[Press Conference: "FIRST Robotics Contract Extension" on January 28, 2026.]
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I WANNA THANK OUR PARTICIPANTS THAT WE'VE GOT HERE, A DISTINGUISHED PANEL, UH, THAT YOU'LL HEAR FROM TODAY.
MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, FIRST PRESIDENT AND CEO CHRIS MOORE, AND GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP PRESIDENT AND CEO STEVE KING.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT WE HAVE WITH US TODAY.
UH, WILLIE DAVIS, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JOAQUIN MARTINEZ.
ALSO A MEMBER OF THE HOUSTON FIRST BOARD.
JULIAN RAMIREZ IS ALSO WITH US.
WE'VE ALSO GOT TWO OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS, UH, AND WITHOUT THEIR SUPPORT, WE COULDN'T DO THE WORK THAT WE DO.
WE'VE GOT SHEREEN LAMOND AND SOPHIA GONZALEZ.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR, FOR BEING HERE.
NOW WE'RE GONNA GET RIGHT TO IT.
UH, IT IS MY HONOR TO, UH, GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE CHRIS MOORE, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT, AND CEO OF FIRST TO GET TO THE SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT.
CHRIS, JOIN ME UP ON STAGE, PLEASE.
IT IS SUCH AN HONOR TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY.
AND FOR THOSE, UH, WHO MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH US, FIRST STANDS FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.
WE ARE A GLOBAL ROBOTICS COMMUNITY THAT PREPARES YOUNG PEOPLE FOR CAREERS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH.
EACH YEAR WE ENGAGE NEARLY A MILLION STUDENTS, AGES FOUR TO 18 ACROSS MORE THAN 110 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD.
IT IS TRULY AN HONOR TO JOIN THE LEADERS OF THIS CITY AND THE HOUSTON BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO SHARE AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT MEANS A GREAT DEAL TO OUR ORGANIZATION AND TO THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, FAMILIES, AND VOLUNTEERS WHO TRAVELED TO HOUSTON FROM AROUND THE WORLD EACH SPRING TO ATTEND THE FIRST WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.
FIRST, WILL CONTINUE TO HOST OUR ANNUAL CULMINATING EVENT AT THE GEORGE R. BROWN CONVENTION CENTER THROUGH THE YEAR 2034, EXTENDING, EXTENDING OUR LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIP WITH HOUSTON FOR SEVEN ADDITIONAL YEARS.
WE STARTED HERE IN 2017 AND WE'VE EX EXTENDED THE PARTNERSHIP, UH, UH, TO 2034.
AS WE RIGOROUSLY EVALUATED MULTIPLE CITIES AND VENUES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
HOUSTON CONSISTENTLY STOOD OUT AS THE BEST HOST CITY FOR US FOR SEVERAL REASONS.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS WAS HOUSTON'S COMMITMENT TO EXPANDING THE GEORGE R. BROWN CONVENTION CENTER IN THE YEARS AHEAD.
THAT EXPANSION CREATES NEW POSSIBILITIES FOR FIRST, MORE SPACE TO GROW, MORE ROOM FOR INNOVATION AND MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO SHOWCASE THEIR IDEAS AND THEIR ROBOTS.
UH, IN, IN A, ON A, A, A LARGER STAGE, THE FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP IS A VERY LARGE AND LOGISTICALLY COMPLEX EVENT FOR ANY CITY TO HOST.
THE PLANNED RENOVATIONS, INCREASED CAPACITY ACROSS THE CONVENTION CENTER FOOTPRINT AND THE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF THE SURROUNDING AREA, INCLUDING GREEN SPACE, RESTAURANTS, CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AND HOTELS.
MAKE HOUSTON NOT JUST CAPABLE, BUT EXCEPTIONAL.
IT IS A CITY THAT IS THINKING LONG TERM ALONG WITH US, AND THAT MADE HOUSTON A CLEAR THAT THAT MADE HOUSTON A CLEAR STANDOUT AS THE RIGHT PLACE TO LOCK IN OUR FUTURE.
ANOTHER KEY FACTOR IN OUR DECISION WAS OUR LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIP WITH HOUSTON.
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THIS PARTNERSHIP WORKS BECAUSE IT IS BUILT ON COLLABORATION AND TRUST.HOUSTON FIRST HAS BEEN SO ACCOMMODATING TO OUR FIRST PARTICIPANTS WHO TRAVEL FROM 66 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, HOUSTON, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UNDERSTANDS WHAT FIRST BRINGS TO THIS CITY, WHICH IS GLOBAL VISIBILITY.
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF VISITORS, AS I MENTIONED, FROM NEARLY 70 COUNTRIES, AND A POWERFUL CONNECTION TO THE FUTURE WORKFORCE.
AND FIRST, OF COURSE, BENEFITS FROM A CITY THAT CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATES CARE AND COMMITMENT TO OUR STUDENTS, FAMILIES, VOLUNTEERS, AND OUR MISSION YEAR AFTER YEAR.
I WANNA EXTEND MY SINCERE THANKS TO MICHAEL HECKMAN AND THE ENTIRE TEAM AT HOUSTON.
FIRST INCLU, INCLUDING NATHAN TALLETT FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP AND PARTNERSHIP, MAYOR WHITMEYER FOR HIS CONTINUED SUPPORT AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR ALWAYS BEING SUCH AN EXCEPTIONAL HOST.
I ALSO WANT TO EXTEND A SPECIAL WELCOME TO ERIC VAN GAMIN, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF FIRST IN TEXAS, AND A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE FIRST STUDENTS WHO ARE HERE, UH, JOINING US, THE TEAMS WHO ARE HERE.
LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE WHEN YOU SEE THEM DEMONSTRATING THEIR ROBOTS.
KNOW THIS, YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE FUTURE LEADERS, ENTREPRENEURS, ENGINEERS, CHANGE MAKERS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WILL, WILL SHAPE OUR, OUR COLLECTIVE FUTURE.
SO, UH, PLEASE, UH, MAKE SURE TO MEET THOSE STUDENTS.
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR FIRST IN HOUSTON, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL TO BUILD IT TOGETHER.
UH, YOU CAN NOW UNDERSTAND WHY WE'VE HAD A LOT OF EXCITEMENT AT HOUSTON.
FIRST TO TRY TO GET TO TODAY TO GET IT ANNOUNCED FOR SUCH A SUBSTANTIAL, UM, ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WE'VE HAD.
WE'VE HAD A GREAT PARTNERSHIP OVER, OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, UH, FOR FIRST TO CALL HOUSTON HOME.
UH, AND THIS IS THE EXACTLY THE TYPE OF MEGA EVENT THAT WE ENVISION GROWING HERE AND HAVING A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO HOUSTON, UH, WITH THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE GEORGE R. BROWN.
AND WHAT DO ALL OF THESE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF VISITORS MEAN? OF COURSE, VISIBILITY, BUT IMPACT ON HOTEL ROOM NIGHTS SPENDING AMONGST OUR MEDIUM AND SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE HERE IN HOUSTON.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT MEANS SUSTAINING AND CREATING JOBS, WHICH IS WHAT WE WAKE UP AND THINK ABOUT EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER.
WE PUT OUT A REPORT THAT SAID THAT OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS, THERE WOULD BE $20 BILLION OF INCREMENTAL IMPACT OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS.
TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT IS JUST A PART OF THAT.
UH, I WANNA THANK MANY OF THEM THAT ARE HERE.
THE 175 HOTELS THAT WILL HOUSE THE FIRST STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES WHILE THEY'RE HERE.
IT TAKES A SUBSTANTIAL EFFORT TO BE ABLE TO HOST SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO I WANNA THANK OUR HOTEL PARTNERS FOR BEING ABLE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
AFTER MAYOR WHITMEYER, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR FROM STEVE KANE, THE PRESENT, CEO OF THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP.
I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP AND COLLABORATIVE APPROACH THAT WE'VE HAD WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE PARTNERSHIP, UH, OF A ONE PLUS ONE EQUALS THREE TYPE OF AN APPROACH.
EACH ORGANIZATION DOES DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT WE BOTH REPRESENT HOUSTON FROM TALENT RECRUITMENT AND JOB EXPANSION AND ALL THE MANY THINGS THAT THE PARTNERSHIP DOES TO THE THINGS THAT WE DO AT HOUSTON.
AND I OFTEN SAY THAT WHILE WE DON'T DO PURELY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THAT'S THE WORK OF THE PARTNERSHIP.
TOURISM IS A LOT OF TIMES THE FRONT DOOR FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THESE TYPES OF EVENTS MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
I OFTEN GET THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ABLE TO INTRODUCE OUR MAYOR, JOHN WHITMEYER, AND YOU CAN RECITE ON AND ON OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS THE THINGS THAT HE'S DONE FROM ATTACKING THE CHALLENGES THAT, THAT
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THIS CITY HAS ON A DAILY BASIS.JUST THE MOST RECENT WAS OVER THE WEEKEND, ROUND THE CLOCK, UM, PREPARING THIS CITY AND THEN WORKING THROUGH THE STORM.
BUT I'M GONNA TALK MORE SPECIFICALLY TODAY ABOUT HOW EVENTS LIKE THIS HAPPEN FROM LARGE INVESTMENTS THAT ARE MADE TO HAPPEN.
AND AUSTIN, WE HAD TO PASS LEGISLATION TO FUND THIS PROJECT.
AND I THINK MAYOR, UH, I'M NOT SURE AT THE TIME, BUT WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT IT, UH, WE DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW QUICKLY SOME OF THESE WINS THAT WOULD HAPPEN, BUT THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE HAD IN MIND.
WE ULTIMATELY PASSED THAT LEGISLATION.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, MEGA PUBLIC PROJECTS TAKE A LONG TIME, AND THEY'RE VERY DIFFICULT.
WHEN MAYOR WHITMEYER CAME IN, HIS CHARGE TO US IS TO GET IT DONE, GET IT DONE ON BUDGET, GET IT DONE ON TIME.
YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU NEED FROM ME AND I'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO RELY ON.
SO HE'S THE MAYOR OF THE CITY.
BUT FOR OUR PERSPECTIVE AT HOUSTON, FIRST, HE LEADS THE EFFORTS OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO.
I'M NOW PROUD TO BE ABLE TO WELCOME TO YOU TO MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER.
MICHAEL, I'LL GIVE YOU SOME OF MY TIME IF YOU'D LIKE IT.
THIS IS, UH, A SPECIAL DAY FOR HOUSTON.
MR. MOORE, WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR THAT EXTENSION YOU WILL NEVER REGRET ONE DAY YOUR DECISION BECAUSE THE TEAM THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
MICHAEL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROFESSIONALISM, YOUR TEAM.
STEVE, THANK YOU FOR THE PARTNERSHIP BEING A TRUE PARTNER AND SO MANY OTHERS THAT I CAN SEE PRESENT HERE TODAY, PARTICULARLY THESE YOUNG PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, I WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE PARTICIPATING IN FIRST, BUT I'M GOING TO ENJOY IT THROUGH YOUR EYES AND THROUGH YOUR FAMILY'S EXPERIENCES.
IT IS AMAZING TO THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE 50,000 PLUS SOME OF THE SMARTEST YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE WORLD IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
EVERYONE NEEDS TO STOP AND THINK ABOUT THAT, THE DIVERSITY WHICH ALL OF OUR INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS WILL FIND HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I WANT EVERYONE TO LEAVE AFTER THE EVENT AND SAY, THAT WAS THE FRIENDLIEST CITY I'VE EVER VISITED, BECAUSE IT'S TRUE.
SOME OF US REALIZE IT'S KINDA LIKE I SAW MY GRANDSON KNOCK A HOME RUN LAST SPRING, 12-YEAR-OLD LITTLE LEAGUER.
MOST OF US WILL NEVER EXPERIENCE THAT.
AND I'VE WON ELECTIONS, TOUGH ELECTIONS, AND THAT'S A SPECIAL FEELING.
AND I'VE BEEN THE MAYOR AND A LEGISLATOR.
BUT TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS EVENT, I'LL NEVER EVER KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE.
SO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT IN REAL TIME.
LOOK AROUND, ENJOY VISIT HOUSTON.
AND MR. MOORE, IT MEANS SO MUCH TO HEAR YOU SAY IT THAN ME SAY IT BECAUSE I SAY IT ON A ROUTINE BASIS.
WE DO HAVE A GREAT CITY WITH GREAT PEOPLE.
AND LIKE ALL THE LARGE CITIES IN AMERICA, WE HAVE CHALLENGES.
THE DIFFERENCE IS WE'RE MEETING OUR CHALLENGES.
AND TO HEAR YOUR WORDS AND LET IT GO OUT FROM THIS OCCASION MEANS THAT HOUSTON'S ON THE RIGHT PATH.
WE'VE BEEN DISCOVERED ACROSS THIS GREAT COUNTRY AND INTERNATIONALLY, FIFA TELLS US, MR. MOORE, THAT WE'RE MORE PREPARED FOR THE WORLD CUP THAN ANY OTHER CITY.
AND THEY CALL US THE GROWNUP CITY BECAUSE OF THE WAY WE GO ABOUT OUR PROFESSIONALISM, OUR COMPETENCY.
AND I CAN'T, I CAN'T DO IT BY MYSELF.
I'M LOOKING AT COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE STAFF OF HOUSTON FIRST, THE PARTNERSHIP, OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS.
SO ANYWAY, I'M, I'M DARN EXCITED.
I COULD BE AT A HUNDRED PLACES RIGHT NOW AS THE MAYOR OF HOUSTON, BUT THIS IS WHERE I NEEDED TO
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BE.BUT IT'S ALSO WHERE I WANTED TO BE.
SO EVERYONE ENJOY THIS MOMENT AND LET'S KEEP ON WORKING.
ROBOTICS ARE PHYSICAL ROBOTICS WORK IN THE PHYSICAL WORLD, AND HOUSTON IS A PHYSICAL PLACE.
HOUSTON IS THE PLACE WHERE THE BIG OPPORTUNITIES AND THE BIG CHALLENGES THAT ROBOTICS CAN SOLVE WILL GET SOLVED.
WHETHER THAT'S IN OUR PORT OR IN OUR SPACE CENTER, OR IN THE MEDICAL CENTER OR IN OUR ENERGY SECTOR, OR IN OUR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING.
WE HAVE OVER 50,000, NEARLY 50,000 ENGINEERS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THAT'S ONE OF THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATIONS IN THE COUNTRY.
WE CELEBRATE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING IN THIS CITY.
YOU CAN MAKE YOUR FUTURE HERE.
THIS IS THE PLACE FOR YOU TO BE.
WE'RE HAPPY TO THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE HERE UNTIL 2034 AND MAYBE EVEN BEYOND.
AND IT'S NOW MY PLEASURE TO INVITE BACK UP.
WHAT MICHAEL SAID AND WHAT THE MAYOR SAID ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP IS, IS A HUNDRED PERCENT TRUE.
WE WORK TOGETHER AROUND HERE TO GET THINGS DONE.
WE SOLVE PROBLEMS. WE, WE CAPTURE OPPORTUNITIES, WE DO IT TOGETHER.
SO MY FRIEND, COME ON BACK UP.
SO ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE, MAYOR.
UH, ALL OF OUR GUESTS, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR FIRST FOR BELIEVING IN HOUSTON.
UM, THIS SEVEN YEAR COMMITMENT REPRESENTS OVER $500 MILLION OF ECONOMIC IMPACT, UH, REAL MONEY FOR THIS COMMUNITY, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO BE THE BEST HOST THAT YOU EVER HAD.
WE HAVE REFRESHMENTS AND PLEASE FOR NETWORKING.