[Press Conference: “Announcement | 19th Annual Tour de Houston” on February 10, 2026.]
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UM, FOLKS, THANK YOU GUYS AGAIN, IF I MAY GET YOUR ATTENTION, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
UM, FOR ALL OF OUR FRIENDS AT APACHE, THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN AND TAKING TIME OUTTA YOUR DAY TO JOIN US FOR THIS, UH, REALLY SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY.
I'LL BE MCING THE PRESS CONFERENCE ON BEHALF OF THE TOUR OF HOUSTON.
UM, AND WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE 2026 TOUR OF HOUSTON, PRESENTED BY THE APACHE CORPORATION.
UM, JOINING ME ON STAGE TODAY IS A VERY, UH, ILLUSTRIOUS GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS HERE FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, OUR MAYOR, THE HONORABLE JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR, UH, CEO OF HOUSTON, FIRST CORPORATION, MICHAEL HECKMAN, THE CEO OF APACHE.
UH, JOHN CHRISMAN HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE HERE,
UH, WE'RE THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE, UH, THAT THIS YEAR'S TOUR TO HOUSTON, UH, WILL BE HELD ON SUNDAY, APRIL THE 12TH.
UM, AND ONCE AGAIN, IT'LL BEGIN AN END ON AVENUE TO DALLAS LOS AMERICAS DOWNTOWN.
UM, COME ALL THE WAY OUT HERE ON THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE ROUTE A LITTLE BIT LATER.
UM, THIS YEAR'S ROUTE WILL COME OUT ON THE WEST SIDE.
AND ONE, UH, REALLY EXCITING ADDITION THIS YEAR, UM, IS GONNA BE THAT IT'S GONNA COME RIGHT HERE, UH, PAST, UH, THE APACHE HEADQUARTERS, WHICH IS GONNA BE, UH, REALLY FUN FOR, FOR EVERYBODY OUT HERE.
UM, REGISTRATION IS OPEN RIGHT NOW@TOURDEHOUSTON.ORG.
UM, STARTS AT $50 FOR EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION.
SO IF YOU'RE PLANNING ON RIDING, MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR REGISTRATION IN NOW.
YOU GET A, A COMPLIMENTARY T-SHIRT, UH, FOR THE EVENT.
AND OBVIOUSLY A FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE.
UM, AND ALL THE MONEY, ALL THE PROCEEDS FROM THE EVENT GO TO BENEFIT HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATIONS, REPLANT HOUSTON, UH, REFORESTATION PROGRAM.
SO, WITH ALL THAT SAID, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MICHAEL HAGMAN AND LET HIM TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE EVENT.
UH, AND WHAT A GREAT CAMPUS OUT HERE.
WE THANK, UH, APACHE FOR INVITING US TO BE OUT HERE TODAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE ALWAYS, THESE ARE ALWAYS FUN THINGS FOR US TO DO AS AT HOUSTON.
FIRST, WE HAVE THE, UM, DISTINCT HONOR OF BEING ABLE TO PROMOTE HOUSTON, UH, ALL OVER THE WORLD FOR MAJOR EVENTS, TOURISM, CONVENTIONS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP EXECUTE GREAT EVENTS.
AND THE TOUR TO HOUSTON PRESENTED BY APACHE IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THOSE, ONE OF THOSE GREAT EVENTS FOR OUR CYCLING COMMUNITY TO HAVE FITNESS AND, AND, AND MENTAL WELLBEING.
ALL THE THINGS THAT IT PROMOTES IS A GREAT THING FOR, FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, MAYOR WHITMEYER IS ABOUT AT HIS MIDPOINT OF HIS FIRST TERM, AND, UH, WE GOT A CALL, UH, SOMETIME AFTER HE HAD TAKEN OFFICE AND SAID, THE TOUR TO HOUSTON IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO US, REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE CITY.
AND LIKE THE MAYOR WILL TEND TO DO, IF YOU GET TO KNOW HIM, HE SAYS, WE CAN DO BETTER.
HE LOOKS AT EVERY ASPECT OF HOUSTONIAN LIVES ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE AND OTHER THINGS.
AND, AND THOSE OF US THAT, THAT, THAT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH HIM, HE SAYS, WE CAN DO BETTER.
AND HE FELT THAT WAY ABOUT THIS EVENT.
UH, WE OWED IT TO APACHE AS SUCH A GREAT LONG-TERM PARTNER.
RARELY IN THE, IN THE EVENTS WORLD, YOU HAVE SUCH A COMMITMENT FROM A CORPORATE PARTNER THAT IS INGRAINED IN THE EVENT, GIVES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT THAT'S WHAT APACHE HAS DONE, AND HE FELT LIKE THIS COMMUNITY DESERVED A BETTER EVENT TO LEVEL IT UP.
AND THAT APACHE, UM, DESERVED THAT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE REALLY TRIED TO DO.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE TRIED TO PUT SOME, SOME REALLY GREAT, UM, SOME REALLY GREAT, UM, UH, EVENTS AND ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE RIDERS, UH, BOTH DURING THE RIDE, POST RIDE, ENTERTAINMENT, FOOD AND BEVERAGE OPTIONS, OTHER THINGS.
AND WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO COME OUT HERE TO THE CAMPUS, UH, WITH, WITH THE ROUTE.
SO THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE TRIED TO DO TO TRY TO BE, UH, THE RIGHT PRODUCTION PARTNER FOR THE CITY.
AND I HOPE MAYOR, THAT WE HAVE DELIVERED ON THAT AND WE EXPECT THAT THIS YEAR'S TOUR, HOUSTON, UH, WILL BE THE BEST ONE YET.
UM, THE MAYOR, UH, IS, IS DEDICATED, AS I SAID EARLIER, TO QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES.
EVENTS LIKE THIS ARE PART OF THAT TO GIVE PEOPLE GREAT THINGS TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN.
SO, UM, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, JOHN WHITMEYER.
AND CERTAINLY THANK YOU, MR. CHRISMAN, YOUR TEAM.
YOU KNOW, I, UH, WE HAVE 23,000 CITY EMPLOYEES, 24 DEPARTMENTS, AND CERTAINLY I WAS IN THE LEGISLATURE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND HAD STAFF.
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POINT IS, I CAN SPOT HIGH MORALE.I CAN, I CAN SPOT EMPLOYEES AND TEAM MEMBERS THAT LOOK FORWARD TO GOING TO WORK.
AND I CAN CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND I GOT IN MY VEHICLE THIS MORNING AND I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO GEORGE BROWN, LIKE WE'VE ANNOUNCED BEFORE.
SO I ASKED MY SECURITY DETAIL, WHERE THE HELL Y'ALL GOING?
AND APACHE'S DONE SUCH A FANTASTIC JOB AND IN THIS BEAUTIFUL SETTING THAT YOU'RE GONNA SHARE WITH THE BIKERS.
UH, I PERSONALLY DON'T WANT TO LEAVE BECAUSE, SEE, I WORK ON PROBLEMS EVERY DAY ACROSS THIS GREAT CITY.
WE HAVE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE MEETING, BUT TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME SEE THE TEAM THAT APACHE HAS IN PLACE, THEIR COMMITMENT AS CORPORATE PARTNERS WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT MAKES ME WANT TO GO BACK TO WORK.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOUSTON'S GREATNESS.
AND APACHE HAS MADE THAT POSSIBLE WITH THEIR PARTNERSHIP FOR SO MANY YEARS WITH THE APACHE TOUR DAY HOUSTON.
SO, NOT ONLY HAVE WE BEEN PARTNERS, WE'VE DISCUSSED MATTERS, WHERE DO WE WANNA PUT THE PROCEEDS? WE'VE BECAME FAMILY, AND TO GET TO SEE THE 5 MILLION TREE THAT APACHE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR.
SO OBVIOUSLY, GIVE YOURSELF A SHOUT OUT.
HOUSTON FIRST, THANK YOU, KENNETH ALLENS THE PARK DIRECTOR, BUT REALLY THANK YOU TO THE APACHE TEAM FAMILY.
AND, UH, WE JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING AWAY.
WE GOT SOME PROJECTS THAT WE'RE GONNA WORK TOGETHER ON, BUT THIS IS REAL TIME DEMONSTRATION OF HOUSTON'S GREATNESS.
GOVERNMENT CAN'T DO EVERYTHING.
WE NEED THEIR EMPLOYEES, WE NEED YOUR COMMUNITIES.
I'LL BE A BETTER MAYOR WHEN I LEAVE HERE THAN THE ONE THAT GOT HERE BECAUSE YOU'RE INSPIRING AND DEMONSTRATING A CAN-DO ATTITUDE.
THANK WELL, THANK YOU MAYOR WHITMEYER FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, UH, AND THE PARTNERSHIP, BUT YOU EXPRESSED IN, UH, WAYS THAT I, YOU KNOW, COULDN'T EVEN DESCRIBE.
SO WE APPRECIATE, UH, YOUR ENTHUSIASM FOR THE TOUR AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR GREAT CITY.
SO IS, UH, THIS IS OUR 13TH YEAR, UH, AS TITLE SPONSOR FOR THE TOUR TO HOUSTON, AND IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE PROUD TO HAVE DONE.
UM, WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE HOUSTON FIRST FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN, UH, ELEVATING THE EVENT THIS YEAR.
UH, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS LIKE THIS ARE IMPORTANT TO US, AND THEY PLAY A MEANINGFUL ROLE IN MAKING HOUSTON A GREAT PLACE TO BOTH LIVE, WORK, AND RAISE ALL OF OUR FAMILIES.
FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT KNOW US, APACHE IS A GLOBAL OIL AND GAS COMPANY, ARE FOCUSED ON RESPONSIBLE EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION.
AND HOUSTON HAS BEEN OUR HEADQUARTERS SINCE 1991.
IT'S A PLACE WE'RE PROUD TO CALL HOME, AND WE'RE ESPECIALLY PROUD TO SUPPORT THE IMPORTANT WORK OF THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT THROUGH THE TOUR TO HOUSTON.
AS HAS BEEN SAID, THIS RIDE RAISES FUNDS TO REPLANT, UH, HOUSTON AND HELP RESTORE AND STRENGTHEN OUR URBAN TREE CANOPY.
THE COMMITMENT ALIGNS CLOSELY WITH OUR OWN TREE GRANT PROGRAM, WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN 2005, AND AS THE MAYOR SAID, WE PLANTED, UH, RECENTLY PLANTED OUR 5000000TH TREE, UH, HERE, RIGHT BEHIND US, INCLUDING MORE THAN 460,000 OF THOSE TREES IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA.
SO IT'S ALL ABOUT ENHANCING GREEN SPACES.
PLANTING TREES IS ESSENTIAL TO LIFE AND URBAN GROWTH, AND IMPROVES THE RESILIENCE AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
SO, UH, ESPECIALLY IN OUR GREAT CITY.
ANYWAYS, UH, WE'RE ALSO EXCITED TO HOST TODAY'S EVENT AT OUR HEADQUARTERS.
IT SHOWS HOW CLOSELY OUR COMPANY AND, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR EMPLOYEES ARE CONNECTED TO THE CITY.
WE INVITE THE CYCLISTS AND FAMILIES FROM ACROSS HOUSTON TO JOIN US ON APRIL 12TH, UH, FOR THIS WONDERFUL EVENT.
THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HOUSTON, FIRST, ALL OF OUR PARTNERS AND EVERYONE WHO MAKES THIS POSSIBLE.
SO I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY EMPLOYEES WHO ARE OUT HERE BECAUSE WITHOUT YOU AND YOUR EFFORTS, UH, IT'S NOT POSSIBLE AS WELL.
AND I'D LIKE TO BRING UP KENNETH ALLEN, THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PARKS AND REC, TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, THE REPLANT HOUSTON PROGRAM.
YOU KNOW, BEING HERE TODAY AT APACHE HEADQUARTERS ON THIS GROUND, I, I FEEL LIKE I'M AT HOME BECAUSE IT'S A PARK.
YOU KNOW, I WANT TO THANK APACHE FOR POURING
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INTO YOUR EMPLOYEES IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT'S GONNA BE TRANQUIL, THAT'S GONNA GIVE THEM A BREAK WHEN NEEDED BEFORE WORK AT LUNCH, AFTER WORK.SO IT'S, IT'S JUST A SPECIAL PLACE TO STAND IN AND TO STAND BEHIND THE, UH, 5000000TH TREE THROUGHOUT, UM, THE US AND THE WORLD IS ADDS MORE SIGNIFICANCE.
AND THEN TO KNOW THAT 450, YOU KNOW, 460,000 TREES THROUGHOUT HOUSTON HAS BEEN PLANTED, UH, AS A RESULT OF THIS PARTNERSHIP, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST INDICATIVE OF POURING INTO OUR ENVIRONMENT AND POURING INTO PEOPLE.
SO I WANNA THANK APACHE AND THEIR EMPLOYEES FOR BASICALLY ROLLING UP THEIR SLEEVES AND GETTING THEIR HANDS DIRTY TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THE REFORESTATION OF OUR, OF OUR CITY THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE.
SO THE HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE MAINTAIN OVER 382 PARKS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, OVER 172 GREEN SPACES, AND OVER 38,000 ACRES OF DEVELOPED LAND.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT AND THE WELLBEING OF, OF OUR CITY THROUGH PARKS AND RECREATION AND GREAT PARTNERSHIPS, UH, IT POURS IN TWO, TWO OF OUR CORE VALUES AND PRIORITIES, BUILDING A RESILIENT URBAN TREE CANOPY FOR ONE, AND ENSURING ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR A HEALTHY, ACTIVE LIFESTYLE AS A RESULT.
AND YOU THINK ABOUT THE TOUR DE HOUSTON AND THAT RACE, BRINGING EVERYBODY TOGETHER TO HELP HOUSTON FROM A HEALTHY GROWTH STANDPOINT.
AND THEN GUESS WHAT? WE ALSO ARE ABLE TO POUR INTO RESILIENCY FROM A FLOOD MEDICATIONS, FLOOD MITIGATION STANDPOINT, AND YOU COLLECT ALL THOSE THINGS AND YOU COME TOGETHER WITH AN EVENT THAT'S GONNA MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY, THAT'S GONNA PUT PEOPLE IN PARKS.
YOU KNOW, I'M PLANNING ON RIDING IN THE RACE MYSELF WITH MY FAMILY, SO IT WON'T, I THINK I'M GONNA DO, I THINK I'M GONNA DO MAYBE, MAYBE 10 THIS YEAR,
IT'S, IT'S A WAY TO GET INTO THE COMMUNITY, AND I'M CERTAINLY PROUD OF THIS EFFORT AS WE, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RACE.
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE ALL HOUSTONIANS TO COME OUT AND, UH, TAKE PART IN THE RACE ON APRIL THE, UH, 12TH.
UH, CERTAINLY YOU'LL GET SOME GREAT VIEWS OF OUR CITY.
UH, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE FAMILIES AND KIDS RECREATE.
SO THANK YOU APACHE, FOR BEING OUR PARTNER.
I'M CERTAINLY ENCOURAGED AND HAPPY TO MOVE THIS EFFORT FORWARD.
I WANT TO THANK JOHN AND EVERYONE HERE AT APACHE FOR HOSTING US TODAY, UH, AT YOUR BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS.
THANK YOU TO ALL THE APACHE TEAM MEMBERS FOR COMING DOWNSTAIRS AND TAKING TIME OUTTA YOUR DAY, UH, TO BE A PART OF THIS AS WELL.
AND I HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU GUYS, UH, GO AND SIGN UP TO RIDE IN THE, IN THE RIDE, UH, ON APRIL THE 12TH.
UM, BEFORE WE GET GOING, UM, MAYOR, MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME OUTTA YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE.
I KNOW YOU'VE GOT A, UH, A BUNCH OF COMMITMENTS EVERY DAY.
IT MEANS A LOT TO US, AND IT SHOWS THE IMPORTANCE, I THINK, FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND NOT ONLY TO YOU, BUT TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, UH, FOR YOU TO TAKE THE TIME TO BE HERE TODAY.
UM, I DO SEE A FEW OTHER FRIENDLY FACES IN THE CROWD HERE THAT I WANT TO RECOGNIZE.
UH, SOME OF OUR SUPPORTING PARTNERS FROM THE EVENT, UH, I SEE SOME FRIENDS FROM SILVER EAGLE DISTRIBUTORS OVER THERE, FOLKS FROM PEPSI.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE EVENT AS WELL.
UM, WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU GUYS.
AND THEN BEFORE WE CONCLUDE, I JUST WANNA TELL YOU A FEW DETAILS ABOUT THE EVENT FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, ONCE AGAIN, REGISTRATION IS OPEN NOW@TOURTOHOUSTON.ORG.
UH, EARLY BIRD PRICING GOES THROUGH THE REST OF THIS MONTH AT $50.
UM, AGAIN, THAT GETS YOU OBVIOUSLY YOUR ENTRY INTO THE RIDE.
THERE'S ALSO A FANTASTIC POST RIDE, UM, PARTY AT DISCOVERY GREEN AFTERWARDS, UH, WITH, WITH, UH, BIKE SHOPS AND EXHIBITS AND BIKE CLUBS AND ALL KINDS OF GREAT THINGS, UH, FOR FOLKS TO HAVE GREAT TIME.
AND YOU GET TO SEE THE CITY IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WAY THAN YOU DO DRIVING AROUND IN YOUR CAR EVERY DAY.
UM, SO I REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE, TO TAKE PART IN IT.
UM, GIVE YOU A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE ROUTE.
UM, AGAIN, IT'LL START AND END AT DISCOVERY GREEN AT AVE DE LOS AMERICAS.
IT'S GONNA COME OUT TO THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN ONCE AGAIN THIS YEAR.
UM, WE'LL GO THROUGH DOWNTOWN, THROUGH MEMORIAL PARK, THROUGH TANGLEWOOD, PINEY POINT VILLAGE ON THROUGH BUNKER HILL VILLAGE, RIGHT HERE TO BRIAR FOREST, UH, LIKE I SAID, COMING THROUGH COMING PAST APACHE'S HEADQUARTERS, UM, OUT TO HIGHWAY SIX BEFORE IT TURNS AROUND AND COMES BACK.
SO IF, IF THAT'S INTIMIDATING TO YOU, IT SOUNDS LIKE A LONG WAY, WE HAVE THREE ROUTES.
THERE'S A 10 MILE ROUTE THAT'S PERFECT FOR, FOR FAMILIES AND FOR, UH, FOLKS WHO, UH, JUST WANNA GET OUT AND HAVE A GOOD DAY.
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THERE, THERE'S A 20 MILE RIDE FOR INTERMEDIATE RIDERS, AND THEN THERE'S A 45 MILE ROUTE THAT COMES ALL THE WAY OUT HERE FOR FOLKS THAT ARE TRAINING FOR THE MS ONE 50 OR THAT ARE AVID CYCLISTS, UH, LIKE THESE THREE.THEY, THEY, THEY CAME OUT TODAY.
UM, EACH OF THOSE EVENT, EACH OF THOSE DISTANCES HAS A REST STOP ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH.
SO THERE'S HA THERE'S REST STOPS ALONG THE WAY, UM, WITH, UM, BIKE MECHANICS, FOOD, DRINK, REFRESHMENTS, MUSIC, UM, A GREAT CHANCE TO TO, TO GET OFF YOUR, GET OUTTA THE SADDLE FOR A SECOND AND, AND TAKE A BREAK BEFORE YOU GET BACK OUT THERE ON THE STREET AGAIN.
UM, AND THEN FOR OUR FRIENDS HERE IN THE MEDIA, UM, WE'LL SHARE A PRESS RELEASE HERE SHORTLY THAT'LL HAVE, UH, PHOTOS AND VIDEO FROM LAST YEAR, THIS YEAR'S LOGO, AS WELL AS THE, THE ROUTE MAP AND EVERYTHING FOR YOU GUYS.
SO, UH, BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR YOUR, IN YOUR EMAIL FOR THAT.
UM, AND WITH THAT, UM, WE'LL SEE EVERYBODY ON APRIL 12TH AGAIN, STARTING AT, UH, DISCOVERY GREEN, COMING RIGHT OUT HERE PAST APACHE, AND IT'S GONNA BE A FANTASTIC MORNING HERE IN HOUSTON.
AND THEN THE VERY LAST THING I'D LIKE TO DO IS JUST INVITE, UH, NICOLE AND ROXY AND RYAN TO BRING YOUR, YOUR BIKES IN HERE IN FRONT, AND WE'LL DO A QUICK PHOTO WITH, WITH THESE GENTLEMEN BEHIND IT.