAY. UM, I'LL, I'LL LET THEM KNOW THAT, WHO, WHO WOULD BE THE PERSON THAT FOR THE HOUSTON TAXI ASSOCIATION TO SPEAK TO? SO THEY HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR GROUND TRANS LEAD, THAT'S WALT GRAY. UM, SO WE DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM WHERE WE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE KIND OF COMPROMISED WITH THEM. UM, SO IT IS ONE OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA TAKE AN OUTDOOR AREA VERSUS AN INDOOR AREA OVER THERE. SO WE, WE DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM AND WE'VE KIND OF COME TO AN AGREEMENT ON HOW WE'RE GONNA DO IT. OKAY. I WILL LET THEM KNOW, UM, IF NO OTHER QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE UPDATE. WE APPRECIATE IT AND HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON FOR [00:50:01] ANOTHER UPDATE AS WE PROGRESS. YES. I GOTTA GET READY FOR, UH, FOR, FOR THE WEATHER THIS WEEKEND. I KNOW. WISHING YOU THE BEST. THANK YOU. DIDN'T ASK ABOUT THAT. DO YOU WANT, YOU WANT TO, YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT, UM, OUR PLANS AND OUR PREPARATION FOR THIS WEEKEND'S WEATHER? YEAH, SO FOR US IT'S FROM AN AIRPORT PERSPECTIVE, NUMBER ONE, I, YOU KNOW, UM, GREW UP IN CHICAGO AIRPORT SYSTEM DOING SNOW REMOVAL THERE AND LIVED IN ALASKA FOR FOUR YEARS, SO I KIND OF KNOW THIS. SO, UM, SO WORKING WITH A TEAM, BUT, BUT WE'VE GOT, SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE, AS THE AIRPORT, HAVE OUR OWN, UM, EQUIPMENT TO BE ABLE TO DO DEICING OF THE, THE AIRFIELD AND THE TAXIWAYS AND RUNWAYS. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A THIRD PARTY CONTRACTOR THAT'S GONNA COME IN. SO WE'RE GONNA DIVIDE IT BY, UM, PUTTING OUR FOLKS, THEY'RE GONNA FOCUS ON THE LAND SIDE. SO THEY'RE GONNA DO THE, THE CURBS AND THE ROADWAYS FOR THE AIRPORTS. UH, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE OUR CONTRACTORS GONNA DO THE TAXIWAYS AND RUNWAYS. UM, AND AGAIN, THAT'S THE, THE, THE THING, GREAT THING ABOUT THE VENDOR IS THEY BRING SOMEBODY IN, THEY BRING A BUNCH OF PEOPLE IN FROM THE NORTH THAT KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. UM, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT. AND SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO PUT SOME DEICING CHEMICAL ON ALL OUR, OUR, OUR AREAS. AND IF WE, IF WE HAVE A CHALLENGE, WE CAN, IT'S TEXAS, RIGHT? WE CAN ALWAYS GO THROW SOME TAHIN OUT THERE. UM, ABOUT THAT. JUST KIDDING. WE'RE, IT'S JUST MY JOKE. I'M NOT GONNA PUT TAHIN ON THE RUNWAYS, BUT IT MIGHT BE AN OPTION. I THINK I'M THE ONLY, I DO HAVE ROCK SALT IN MY GARAGE, SO, AND I, MY ICE SKATES AND MY ICE CLEATS, SO I'M PREPARED, UH, FOR THE WEEKEND. SO YOU GOT SALT? I DO. I BROUGHT, I BROUGHT IT FROM ALASKA, SO IT WAS, I PUT IT IN THE MOVING TRUCK, SO, ALL RIGHT. YEAH. UH, FROM, FROM ALASKA, I BROUGHT IT. YES. YEAH, YEAH. I'M, I'M READY. I'M PREPARED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DIRECTOR. I'M WISHING YOU THE BEST THIS WEEKEND. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. YOU AND THE ENTIRE TEAM. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA, UM, COLLEAGUES IS A PRESENTATION BY SENIOR STAFF ANALYST ANDREW BUSKER WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND HE WILL PRESENT ON, UH, ANOTHER TEZ NOMINATION. MR. BUSKER, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. WE ARE READY FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. I DON'T THINK THIS WILL TAKE TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME. UM, BUT I'LL WAIT FOR THE SLIDES TO GO UP BEFORE I CONTINUE. SO, UM, WE HAVE, UM, A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE TEXAS ENTERPRISE ZONE PROGRAM TODAY. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, SO THE TEXAS ENTERPRISE ZONE PROGRAM IS A QUARTERLY APPLICATION PROCESS. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE MARCH 3RD APPLICATION DEADLINE TO THE STATE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO, AS A REFRESHER, THE, UH, TEXAS ENTERPRISE ZONE IS A STATE PROGRAM, UM, THAT USES A REIMBURSEMENT OF STATE SALES AND USE TAXES. SO THERE'S NO, UM, FUNDING COMMITMENT FROM THE MUNICIPALITY. UH, WE RECEIVE NINE NOMINATIONS PER STATE BIENNIUM. UH, SO FAR WE'VE ONLY NOMINATED ONE PROJECT, AND FOR THIS PRESENTATION WE'RE PROPOSING, UH, ONE OTHER, UM, FOR OUR NOMINATIONS. UM, IF A, IF THE COUNTY WANTS TO NOMINATE FOR THE TEXAS ENTERPRISE ZONE PROJECT, UH, WE THEN HAVE TO SIGN ONTO AN INTERLOCAL, EXCUSE ME, AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY TO, TO SAY THAT WE, WE SUPPORT THAT NOMINATION. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. ALSO, THE, UM, APPLICATION IS DIVIDED INTO SEVERAL DIFFERENT INVESTMENT, UH, CATEGORIES OR DIFFERENT CATEGORIES BASED ON INVESTMENT AND JOB NUMBERS. AND THEN BASED ON THAT, DETERMINES WHAT THEIR, UH, REFUND WOULD BE FOR THE COMPANY. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO WE PROPOSE TO NOMINATE NRG ENERGY INCORPORATED, LOCATED AT 1301 MCKINNEY STREET, UM, DOWNTOWN. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO YOU CAN SEE THE MAP ON THE RIGHT IS THEIR PROJECT SITE. UM, THE COMPANY HAS MOVED THEIR DOWNTOWN OFFICES, AND SO IN THAT WHOLE PROCESS, THEY'RE DOING TENANT IMPROVEMENTS, UM, NEW FURNITURE AND FIXTURES FOR THEIR, UH, FACILITY, UM, COMPUTERS, ANOTHER IT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THEIR, UM, INVESTMENT. SO AS A WHOLE, IT'S ABOUT A $37 MILLION INVESTMENT. UM, BUT FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS APPLICATION CYCLE, ABOUT $10 MILLION IS WHAT THEY'RE SUBMITTING TO THE STATE FOR THEIR APPLICATION. UM, I DO APOLOGIZE, THERE ARE SOME TYPOS IN THE, UH, SALARIED NUMBERS. SO THE, UM, AVERAGE RETAINED JOBS IS $144,000. THE NEW JOBS IS $117,000 FOR, UM, THEIR, UM, AVERAGE SALARIES. AND A LOT OF THESE, YOU KNOW, BEING A DOWNTOWN HEADQUARTER OFFICE, A LOT OF THESE ARE CORPORATE, UM, POSITIONS. SO BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL OPERATIONS, IT MANAGEMENT POSITIONS, OFFICE AND ADMIN, SALES, MARKETING, THO THOSE SORT OF ROLES. [00:55:01] UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO LOOKING AT THE, UH, GENERAL TIMELINE, UH, THE NOMINATION RESOLUTION IS EXPECTED TO BE ON THE FEBRUARY 11TH AGENDA, UH, FOR CITY COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION. AND THEN, UM, THAT PROVIDES THE COMPANY ENOUGH TIME, UM, IF, IF NOMINATED TO APPLY FOR THE MARCH 3RD, UH, APPLICATION DEADLINE. SO AT THIS TIME I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. UH, SO, SO, UM, THEY ARE SAYING THAT THEY ARE CREATING OF 150 ADDITIONAL JOBS, CORRECT? YEAH. HUNDRED NEW JOBS. THOSE ARE 15 NEW JOBS, YES. JOBS. DO WE KNOW WHAT THOSE NEW JOBS ACTUALLY WILL BE? NOT BY SPECIFIC SOC CODES NECESSARILY, BUT THEY ARE IN THOSE, UM, THE CLASSIFICATIONS HERE OF BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL OPERATIONS, UM, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT, OFFICE ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT, AND SALES AND MARKETING POSITIONS. IF YOU'D LIKE A MORE DETAILED LIST, I CAN ASK AND PROVIDE THAT TO YOU, LIKE, YEAH, I'D BE INTERESTED TO KNOW. OKAY. WHAT TYPE OF JOBS THOSE 150 NEW JOBS ARE. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU ANDREW, FOR THE PRESENTATION. JUST A FEW QUESTIONS. SO, UM, NRG, THESE OFFICES, UH, THEY'RE RIGHT HERE DOWNTOWN, IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. AND, UM, THE INFORMATION IS THAT THEY WILL CREATE 150 NEW JOBS THAT THEY DON'T, THAT DON'T ALREADY EXIST, CORRECT. OVER THE OVER FIVE YEARS, YES. AND IT SOUNDED LIKE THOSE ARE WHITE COLLAR JOBS, IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. IN AN OFFICE ENVIRONMENT, YEAH. OKAY. AND, AND I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE THAT INFORMATION AS WELL THAT YOU'RE GONNA SHARE WITH OUR CHAIR HERE. OKAY. UM, RETAINING 350 JOBS, DOES THAT MEAN THAT THESE ARE JOBS THAT WOULD LEAVE IF THEY DID NOT GET THIS, UH, THIS BENEFIT IN, IN A TRADITIONAL SENSE OF THIS PROGRAM? I THINK THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL INTENT. UM, AS THIS PROGRAM HAS, UM, MOVED OVER TIME, THIS IS THEIR MAIN HEADQUARTERS THAT EMPLOYS, I THINK IT'S CLOSE TO 1700 PEOPLE. SO, UH, REALISTICALLY, IF THEY DID NOT RECEIVE THIS INCENTIVE, I NOT SURE IF THEY WOULD CUT THEIR STAFF AT ALL. UM, BUT THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW INCENTIVE PROGRAMS THAT, UM, HIGH PAYING WHITE COLLAR COMPANIES CAN UTILIZE. UM, THERE AREN'T TOO MANY OUT THERE THROUGH THE STATE THAT, UM, THAT WOULD FIT PROJECTS LIKE THIS. AND SO THAT'S WHY ORIGINALLY WHEN THIS PROGRAM WAS CREATED, WE WERE SEEING A LOT OF MANUFACTURING. UM, BUT THEN NOW, UM, AS, UH, BASED ON THE PROGRAM'S REQUIREMENTS WE'RE SEEING, UM, WE'RE SEEING MORE, UM, MORE HIGH SKILL OFFICE JOBS AND THE, THE COMPANIES ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE JOBS ARE APPLYING FOR THIS PROGRAM. SO IF WE'RE NOT SURE THAT THOSE 350 JOBS WOULD WOULD'VE LEFT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY DON'T GET THESE, UH, INCENTIVES, DOES THAT MEET THE, THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STATUTE OR NOT? IT DOES BECAUSE THE, UM, THERE'S NOT A BUT FOR REQUIREMENT FOR THE TEXAS ENTERPRISE ZONE PROGRAM, LIKE THERE ARE FOR OUR OTHER PROGRAMS, THE STATE IS JUST LOOKING AT INVESTMENT NUMBERS, WHAT THAT SALARY LOOKS LIKE, WHAT THAT JOB CREATION LOOKS LIKE, AND IF IT, IF IT MEETS THE CERTAIN POINT CRITERIA IN THAT APPLICATION, THEN THE STATE CONSIDERS THAT OUT OF ALL OF THE ONES THAT WERE APPLIED FOR THAT ROUND. AND, AND WHAT SORT OF DUE DILIGENCE OR CHECKING HA HAVE, UH, YOU OR SOMEONE ELSE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DONE TO VERIFY THESE, THESE FIGURES? THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH THAT WE CAN DO BECAUSE IT'S A COMMITMENT OF A FUTURE ACTION. UM, SO WHAT WE DO IS, UH, WE ENTER INTO OUS WITH THE COMPANY TO PROVIDE US ANNUAL DATA TO, TO SAY THAT THEY ARE LIVING UP TO THIS, SINCE IT IS A STATE PROGRAM, WE DON'T HAVE RECOURSE IF THEY DON'T FOLLOW THROUGH WITH IT. UH, THE STATE HAS THEIR COMPLIANCE REPORTING THAT THE COMPANY HAS TO PROVIDE TO THE STATE. AND SO IF THEY DON'T MEET IT, UM, THE STATE WILL TAKE AWAY THEIR, UM, THE INCENTIVE. OKAY. AND YOU'D MENTIONED THAT THE FI THE SALARY FIGURES ON THIS SLIDE ARE, ARE NOT CORRECT? IS THAT RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT, YEAH. SO THEY, THEY ARE, THEY ARE INACCURATE ON THIS SLIDE, 144,000, UM, IS THE AVERAGE SALARY FOR THE RETAINED JOBS. AND THEN 117, SO 1 1 7 AVERAGE SALARY FOR NEW JOBS. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, COLLEAGUES, STAFF? WE DID HAVE ONE PERSON SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IS LAURA GALLAGHER. HERE IS LAURA GALLAGHER ONLINE. I, LAURA GALLAGHER [01:00:01] DOESN'T SEEM LIKE SHE'S HERE. UM, IF ANYONE ELSE IN THE CHAMBER WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, IF NOT, UM, NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I HAVE A QUESTION. OKAY. CAN YOU COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD? I'M CARLA WEST. MY CONCERN IS WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THESE FUNDS? I KNOW IT'S JUST A NOMINATION, IT HAS TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS. UM, BUT FOR NRG, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THEY DON'T GET THIS? HOW WOULD THEY FUND THIS PROJECT? SO, UH, TRADITIONALLY FOR THESE SORT OF PROGRAMS, UM, COMPANIES ARE LOOKING FOR, UM, AS MANY AVENUES TO PROVIDE, UM, FUNDING SUPPORT. SO IF, UM, IF THEY DON'T RECEIVE THIS FUNDING, IT'S JUST MONEY THAT'S HITTING THEIR DIRECT BANK ACCOUNT. I GUESS FOR, FOR LACK OF A BETTER PHRASE, UM, THIS PROJECT IS ALREADY IN THE WORK. SO IT, UM, IT'S A $37 MILLION PROJECT. SO TO OFFSET BY 10 MILLION IS, IS GREAT FOR THE COMPANY AND THAT'S WHAT THEY WANNA PURSUE. UM, HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, THEY, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY DID START THIS PROJECT, SO THEY, THEY WERE EXPECTING TO PROBABLY SHELL OUT THE FULL AMOUNT. COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ. THANK YOU. SO THE PROJECT IS, IS ALREADY IN THE WORKS, SO THAT'S CORRECT. IT'S GONNA, IT'S GONNA BE COMPLETED WHETHER OR NOT THEY GET THIS BENEFIT? THAT'S CORRECT. SO IT MIGHT BE, IT MIGHT BE COMPLETED FASTER WITH THIS OR, UM, YEAH, SO I MEAN, I CAN, I'M HAPPY TO SET UP A, A MEETING TOO WITH, UM, WITH THE COMPANY OR THE COMPANY'S CLIENT AND OR THE, THE CLIENT REPRESENTING THEM. AND, AND, AND DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW, HOW MUCH, UH, REVENUE, UH, NRG GENERATES ON A YEARLY BASIS? I DON'T KNOW THAT NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I MEAN, IT'S A LOT. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. BUSKER. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. COLLEAGUES. IF THERE ARE NO OTHER, UH, COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT OUR NEXT SCHEDULED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING IS ON MARCH THE 18TH, UH, 2026. SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN RECEIVING THAT INFORMATION, YOU CAN CONTACT OUR DISTRICT A OFFICE AT DISTRICT A@HOUSTONTX.GOV. THE TIME IS 3 0 3 AND OUR MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. * 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.