* 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 April 15, 2026.] [00:00:12] I AM COUNCIL MEMBER FRED FLICKINGER, PRESIDING CHAIR OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. UM, WANTED TO WELCOME ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF, UH, COUNCILWOMAN ALCORN. AND WE HAVE STAFF FROM COUNCILWOMAN SALINAS, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, AND THE MAYOR PRO TEM STAFF AS WELL. AND, UH, DIDI'S PROMISED TO MAKE ME NOT MAKE TOO MANY STAKES, SO WE SHOULD BE GOOD. UH, THE MEETING IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND IS BEING HELD IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY. WE ARE ALSO BROADCASTING VIA HOUSTON HTV, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF. PLEASE HOLD YOUR QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END OF THE PRESENTATION. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION AND ARE PRESENT IN THE CHAMBER REQUEST TO SPEAK, OR IF YOU'RE JOINING VIRTUALLY, TYPE REQUEST TO SPEAK IN THE CHAT POD AND YOU'LL BE RECOGNIZED IN ORDER. YOU'LL BE ADVISED WHEN THE TWO MINUTES HAVE EXPIRED, COUNCIL MEMBERS ATTENDING VIRTUALLY. PLEASE USE THE CHAT POD TO COMMUNICATE. UH, THERE WAS ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TODAY. IF THERE ARE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS PRESENT HERE IN THE CHAMBER WHO WISH TO, UH, SIGN UP TO SPEAK, THERE'S A SIGNUP SHEET AT THE FRONT TABLE ON YOUR RIGHT. PUBLIC SPEAKERS WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO SPEAK AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE PRESENTATIONS. ANY QUESTIONS CAN BE EMAILED TO DISTRICT K@HOUSTONTX.GOV AND WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE RESPECTIVE DEPARTMENT ENTITIES FOR RESPONSES. OKAY, SO, OKAY. UM, THE FIRST, FIRST ON THE AGENDA, HAVE, UH, DIRECTOR HORDE, UH, DIRECTOR OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY WILL PRESENT ON EXPANDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY LGBTQ PLUS. DIRECTOR HORDE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. PLEASE PROCEED. CUT IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT. THANK YOU. I'M VERY LITTLE. THANK YOU GUYS FOR HAVING ME ONCE AGAIN. UM, WE ARE HERE TODAY TO PRESENT ON THE EXPANDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY PROJECT THAT WE'VE PARTNERED WITH, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. THIS IS OUR LGBTQ PLUS ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE. UM, WE START OUT, OF COURSE, WITH OUR MISSION, UH, REPRESENTING EQUAL REP, EQUAL REPRESENTATION AND ADVOCACY FOR ALL SMALL BUSINESSES BY PROVIDING PATHWAYS TO PARTNERSHIPS, CAPACITY, EXPANSION, AND GROWTH. UM, WE ARE LOOKING FOR OUR VISION. WE'VE CHANGED OUR VISION A LITTLE BIT IN THE SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY. WE WILL FOSTER PARTNERSHIPS BY DRIVING EQUITABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH ACROSS THE HOUSTON REGION. UM, LET'S TALK ABOUT OUR HOUSTON PLUS ECONOMIC SNAPSHOT. WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 194,000 LGBTQ PLUS ADULTS THAT LIVE IN HOUSTON IN OUR METROPOLITAN AREA. 3.5% OF THE ADULT POPULATION IN HOUSTON IDENTIFIES AS LGBTQ PLUS, AND WE HAVE 71 L-G-B-T-B-E CERTIFIED FIRMS CURRENTLY REGISTERED WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND OUR CERTIFIED DIRECTORY, THE GREATER HOUSTON CHAMBER, THE LGBTQ PLUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS MORE THAN 500 REGISTERED MEMBERS, AND THAT INCLUDES THEIR BUSINESS PARTNERS, ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER PARTNERS AND INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS. THEY HAVE A MONTHLY CHAMBER BREAKFAST. IT DRAWS ABOUT 125 INDIVIDUALS TO, OR SOMETIMES 150. UM, AND IT PROVIDES A STRONG ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITY AND OUTREACH FOR PROGRAM PARTICIPATION. NEXT SLIDE. HOW DID WE GET HERE? OUR COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO PROPOSED, AS YOU RECALL, LAST YEAR TO HAVE AN LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR, UH, LOCATED AT THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY. IT WAS APPROVED FOR FUNDING LAST FISCAL YEAR, UH, FOR $30,000, 10,000 OF WHICH CAME FROM COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ AND THE OTHER $20,000 FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. THE AREAS OF FOCUS FOR THIS PROJECT WAS TO CONNECT THE LG BT Q PLUS JOB SEEKERS WITH THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT RESOURCE RESOURCES, AND CAREER READINESS PROGRAMS. WE WANNA SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY THAT OWNS SMALL BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURS WITH BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT GUIDANCE, INCREASING THE AWARENESS OF OBO AND OUR CERTIFICATION WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AND EXPANDING THE PARTICIPATION OF THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY IN OUR BUSINESS DIRECTORY. NEXT SLIDE. OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST, UM, WAS HIRED OCTOBER OF 2025. [00:05:02] LG HOUSTON'S LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY INCLUDES THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS WHO ARE JOBS SEEKERS, ENTREPRENEURS, AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WHO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR CITY'S ECONOMIC GROWTH AND OUR WORKFORCE. THIS ROLE THAT WE HIRED IS PART-TIME AND THEY CONNECT THE LGBTQ PLUS RESIDENTS AND JOB SEEKERS WITH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES. WE'VE BEEN CONNECTING WITH SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT PROGRAMS, CERTIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES, AS WELL AS OUR CITY CONTRACTING PATHWAYS. NEXT SLIDE. WHAT HAS SUCCESS LOOKED LIKE? IN ONE YEAR? WE HAVE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF L-G-B-T-B-E CERTIFIED FIRMS BEYOND THE CURRENT 71 PER 71 THAT WE HAVE THERE. WE WANT TO EXPAND OUR WORKFORCE READINESS WORKSHOPS. CURRENTLY, WE OFFER, UH, TURNAROUND, HOUSTON JOB FAIRS. UM, WE HAVE JOB FAIR COLLABORATIONS WITH TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION, UM, AND WE ARE EXPANDING THOSE INTO THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY. UM, WITH MONTROSE CENTER AND WITH, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S OFFICE, WE WANNA INCREASE THE AWARENESS OF CITY CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES. AS YOU'RE AWARE, WITH THE NEW GOALS WE DO, UM, WE HAVE INCORPORATED THE LTT PLUS, UM, BE THAT BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CERTIFICATION TO BE COUNTED FOR UP TO 4% OF A GOAL IN LIEU OF THE SHORTFALL OF THE M AND THE W. AND SO IN THE PAST WE HAD THE CERTIFICATION, IT WAS TO BE IDENTIFIABLE IN A DIRECTORY, BUT THERE WAS NO COUNT TOWARD PARTICIPATION. NOW THOSE BUSINESSES ARE ABLE TO COUNT TOWARD PARTICIPATION. WE ALSO WANNA GROW OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ENTREPRENEURS IN THE COMMUNITY. NEXT SLIDE. WE PROVIDED FOR YOU THE FIRST SIX MONTHS IN A GLANCE. UM, WE'VE HAD TWO RESUME WORKSHOPS THAT WE'VE HOSTED FOR THE COMMUNITY 18 WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS. AT THOSE TWO WORKSHOPS, WE'VE HAD 30 JOB SEEKERS WHO'VE BEEN SUPPORTED. UM, TWO JOB SEEKERS SECURE SECURED EMPLOYMENT, AND SEVEN WERE EMPLOYED AND THEY'RE PURSUING ADVANCEMENT. WE HAVE 10 JOB SEEKERS WHO ARE RECEIVING ONGOING SUPPORT FROM OUR OFFICE. UH, WE HAVE 15 COMMUNITY EVENTS, UM, 10 BUSINESSES CONNECTED TO CITY RESOURCES, TWO BUSINESSES THAT APPLY FOR THE CERTIFICATION IN ADDITION TO THE CURRENT CERTIFIED FIRMS, FIVE BUSINESSES EXPRESS INTEREST IN THE CERTIFICATION. AND THEN WE HAVE ONGOING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AS WELL AS MEETINGS AND COORDINATING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS. AND SO OUR PART-TIME INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN THE PERSON WHO'S DONE, UM, ALL OF THIS WORK. AND SO WE THINK THAT IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS, THEY'VE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT IN THE COMMUNITY BY CONNECTING WITH JOB SEEKERS AS WELL AS CONNECTING WITH SMALL BUSINESS. NEXT SLIDE. WE'VE INCLUDED IN THE PRESENTATION, UM, ONE OF OUR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, UM, WHO'S A PART OF THE LGT PLUS, UM, BUSINESS ENTERPRISE AND IS ONE OF OUR CERTIFIED FIRMS. JA ALLEN, WHO IS THE CEO OF ENDLESS EIGHT MARKETING. UM, JA RECENTLY PARTICIPATED IN AN INTERVIEW, INTERVIEW WITH OUR OFFICE, AND WE HIGHLIGHTED SOME OF THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. UM, AND ONE OF THE QUOTES THAT YOU'LL SEE THERE IS HOUSTON HAS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE QUIETLY DOING THE WORK, MEANING THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE AREN'T FEELING COMFORTABLE ABOUT, UM, IDENTIFYING WITH THE PLUS OR THE LGBTQ, UM, BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CERTIFICATION. SO WE DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT AND HAVE PEOPLE FEEL COMFORTABLE IN, UM, PROVIDING THEIR, YOU KNOW, APPLYING FOR THE CERTIFICATION AND NOT JUST THAT CERTIFICATION, THE M-W-S-B-E AS WELL. UM, AND SO THE OTHER QUOTE THAT YOU'LL SEE, THERE'S MOMENTS LIKE THIS ARE REMINDERS OF HOW MUCH COLLABORATION AND LEADERSHIP ALREADY EXISTS WITHIN THE CITY. UM, SO J'S ONE OF OUR PARTICIPATING, UM, BUSINESS ENTERPRISES THAT WE WANNA HIGHLIGHT TODAY. UM, NEXT SLIDE. WE DO HAVE SOME UPCOMING INITIATIVES. UM, WE HAVE A RESUME. WE HAVE RESUME WRITING WORKSHOPS AND WORKFORCE PLANNING WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS. THIS IS ONGOING. WE ALSO HAVE APRIL 6TH, WE HAD OUR LGBT CERTIFIED FIRMS MIXER AND BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT EVENT. THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BUSINESSES TO COME OUT, NETWORK WITH ONE ANOTHER TO HEAR ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UM, AND TO, UM, PRESENT, UH, THEMSELVES IN FRONT OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AS WELL. UH, WE DID HAVE ATTENDANCE FROM COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ AND REPRESENTATION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILE AT THAT EVENT. UH, WE ALSO HAVE A CONTINUED OUTREACH WITH THE COMMUNITY, UH, WITH BUSINESS EVENTS, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND COORDINATION, UM, OF, AGAIN, WE ARE PARTNERING WITH THE LGBTQ PLUS CHAMBER, BUT WE ALSO HAVE [00:10:01] A COLLABORATION WITH MONTROSE CENTER, UH, FOR WORKFORCE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMMING, A COORDINATION WITH THE THRIVE SMILE BUSINESS SUMMIT AND CHAMBER. UM, FEBRUARY, 2026, THEY HAD A GREAT EVENT THAT WAS A DAY LONG EVENT. UM, WE WERE ABLE TO COORDINATE AND TABLE THERE, SO WE HAD A RESOURCE TABLE. UM, I WAS A PART OF THEIR PANEL DISCUSSION, AND IT WAS A REALLY NICE EVENT FOR US TO CONNECT AS A CITY WITH THE COMMUNITY FOR A FULL DAY. UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ATTENDANCE WAS. IT WAS, IS QUITE FULL. UM, AND IT WAS ALL DAY. THEY HAD BREAKOUT SESSIONS. AND I THINK THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO CONNECT. WE ALSO HAVE COORDINATION WITH, UM, OTHER JOB FAIRS AND YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMS AS WELL. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS MORE PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AROUND OUR DASHBOARD SO THAT WE CAN SHOW, UM, THE GROWTH OVER THE WHOLE ENTIRE YEAR. UM, UH, KALE VICTOR IS OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR AND HAS BEEN ON SINCE OCTOBER. SO WE HAVEN'T HAD A FULL YEAR YET, BUT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE WHAT THE END OF THE YEAR HOLDS. THE SUMMER'S EXTREMELY BUSY FOR US. UM, KALE WILL LEAD OUR FUTURE FOUNDERS INITIATIVE AND A COUPLE OF OUR OTHER PROGRAMS. AND SO WE'LL GET TO SEE HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT THIS IS AS WE LOOK TOWARD THE END OF THE ONE YEAR ENGAGEMENT. UM, AND WE ARE ALSO EXPLORING OTHER GRANTS, UM, ALONG WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, TO SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM AND THE INITIATIVE AS WELL AS THE POSITION. THAT'S IT. UH, ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO IS IN THE QUEUE. HE'S ON MINE. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, IF YOU'RE SPEAKING, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU. OKAY. MAYBE WE CAN GO BACK TO THAT. OKAY. I, I'VE GOT A COUPLE QUESTIONS. UM, YOU SAID THAT, UH, THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY REPRESENTS THREE AND A HALF PERCENT OF THE CITIZENS. WHAT, UH, ARE OUR EXISTING CONTRACTORS THAT WE HAVE WITH THE CITY, HOW MANY OF THOSE WERE PART OF THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY? SO WE HAVE 71 CERTIFIED FIRMS, AND CURRENTLY NONE OF THOSE ARE PRIME CONTRACTORS. OKAY. OKAY. NOW, I MEAN, THE CERTIFICATIONS, BUT I ASSUME SINCE WE HAD NO L-G-B-T-Q CERTIFICATION PREVIOUSLY, RIGHT? NO, WE HAD, WE HAD PREVIOUSLY, WE HAD 71 PREVIOUSLY. OKAY. WHEN DID WE START THE CERTIFICATION FOR, UM, THE LGBT, UH, CERTIFICATION BEGAN IN 2013. 2013. YEAH. SO WE'VE BEEN SLOW 2015. I'M SORRY. SO WE'VE BEEN SLOWLY ADDING TO, OKAY. OKAY. GOOD ENOUGH. THAT WAS ALL I HAD. DID WE EVER TRY AND GET COUNCILMAN CASTILLO AGAIN? HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, GO AHEAD. THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR. I WANNA EXTEND A, A BIG APPRECIATION TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR THE WILLINGNESS TO WORK ON THIS PILOT AND GET IT ESTABLISHED AND OFF THE GROUND. IT IS SO GREAT TO HEAR THE PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. UM, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT I FUNDED USING COUNCIL SERVICE FUNDS IN THE LAST BUDGET CYCLE. UM, BECAUSE REALLY IT'S, IT'S ABOUT EXPANDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES TO HOUSTONIANS AND PARTICULARLY A VULNERABLE POPULATION. UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, L-G-B-T-Q, ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT. UH, IT ABSOLUTELY ALIGNS WITH YOUR DEPARTMENT. YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED GETTING, UH, MORE CERTIFICATION, THE RESUME WORKSHOPS, THE JOB PLACEMENTS, UH, UM, SO I THINK IT'S, IT'S BEEN A SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP THUS FAR. UM, AND THIS PILOT WAS REALLY DESIGNED TO PROVE A CONCEPT, UH, GET THE DATA, STUDY IT, AND THEN EXPLORE POTENTIAL OPTIONS FOR EXPANSION. UM, WHICH I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE DATA YOU'VE SHOWN PRESENTS A STRONG CASE FOR THAT. AND SO, UH, AS THE TIME CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, I WANNA REAFFIRM MY COMMITMENT TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT, UH, ON EXPANSION FOR THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS ABOUT REMOVING BARRIERS TO WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP, UH, WHICH IS GONNA STRENGTHEN OUR OVERALL, UM, ECONOMIC OUTLOOK AS A CITY, BUT ALSO, AGAIN, CONNECT, UH, VULNERABLE RESIDENTS TO SKILLS, JOBS, AND THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY THAT WILL HELP KEEP THEM, UH, AFLOAT, UH, IN OUR HOUSTON ECONOMY. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER. I ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE MY TEAM THAT'S HERE. UM, CAL VICTOR, WHO IS OUR OUTREACH COORDINATOR IS HERE, . AND THEN THERE'S BRANDON JONES, WHO'S OUR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DIVISION MANAGER, [00:15:01] AND CAL'S MANAGER THERE PRESENT TODAY AS WELL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DIRECTOR. I APPRECIATE IT. AND NEXT UP WE WILL HAVE DIRECTOR CESAC FROM THE DEPARTMENT, UH, OR DIRECTOR OF AVIATION AND HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM. ALL RIGHT, GREAT TO BE HERE TODAY. UM, SO I WANNA SHARE SOME UPDATES ON WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE INFORMED. SO NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, SO WE'RE GONNA, AGAIN, COVER SOME NEW AIR SERVICE DEVELOPMENT, UM, SOME UPDATES FOR 2026 THAT WE'VE ALREADY COMPLETED, UM, OUR WORLD CUP PREPARATIONS. SO I'M GONNA TOUCH ON THAT. SOME OF OUR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, UH, AN ITEM THAT'S GONNA BE COMING FORWARD AT SOME POINT THIS SUMMER ON UNITED AIRLINES, UM, UH, UH, AGREEMENT AND THEN SOME PASSENGER FEEDBACK THAT YOU'VE FUNDED FOR US, AND WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT FEEDBACK ON WHAT WE'RE USING THAT FUNDING FOR. SO NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, SO NEW AIR SERVICE. NEXT SLIDE. UH, GREAT THING IS WE'RE VERY EXCITED THAT, UH, AS OF MAY 1ST, WE WILL HAVE A NONSTOP FLIGHT BETWEEN, UH, HOUSTON AND ROME ON EDA AIRLINES. UH, WE'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, HOUSTONIANS ARE AWARE OF THAT. IT'S GONNA START OFF AT THREE TIMES A WEEK AND THEN GO TO FIVE TIMES A WEEK. UM, SO THAT'LL REALLY PUT US IN, IN TOUCH WITH THE CAPITAL OF, OF ROME, AND THEN CONNECTING THE BUSINESS AND THE CULTURE OF OUR CITIES TOGETHER. SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT, AND WE'D LIKE TO MAKE A SPECIAL MENTION TO THANK YOU TO, UH, THE MAYOR AND, AND, AND TO, UH, AMBASSADOR FORTA THAT REALLY HELPED US WITH, UH, SECURING THAT FLIGHT. SO VERY THANKFUL ON THAT. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. ALSO, WE'RE SEEING EXPANSION, UH, INTERNATIONALLY, UH, WITH VALIS. UM, SO THERE AGAIN, STARTING WITH TWO NEW DESTINATIONS FOR VALIS AT THE AIRPORT. SO AGAIN, VERY EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO SEE, UH, MORE DESTINATIONS, UH, AND, AND AGAIN, MORE COMPETITION ON ROUTES TO OFFERED, UM, FOR THE MARKETS SOUTH OF US. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, AND THEN ALSO UNITED AIRLINES IS, IS GONNA BE, UH, OPERATING A COUPLE ADDITIONAL, UH, MARKETS FOR US. SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE AGAIN, THESE ARE, SOME, TEND TO BE SOME OF THE SMALLER MARKETS. AND SO, UH, EXCITING FOR US BECAUSE IT GIVES US NONSTOP MARKET ACCESS TO THESE MARKETS, BUT THEN ALSO, PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE MARKETS, IT GIVES THEM ACCESS TO HOUSTON, UM, WHERE THEY CAN REALLY GET BUSINESS DONE. AND SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO ADD THESE ADDITIONAL MARKETS DOMESTICALLY. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, NEXT SLIDE. SO, FIRST QUARTER, UM, COUPLE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, SINCE I'VE VISITED YOU LAST, WE'VE OPENED SOME NEW DINING OPTIONS AT THE AIRPORTS. NEXT SLIDE. UM, SO IMPORTANTLY IN TERMINAL A, UH, WE'VE GOT OUR NEW SIMONE BILES TASTE OF GOLD RESTAURANT THAT'S OPENED, AND ALSO A JAMBA JUICE THAT WE'VE OPENED IN THERE. SO THE, THE GOOD THING ABOUT THOSE TWO RESTAURANTS, THEY BOTH OFFER A LOT OF HEALTHY OPTIONS. UM, SO IF YOU WANT TO FEEL HEALTHY WALKING THROUGH THE AIRPORT, YOU'VE GOT SOME OPTIONS NOW IN TERMINAL. A. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, TERMINAL D, WE OPENED THE VELVET TACO. UM, SO THAT'S THE KIND OF LAST PIECE OF THAT, UM, FOOD COURT THAT WAS OVER THERE. THIS IS MY PERSONAL, UM, KIND OF FAVORITE OVER THERE. SO I, I SPEND A LOT OF TIME EATING TACOS OVER THERE 'CAUSE THEY'RE DELICIOUS. UM, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, NOW OPEN TO CHILI'S TO GO, UH, AND SORRY, AND THE CHILIES, UH, TERMINAL E. SO ONCE YOU PASS THROUGH THE MAIN SECURITY CHECKPOINT RIGHT NOW, THAT'S THERE. UM, SO THAT'S THE, THE NEW CHILIES THAT'S THERE. VERY POPULAR. THAT'S HAPPENS TO BE NEXT TO THE CHICK-FIL-A. UH, THAT CHICK-FIL-A RIGHT NOW IS ON ON ON PACE TO BE THE SECOND BUSIEST CHICK-FIL-A IN THE ENTIRE PLANET. UM, SO , YEAH, IT'S, IT'S QUITE POPULAR OVER THERE. UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. UH, AND THEN TERMINAL E UH, COMING SOON, WHICH IS GOOD, IS WE'RE ALSO GONNA HAVE A SATELLITE CHILIES LOCATION IN THE ARRIVALS HALL THERE. AND THEN A STARBUCKS, WHICH IS GOOD FOR US BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT OUR, OUR AT MOST AIRPORTS LANDSIDE CONCESSIONS OPTIONS, OPTIONS ARE LIMITED. UM, AND THIS IS GONNA GIVE US SOME LANDSIDE OPTIONS OVER THERE. SO, TRADITIONALLY, RIGHT NOW, TODAY WE'VE GOT OUR SUBWAY AND TERMINAL A AND OUR TOUCH OF GLASS AND TERMINAL A AND THEN ALSO THE MARRIOTT HOTEL ARE KIND OF THE ONLY OPTIONS FOR, FOR FOLKS TO EAT IF BEFORE SECURITY, THESE NEW CONCEPTS WILL BE IN THE NEW FACILITY AND GIVE YOU SOME MORE OPTIONS THERE, WHICH IS IMPORTANT TOO FROM THE INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL PERSPECTIVE. 'CAUSE WHEN INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS ARRIVE, USUALLY EVERYBODY COMES TO MEET GRANDMA, SO WE GET A LOT MORE METER AND GREETER ACTIVITY IN THERE. SO THIS WILL BE A GREAT OPTION FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE COMING THERE TO MEET INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, EXCITING NEWS FOR THE AIRPORT SYSTEM. ALSO, UH, WE RECENTLY, UH, SKY TRACKS WAS COMPLETED WITH OUR AWARD CEREMONIES. IAH WAS RATED ONE OF THE TOP BEST DINING, UH, AIRPORTS IN THE WORLD. AND THEN RECENTLY WE HAD A KIND OF, UH, ADD-ON TO THAT WHERE, UH, FOOD AND WINE MAGAZINE NAMED, UH, IAH ONE OF THE TOP, UH, 10 IN THE UNITED STATES TOO. SO, SO A LITTLE BIT OF LOVE FROM TWO DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS ON THE DINING PROGRAM AT IAH. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, AT HOBBY, UH, THEY ARE ALSO DOING VERY WELL. UM, SO A XN, UM, THAT'S THE, THE INDUSTRY'S, UM, TRADE GROUP FOR CONCESSIONS, UH, FOR AIRPORTS. UH, HOBBY WAS NAMED THE BEST OVERALL CONCESSIONS PROGRAM, UH, IN THE UNITED STATES. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, AND THEN FROM A HOBBY PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE ALSO [00:20:01] EXCITED THAT WE'RE GONNA BE OPENING TWO NEW, UH, LOCAL CONCEPTS PRETTY SOON. SO THIS, AGAIN, PRIOR TO WORLD CUP, UH, WE'LL HAVE THE COMMONBOND OPENING UP, AND THEN ALSO IS THE LANDRY SEAFOOD. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, SO WE'VE ALSO, AGAIN COMMISSIONED A BRAND NEW FIRE STATION THERE. SO NEXT SLIDE AT IAH. SO THIS KIND OF SHOWS YOU THE FACILITY HERE. UM, GOOD THING IT'S A NICE NEW BRIGHT FACILITY THERE, UM, FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS. UH, IT ALSO ALLOWS US TO BRING THE, THE DISTRICT CHIEF THAT WAS THERE, UM, WAS IN THE TERMINALS. AND SO WE ACTUALLY GOT TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THEIR FACILITY THERE AND, AND COLLATE THE CO-LOCATE THEM WITH THE FIRE, UH, HOUSE. SO THEY'RE A LITTLE CLOSER TO THEIR, THEIR TEAM. AND, UH, AGAIN, A VERY NICE FACILITY FOR THEM. UM, VERY EXCITED. AGAIN, WE GOT THIS, UH, A LOT, A LARGE PART OF IT, GRANT FUNDED, UM, FROM A FEDERAL PERSPECTIVE. SO WE WERE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. BUT IT'S A MUCH NICER FACILITY, UH, COMPARED TO THE OLD ONE. THE OLD ONE WAS KIND OF ORIGINAL TO THE AIRPORT, SO IT WAS NICE TO BE ABLE TO GET THE FIREFIGHTERS OUTTA THERE INTO THIS NEW FACILITY. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO I'M GONNA GIVE YOU SOME GROUND TRANSPORTATION UPDATES. UM, SO AGAIN, UH, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT METRO'S, UH, NONSTOP SERVICE FROM IAH, UH, VIA THE METRO 500. UH, METRO HAS NOW EXPANDED THAT OPERATION FROM, UH, TO ALSO SERVICE HOBBY. UM, SO NOW YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO, TO HAVE HOBBY DOWNTOWN NONSTOP, AND THEN ALSO BUSH NONSTOP. THE BUS ACTUALLY RUNS BETWEEN THE TWO AIRPORTS, SO IT HAPPENS, BUT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE YOU'LL FIND SOMEBODY UP AT BUSH THAT SAYS, HEY, WHERE ARE SOUTHWEST AIRLINES? AND WE SAY IT'S ABOUT 22 MILES SOUTH OF HERE. UM, AND NOW WE CAN GIVE THEM AN OPTION TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THE BUS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THEIR FLIGHT. AND VICE VERSA, YOU'LL END UP FOLKS AT HOBBY LOOKING FOR UNITED. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS, BUT WE'RE EXCITED. 'CAUSE AGAIN, IT REALLY HELPS THAT THE, THE ABILITY TO GET, UM, THE, THE TRAVELING PUBLIC, UM, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY TOURISTS, AND THEN ALSO THE CONVENTION AREAS RIGHT INTO DOWNTOWN, UH, VERY QUICK AND EFFICIENTLY. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, ONE OF THE THINGS, AGAIN, WHEN WE, WHEN WE TAKE CUSTOMER SERVICE FEEDBACK, UM, THE, THE GARAGE CENTRAL GARAGE AT, AT IH, IT CAN BE A LITTLE CONFUSING. IT'S ACTUALLY THREE GARAGES THAT ARE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, BEEN COBBLED, COBBLED TOGETHER. UM, AND SO WE ARE IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW OF DOING A COMPLETE SIGN UPGRADE IN THERE SO THAT IT MAKES IT MUCH MORE CLEAR FOR FOLKS ABOUT WHERE THEY'RE GOING AND WHERE THEY'RE PARKED. UM, AND SO WE SHOULD HAVE THAT HOPEFULLY COMPLETED BY THE END OF JUNE. UM, AND THAT'S AGAIN, AGAIN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SEE ON OUR SURVEYS AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BE ABLE TO PUT THAT TO REST. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, THE SUBWAY TUNNEL. SO WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE DOING SOME RENOVATIONS OF THE SUBWAY, SUBWAY TUNNEL. UNFORTUNATELY, OUR SUBWAY TUNNEL DID GET A LOT OF PRESS LATELY WITH THE, WITH THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AND PEOPLE HAVING TO PUT PEOPLE DOWN THERE. UH, BUT WE'RE GONNA REALLY SPRUCE THAT UP. UM, IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, FIRST OFF, WE STARTED WITH THE CARS. UM, SO IF YOU LOOK ON THE LEFT, YOU'LL SEE KIND OF THE CARS HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, USED AND ABUSED. UM, AND TO THE RIGHT WE'VE BASICALLY REFURBISHED THE INTERIOR OF 'EM. SO WE'VE WRAPPED THE INTERIOR, PUT NEW SEATS IN THERE, AND SO THEY'RE MUCH NICER. UM, AND WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING TO GET ALL THE CAR TRAIN SETS, UM, REDONE PRIOR TO FIFA, UH, ROLLING INTO TOWN. SO A MUCH BETTER EXPERIENCE ON THE, ON THE CARS THEMSELVES. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AND THEN WE'RE ALSO, UH, LATER IN THE SUMMER PROBABLY OR EARLY FALL, WE'LL BE COMING FORWARD WITH A PACKAGE, UH, FOR YOUR APPROVAL TO REALLY UPGRADE THE SUBWAY ITSELF. SO YOU'VE GOT SOME PRETTY OLD CARPET DOWN THERE, AND WE WANT TO GIVE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE LIFE DOWN THERE. SO WE'RE GONNA BE, UM, REDOING THE FLOORING IN THERE. AND THEN ALSO THE, THE, THE, THE STATION. SO IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE HERE, UM, EACH OF OUR TERMINALS KIND OF HAS A COLOR CODE. AND SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE HOUSTON FLORA AND FAUNA TO KIND OF DEFINE THE, THE, THE, TO MATCH THE COLOR SCHEMES IN THERE TO, AND, AND BRIBE IT. UH, AND, UM, BRIGHTEN IT UP A LITTLE BIT THERE. AND NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND SO THAT'LL KIND OF SHOW YOU WHAT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD HAVE DOWN THERE IN, IN THE, UM, SUBWAY. AND SO IT'S A MUCH BETTER ENVIRONMENT WHEN WE CAN, WE CAN MAKE IT MUCH, UH, LOOK MUCH NICER COMPARED TO WHAT IT IS TODAY WITH THAT DATED CARPETING, UH, CARPETING. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, SO $33 MILLION HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THIS COUNCIL. WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR IT. AND THE TRAVELERS REALLY ARE GONNA THANK YOU FOR IT, FOR OUR, OUR RESTROOMS THAT WE'RE OPENING. SO, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE MADE SOME SIGNIFICANT UP UPGRADES TO THE, THE RESTROOMS THAT, PARTICULARLY THAT, THAT THE PASSENGERS LIKE IS, IS THAT THE STALL DOORS NOW KIND OF GO ALMOST, UH, FULL LENGTH. AND THEN AGAIN, THE SEAMS ARE KIND OF SEALED IN THERE, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PEOPLE PEEKING IN THERE. UM, WE'VE GOT A LOT NEW FACILITIES AND EH, IT'S, IT'S A THING. I WALK, I WALKED INTO ONE AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE OLD ONES AND PEOPLE HAD TOILET PAPER ALONG THE SEAMS. IT'S LIKE, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A THING. SO THESE ARE MUCH, MUCH NICER OVER HERE. THEY'VE ALSO GOT THIS OCCUPANCY SENSOR TOO, SO IF YOU KNOW IF SOMEBODY'S IN THERE OR NOT, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO GUESS. UM, AND THEN AGAIN, A LOT OF AMENITIES IN THE, IN THERE AND PARTICULARLY IN THE WOMEN'S ROOM. WE'VE GOT OUR ANT FLOW PRODUCTS, UM, AND STATIONS IN THERE AND NEW HAND WASHES. IT'S JUST MUCH NICER. AND, AND I, FORTUNATELY, WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE PUT A BEFORE PICTURE ON HERE 'CAUSE THEY'RE PRETTY BAD. BUT, UM, UH, THIS IS, WE'RE VERY EXCITED. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, SO AGAIN, WITH THAT PROJECT, UM, TERMINAL A, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS, ACTUALLY I'M VERY EXCITED. ON FRIDAY, WE'RE GONNA OPEN OUR FIRST SETUP ON THE, ON THE CONCOURSE LEVEL FOR PASSENGERS. SO, UH, THAT'S OVER BY WHERE DELTA AIRLINES IS ON FRIDAY. THOSE WILL BE OPENING UP. AND THEN WE'RE GONNA OPEN A SET, UH, BY THE AMERICAN AIRLINES, LIKE THINK ABOUT A WEEK LATER. UM, AND, AND THEN, [00:25:01] UH, GETTING THE BAGGAGE CLAIM ONCE BY, UH, FIFA. AND THEN TERMINAL D, WE'VE ALREADY COMPLETED ONE SET. WE'VE GOT ANOTHER SET UNDER, UNDER, UNDER, UH, CONSTRUCTION HOBBY. AGAIN, WE'VE COMPLETED TWO SETS THERE. WE'VE GOT ANOTHER THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW. AND THEN TERMINAL E. SO AGAIN, UNITED AIRLINES, UM, THEY CONTROL THE RESTROOMS IN THEIR, THEIR BUILD, I'M SORRY, THEIR TERMINAL. SO THAT'S C AND E. UM, AND SO THEY ARE STARTING THEIR PROCESS OF RE-UP UPGRADING ONE. AND SO AGAIN, UNITED'S TERMINAL E IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND THEY'RE TELLING ME THAT THEY'LL HAVE THAT OPEN, UM, SOMETIME RIGHT AROUND FIFA TIME. SO, UH, VERY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO GET NEW RESTROOMS FOR THE FOLKS AT THE AIRPORTS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, WE'LL GO NEXT SLIDE. SO, OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK, UM, YOU, 'CAUSE I THINK THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE I WAS ABOUT, YOU GUYS GOT ME OUTTA HERE EARLY 'CAUSE I HAD TO RUN BACK TO THE AIRPORT 'CAUSE WE WERE HAVING THAT FREEZE, UH, IN JANUARY. AND SO JUST VERY PROUD OF THE TEAM ON HOW FAR, UM, AND HOW WELL THEY PERFORMED DURING THAT EVENT. UM, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE'VE BEEN TESTING OUR TEAM A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH FOR MY LIKING. UH, WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THAT, UH, GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN AND FROM A HOBBY PERSPECTIVE THAT KIND OF, THE, THE HOBBY TEAM REALLY RESPONDED VERY WELL TO BE ABLE TO, TO, TO HANDLE THAT SITUATION. 'CAUSE IT POPPED UP PRETTY QUICKLY. UM, AND, AND DAY ONE AND DAY TWO LOOKED COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. YOU KNOW, DAY ONE WE HANDLED IT, UH, WE'VE MADE SOME CHANGES AT NIGHTTIME. AND THEN BY DAY TWO IT WAS A MUCH BETTER EXPERIENCE FOR FOLKS. UM, AND, AND IT KIND OF DECONGESTED THE TERMINAL ITSELF. UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. UM, AND FROM A BUSH PERSPECTIVE, AGAIN, UH, GREAT HAVING THAT NEW FACILITY TO BE ABLE TO SPREAD PEOPLE OUT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE HAD TO PUT PEOPLE IN THE TUNNEL AND WE HAD TO PUT PEOPLE OUTSIDE. WE TRIED TO AGAIN, MINIMIZE THAT TO THE BEST THAT WE COULD. BUT, UH, AGAIN, FROM A, FROM A-A-T-S-A CAPACITY PERSPECTIVE, THE MATH JUST DOES DIDN'T WORK AT THAT POINT. WE HAD, UM, YOU KNOW, WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE, WE HAD SPRING BREAK LOADS WITH, WITH, YOU KNOW, LESS THAN 50% OF OUR TSA LANES OPEN AND THAT, THAT JUST DIDN'T WORK FOR US. UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. UH, BUT WE DID DO OUR BEST TO HELP THE TSA 'CAUSE THEY ARE IN A, THEY WERE IN A REALLY BAD SITUATION 'CAUSE THAT WAS THE SECOND TIME WITHIN ABOUT FOUR MONTHS THAT THEY HADN'T BEEN PAID, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THREE PAY PERIODS. AND SO THAT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST NOT A VERY GOOD SITUATION FOR THE TSA WORKERS. SO WE DID, AGAIN, HELP THEM WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, THE FOOD BANK WAS OUT THERE TO HELP THEM. UM, THE CHARITY FOR THE AIRPORT WAS THERE TO HELP THEM WITH FOOD AND GAS. UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT PHOTO RIGHT THERE IN THE CENTER BOTTOM, YOU WILL SEE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, FLICKINGER THERE AFTER HE COMPLETED HIS RACE. AND THEN COUN COUNCIL MEMBER HORD. AND AFTER SHE COMPLETED HER RACE, WHERE WE RAISED, UH, OVER $30,000 FOR THE CHARITY. AND CONGRATULATIONS, YOU CAME IN SECOND FOR YOUR AGE GROUP. UM, SO , NO, THERE WAS MORE THAN TWO OF YOU. SO TAKE, TAKE YOUR, TAKE YOUR PRIDE . SO VERY PROUD OF THAT. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, SO 2026 WORLD CUP. SO I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE HEADS UP WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE. SO IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS IS KIND OF, UM, WE'VE, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE KIND OF OUR INTEGRATED COORDINATION CENTER. IT'S A PROJECT THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME. WE GOT, WE GOT TO EXERCISE IT VERY WELL DURING THE, THE, THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. UM, BUT THIS BASICALLY BRINGS A LOT OF THE AIRPORT WORK GROUPS TOGETHER. UM, TRADITIONALLY WE HAD THE AIRPORT OPERATION CENTER AND IT WAS KIND OF IN THE BASEMENT OF TERMINAL A AND THEY WOULD KIND OF DO THEIR THING. BUT, UM, THIS NOW IS A NUKE CENTER WHERE THE OPERATION CENTER IS NOW COORDINATED AND THEY'RE SITTING NEXT TO GATE CONTROL, WHICH IS SITTING NEXT TO MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT, WHICH IS SITTING NEXT TO OUR TERMINAL OPERATIONS GROUP, WHICH IS IN THE SAME ROOM WITH HPD IN THE SAME ROOM WITH THE TSA OPERATIONS CENTER THERE. SO BRINGING A LOT OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS TOGETHER TO BE ABLE TO WORK THAT. UM, AND SO THAT'S GONNA HELP US FROM A WORLD CUP PERSPECTIVE BE ABLE TO TACTICALLY MANAGE THE AIRPORTS BETTER. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, AGAIN, WE'RE BUILDING, WE'VE BEEN BUILDING EXCITEMENT FOR THE WORLD CUP, UH, AT THE AIRPORT WITH SOME OF OUR ACTIVATIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY GOING ON. SO IT'S THE LEFT. WE'VE SEEN THE, THE FOOSBALL TABLES. UM, WE'VE GOT SOME OF THE MATERIALS IN THERE. WE'VE BEEN MARKETING. 'CAUSE AGAIN, OUR GOAL IS TO TRY AND GET PEOPLE TO STAY IN HOUSTON AND THEN FLY OUT TO GO SEE GAMES AT OTHER PLACES. 'CAUSE WE'D LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, HOST THEM HERE. AND ON THE RIGHT YOU'LL KIND OF SEE SOME OF THE ACTIVATIONS THAT OUR MAINTENANCE TEAM THEMSELVES ARE BUILDING SO THAT WHEN FOLKS SHOW UP HERE, WE CAN GIVE THEM A LITTLE WELCOME AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE THE KIND OF OBLIGATORY PHOTOS OF WHEN THEY ARRIVE IN HOUSTON TO BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE WORLD CUP. NEXT SLIDE. SO THIS IS KIND OF REALLY WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE FOCUSING ON. THIS IS THE, THE KIND OF OUR CALENDAR OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE AIRPORT. AND SO WE'VE ALREADY KIND OF MAPPED OUT OUR PEAK INBOUND DAYS, OUR PEAK OUTBOUND DAYS, UM, THE MATCH DAYS THAT WE'VE GOT. WE'VE, WE'RE, WE'RE OVERLAID WITH TWO HOLIDAYS THERE WITH THE 4TH OF JULY AND JUNETEENTH. SO A LOT OF COORDINATION'S GOING ON OVER THERE. AND THEN WE'VE GOT THESE POTENTIAL PLAYOFF GAMES, UM, WHERE WE'RE GONNA SEE, YOU KNOW, AN ADDED INFLUX OF FOLKS BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE'LL DEFINITELY SEE THE FOLKS THAT ARE COMING TO THE GAME. BUT THEN YOU'LL HAVE THE GENERAL FAN THAT MAY COME INTO TOWN JUST TO EXPERIENCE IT. AND YOU'VE GOT SOME PRETTY BIG, BIG MARKETS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY ON THERE. SO YOU'VE GOT THE, UH, BRAZIL, THE NETHERLANDS, JAPAN, UM, WE'VE GOT FLIGHTS TO ALL THOSE MARKETS. SO IT'S EASY FOR THOSE FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO GET HERE. AND THEN YOU'VE GOT CANADA AND MEXICO POTENTIALLY [00:30:01] ON THERE. SO AGAIN, ANOTHER BIG FAN BASE POTENTIAL WITH WHERE WE HAVE NONSTOP FLIGHTS TO NEXT SLIDE. UM, BUT ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE AS THE AIRPORT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT TOO IS, IS THAT WE HAVE, UH, WE DON'T HAVE ONE WORLD CUP, WE HAVE TWO. UM, SO WE HAVE THE WORLD CUP THAT IS HAPPENING IN HOUSTON, AND THEN WE'VE GOT THE WORLD, THE CUP THAT'S HAPPENING THROUGH HOUSTON. AND BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOT THREE MAJOR DESTINATIONS DOWN IN MEXICO THAT ARE HOSTING GAMES, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT ALL THE LATIN AMERICAN TEAMS AND CARIBBEAN TEAMS THAT ARE THERE. A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY FLOW THROUGH OUR AIRPORTS ON DAYS, UM, WHEN THEY'RE GOING BETWEEN MARKETS. AND SO WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR NOT ONLY WHAT'S HAPPENING IN HOUSTON, BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING POTENTIALLY THROUGH HOUSTON. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT WE'VE GOT RIGHT NOW IS WE'VE BEEN WORKING IT AND WE ARE, UH, VERY HAPPY WITH, WITH THE, WITH THE RESULTS. UM, AS WE DID IT DID, UH, EARLIER THIS, UH, COUPLE MONTHS AGO, ROLL OUT ENHANCED PASSENGER PROCESSING WITH THE CBP FOLKS. AND WHAT THAT IS, IS THAT CBP HAS A PROCESS NOW WHERE IT TAKES THE BIOMETRICS OFF OF YOUR PASSPORT AND WE USE, UH, CBP OFFICERS ARE USING THESE KIOSKS TO CLEAR YOU. UM, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO THE DESK ANYMORE. YOU'LL KIND OF BASICALLY WALK TO THESE KIOSKS AND IF YOUR BIOMETRICS MATCH MATCH, UM, CBP OFFICERS HAVE THE OPTION TO INTERVIEW IF YOU, IF YOU, IF, IF THEY, IF THEY SO CHOOSE. BUT IF NOT, THEY'RE GENERALLY YOU GET A GREEN LIGHT AND YOU'LL JUST CONTINUE ON YOUR JOURNEY. UM, AND SO WITH THAT, WE'RE, WE'RE PROCESSING, AND THIS IS ONLY OPEN RIGHT NOW TO US, UM, CITIZENS, UM, BUT THAT'S PROCESSING FOLKS A LOT FASTER. AND THEN THAT FREES UP RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO HELP MORE FOREIGNERS, UM, AS, AS THEY GET RUN THROUGH THE AIRPORT. UH, AND THEN AGAIN, THAT'S IN COMPLEMENT TO OUR EXISTING SUITE OF, OF ENHANCEMENTS THERE. SO WE DO HAVE MOBILE PASSPORT AND WE DO HAVE GLOBAL ENTRY AT THE AIRPORT. SO AGAIN, IT'S A WAY FOR US TO KIND OF SPEED PEOPLE, UM, THROUGH THE CUSTOMS PROCESS THE BEST THAT WE CAN. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. UM, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU SOME MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS UPDATES. SO IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, THE WEST CONCOURSE AT HOBBY IS REALLY COMING TOGETHER. NEXT SLIDE. UM, SO I'VE GOT A LITTLE VIDEO HERE. UM, SO WE'LL PLAY THE VIDEO AND I'LL TALK OVER IT. SO THIS IS THE WEST CONCOURSE. AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S MAKING SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS RIGHT NOW. YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF THE WINDOWS AND GLAZING ARE IN. UM, YOU CAN SEE THE LARGE CONCRETE. SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE PAVING A LOT OF THE RAMP OVER THERE. UM, AND THEN AGAIN, JUST A REMINDER, THIS IS GONNA BE, AGAIN, A SEVEN GATE EXPANSION TO THAT CONCOURSE, UH, WITH THOSE SEVEN GATES AGAIN. AND WE'RE GETTING, UH, A SIX OF 'EM ARE KIND OF DEDICATED TO, TO SOUTHWEST AIRLINES OPERATIONS. AND WE'VE GOT ONE OF THEM THAT ARE RESERVED AS A CITY GATE THAT WE CAN, UH, MARKET TO OTHER AIRLINES. AND THEN WE'RE ALSO GETTING, IT MAKES, UH, HOBBY AN ADDITIONAL, UH, INTERNATIONAL GATE CAPABLE THERE. UM, SO AGAIN, MAKING VERY GOOD PROGRESS ON THERE. BUT THE GOOD THING IS WE'LL GET THAT GLASSED IN AND THEN THE INTERIOR WORK, UH, CAN MOVE THE PHOTOS RIGHT NOW YOU'LL SEE IS THAT, UM, CONNECTOR BETWEEN THE GARAGE AND THE, UH, TERMINAL IS, IS BASICALLY IN WHERE THEY'VE GOTTA DO A LOT OF THE FINE FINISHING THERE. AND THAT TENT RIGHT THERE IS COVERING THE AREA WHERE WE'RE PUTTING THE SKYLIGHTS IN THAT ARE GONNA GET INTO THE BAGGAGE CLAIM THERE. SO A LOT OF PROGRESS BEING MADE DOWN AT HOBBY. AGAIN, WE'VE GOT NEW RESTROOMS IN THE, IN THE, IN THE, UM, BAGGAGE HALL. NEW BAGGAGE CLAIMS ARE STARTING TO GO IN THERE, SO, SO MAKING A LOT OF PROGRESS AT HOBBY. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. UH, TERMINAL AB. SO, UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. UM, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE A LOT OF THE, THE CONSTRUCTION, THEY'RE KIND OF STARTING TO, TO FINISH ON THE OUTSIDE AND MOVE MORE TO THE INSIDE. SO YOU'LL SEE, UH, AGAIN, THAT UNITED HAS THE SIGNS OUT THERE. THEY'RE OPENING THE FALL, UH, FALL OF THIS YEAR. SO IT'S, UH, COMING UP PRETTY QUICK. UM, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE COMMITTING TO IT BY PUTTING IT ON THE WINDOWS THERE. SO, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. UM, SO THIS IS JUST KIND OF A QUICK LITTLE SNAPSHOT OF, OF BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENED IN TWO YEARS. UM, SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY BASICALLY TORE DOWN TERMINAL B, UM, AND NOW YOU SEE THOSE BIG WHITE PIERS THAT ARE OUT THERE. YOU'LL ACTUALLY SEE THEY'VE GOT JET BRI, JET BRIDGETS HUNG ON THEM. UM, SO AGAIN, MAKING A LOT OF PROGRESS. IT'S A LITTLE HARDER TO MAKE OUT ON THE TOP, BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT THE PROCESSOR ITSELF, THE BUILDING, THE TICKET HALL, UM, IS ALSO EXPANDED OUT THERE. AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF THE ROADWAY CANOPY PING BUILT OVER THAT RIGHT NOW. SO, UM, A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS. THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS IS THAT WE'VE HAD VERY LITTLE INTER UH, ACTION, UH, BETWEEN THE, THE CONSTRUCTION AND ANYTHING THAT A PASSENGER WOULD EXPERIENCE THOUGH FROM A, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, TRAFFIC WISE, THE TRAFFIC FLOWS THERE. UM, SO AGAIN, IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT PROJECT WHERE WE'RE GETTING IT DONE AND WE'RE NOT REALLY IMPACTING ANYBODY. UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT 'CAUSE NOBODY'S CALLING ME ABOUT IT. THANKS. UM, SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. UM, AGAIN, JUST SOME PHOTOS HERE. AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THAT LARGE CANOPY THAT'S GONNA EXTEND OVER THE ROADWAY SYSTEMS THERE. AND THEN THE PHOTO ON THE RIGHT, THAT IS THE ENTRANCE TO THE WORLD'S LARGEST UNITED CLUB THAT THEY'RE BUILDING THERE. UM, SO THE PEOPLE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. IT'S GONNA HAVE GREAT VIEWS IN IT, IT CAN BE VERY POPULAR. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, NEXT SLIDE. SO I TRIP. JUST WANNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF REFRESH ON THAT 'CAUSE WE'RE CLOSING THAT OFF SO THAT AGAIN, IF WE ALL REMEMBER THE, THE WHOLE, UH, ENTIRETY OF THAT PROJECT. IT WAS THE, THE D WEST PIER. IT WAS THE REFRESH OF THE EXISTING D IT WAS THE PROCESSOR AND THEN IT WAS THE GARAGE EXPANSION. UM, SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. [00:35:01] UM, SO JUST, YOU KNOW, D WEST PIER, WE'VE BEEN LIVING IN THAT SINCE OCTOBER IN 2024. IT STILL LOOKS GOOD. PASSENGERS STILL LOVE IT. I THINK, AGAIN, A LOT OF THE FOLKS REALLY COME IN THERE AND THEY SEE THAT THAT'S A REALLY WORLD CLASS EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY GET OFF A PLANE, PARTICULARLY THE INTERNATIONAL FOLKS, IT, IT LOOKS LIKE A REALLY, UM, ONE OF THOSE HIGH CLASS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS THAT WE'RE ALWAYS COMPARED TO. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, AGAIN, WE'RE VERY EXCITED BECAUSE ALSO IT GIVES THE CURB CAPACITY TO MAKE THE TRAFFIC DISAPPEAR. AND SO VERY EXCITED THAT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE SYSTEMATICALLY, YOU KNOW, OPENED THAT BUILDING IN PHASES. UH, 'CAUSE AGAIN, OUR DISCUSSIONS ORIGINALLY WITH THE MAYOR WAS LIKE HE WANTED US TO SOLVE THE TRAFFIC AT THE AIRPORT AND GET THE BATHROOMS DONE. AND SO WE'RE WE, THE BATHROOMS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING DONE, BUT THE TRAFFIC WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE, INSTEAD OF HAVING A BUILDING CLOSED FOR A QUITE LONG TIME AND THEN DO SOME GRAND RIBBON CUTTING AT ONE POINT, WE'RE LIKE, NO, NO, NO, WE NEED TO GET THE PIECES OPEN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO SOLVE THAT. SO, UM, THAT HAS MADE A SIGNIFICANT INTER IMPACT ON THE PASSENGER EXPERIENCE THERE FROM HELPING US SOLVE THE TRAFFIC. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. E TICKETING LOBBY. SO AGAIN, VERY EXCITED TO HAVE THAT OPEN AND YOU KNOW, UNITED WAS IN THERE AS OF, UH, JANUARY, 2025. SO AGAIN, HELP THAT HELPED DECONGEST SEE. UM, SO, BUT, UH, VERY EXCITED TO HAVE THAT OPEN AND, AND IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, AGAIN LOOKING VERY GOOD. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND THEN THE BAGGAGE HANDLING SYSTEM. SO THAT WAS THE KINDA THE LAST PIECE IN THERE. UM, THAT IS UP AND RUNNING AND IT'S BEEN RUNNING FANTASTIC. SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT. UH, BUT IT'S VERY COMPLEX IF YOU GO IN THAT BUILDING, THE AMOUNT OF STUFF THAT YOU LOOK AT THAT'S GOING ON IN THERE, UM, YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHY IT TAKES A LITTLE WHILE TO BUILD BAGGAGE SYSTEMS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, FOREIGN FLAG CARRIERS NOW ARE STARTING TO MOVE IN THERE AND WE'RE ALMOST COMPLETE WITH THAT. ACTUALLY, BRITISH AIRWAYS, UH, MOVED INTO THE BUILDING TODAY. UM, SO VERY EXCITED TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE AIRLINES IN THERE. WE'VE JUST BASICALLY GOT THE, UH, TWO MIDDLE EAST CARRIERS THAT NEED TO REMAIN THAT TO GO OVER THERE. AND THEN ALSO THE CANADIAN AIRLINES ARE GONNA BE MOVING TO THE BUILDING VERY SHORTLY TOO. SO, UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, GETTING A LOT OF GOOD POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE, THE TRAVELING PUBLIC ON IT. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, THEY'RE VERY EXCITED TOO ABOUT, UH, WE'VE ADDED A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY IN THERE, SO A LOT OF THE SELF-SERVICE KIOSKS, UM, I'VE BEEN VERY POPULAR WITH THE TRAVELING PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO JUST GO IN THERE AND GET THEIR TICKETING DONE INSTEAD OF TRYING TO HAVE TO WAIT IN LINES, UM, TO SEE THE DESK AGENT. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AND WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, THE GREAT THING IS WE ACTUALLY DID GET SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION ON THE BUILDING ON MARCH 10TH. UM, SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT HAVING THAT MILESTONE. BUT FROM A COUNCIL ACTION PERSPECTIVE, JUST FYI, WE WILL BE ASKING FOR A LITTLE BIT OF ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR THE EXECUTIVE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AND THE PMSS SUPPORTS. SO THAT'S THE ARCHITECTS ENGINEERS, BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOTTA CONTINUE WITH, YOU KNOW, COMPLETING THE WARRANTY ITEMS, OUR PUNCH LIST ITEMS THAT WE'RE COMPLETING FOR THEIR, UM, CLOSEOUT WISE, WE'VE GOTTA CLOSE OUT THE CONTRACTS OF ALL THE CONTRACTORS THAT ARE THERE. UM, WE'VE GOTTA DO DOCUMENT TRANSFER, YOU KNOW, FROM THE CONTRACTORS INTO OUR SYSTEMS. UM, WE'VE GOTTA CLOSE OUT OUR M-B-E-W-B-E, UH, MWBE PAPERWORK. AND THEN WE'VE GOTTA TRANSITION TO THE, TO THE NEW, UM, EPM. SO IT'S, AGAIN, IT'S A MUCH SMALLER REQUEST BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BASICALLY DONE WITH THE CONSTRUCTION WORK. UM, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF BACK OF THE HOUSE PAPERWORK STUFF THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO STILL COMPLETE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, AND THEN ALSO FOR AN UPCOMING COUNCIL ACTION, UH, TO KIND OF MIRROR THAT, UM, THE EXECUTIVE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT PRO, UM, THE WAY THAT IT WORKED ACTUALLY WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL FOR THAT PROJECT. AND BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CAPITAL PROGRAM TO CONTINUE TO GO FORWARD, WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO CONTINUE WITH A NEW EXECUTIVE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. UM, AND SO THAT'S GONNA, YOU KNOW, COVER THE, THE REMAINDER OF THE TERMINAL B EXPANSION. UH, AGAIN, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE AIRLINES ON A TERMINAL A PROJECT. UM, OUR CENTRAL UTILITY PLANT IS GETTING UPGRADED AND WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT. UH, WE'VE JUST KICKED OFF THE SKYWAY, UH, RE REFRESH. UH, WE'RE WORKING ON THE SUBWAY AND THEN ALSO THE FINISHING UP OF THE HOBBY WEST CONCOURSE. SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF MAJOR PROJECTS AND WE NEED TO HAVE THAT EXPERTISE TO BE ABLE TO HELP US JUST MAKE SURE WE MANAGE ALL THE PROJECTS CORRECTLY. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, WE ALSO ARE GONNA BE BRINGING BEFORE YOU A, A PRO, UH, A PROGRAM THAT WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH UNITED AIRLINES TO HELP US COMPLETE, UM, ON ADDITIONAL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR IAH TO MATCH SOME OF THE GROWTH. SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND SO IT'S A MOA, UM, THAT WILL BE COMING FOR YOU. UM, SO IF WE REMEMBER BACK WHEN WE DID THE UNITED AIRLINES PROJECT ORIGINALLY, WE WERE ASKING FOR A LITTLE OVER $600 MILLION, UM, TO WORK ON WITH UNITED'S BUDGET FOR THE ENABLING PROJECTS FOR THAT, THAT TERMINAL. UM, WITH THAT, WE'RE NOT GONNA USE THE FULL 600 MILLION AND CHANGE. AND SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS TAKE SOME OF THAT MONEY, UM, AND BRING IT BACK TO BE ABLE TO DO NEW PROJECTS. UH, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA ADD A LITTLE EXTRA. SO WE'RE GONNA CAP IT AT 229 MILLION. UM, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA BE USING UP TO 150 MILLION OF THAT 600 MILLION THAT WE ORIGINALLY TOLD YOU ABOUT. UM, AND THAT'S GONNA BE ABLE TO DO, UM, AGAIN, AIRCRAFT HOLDING, UH, IMPROVEMENTS AT THE AIRPORT, UM, OUR REMOTE EMPLOYEE PARKING LOT, UM, SOME STORMWATER DETENTION WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO THERE. UM, AB GARAGE ENTRANCE, OUR NORTH TERMINAL ROAD, [00:40:01] WE'VE GOT SOME UTILITY WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO THERE. UM, WE'VE GOTTA EXPAND THE CHECKPOINTS FOR VEHICLES INSIDE THE AIRPORT AND THEN THE TERMINAL SEA PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE. AND SO I, I PUT A COUPLE OF THE HIGHER LEVEL PROJECTS ON HERE ON THE NEXT SLIDE JUST SO I CAN KIND OF EXPLAIN IT TO YOU. SO THIS IS OUR HOLD PAD THAT WE'RE GONNA DO. UM, SO IT'S OVER BY THE CAR CARGO COMPLEX. AND SO WHEN WE'VE GOT, UM, THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA, UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE HOLDING AIRPLANES ON THE ACTIVE, YOU KNOW, TAXIWAYS. AND SO THIS IS GONNA GIVE US US THE ABILITY TO, TO HOLD AIRCRAFT IN ITS OWN MAJOR HOLDING PAD, AND THAT ALLOWS THE, THE TRAFFIC TO MOVE MUCH BETTER ON THE AIRFIELD. UM, WE ALSO HAVE THIS PROBLEM WHEN DALLAS HAS PROBLEMS OR AUSTIN HAS PROBLEMS, OR SAN ANTONIO HAS PROBLEMS, WE'LL GET A LOT OF THOSE PLANES WE'LL DIVERT TO OUR AIRPORT. AND SO WE MAY HAVE SUNSHINE AND BLUE SKIES, BUT IF DALLAS HAS THUNDERSTORMS, WE GET A BUNCH OF AIRPLANES THAT COME DOWN HERE. AND NOW THIS WILL GIVE US A PLACE TO, TO PARK THOSE PLANES OUT OF THE WAY OF AND KEEP OUR OPERATION RUNNING VERSUS, UH, GETTING, YOU KNOW, CLOGGING UP THE TAXIWAYS HERE. UH, AND THEN AT NIGHTTIME IT'LL ALLOW US TO PARK ADDITIONAL NARROW BODY AIRPLANES THERE. UM, FOR OVERNIGHT PARKING. UH, WE ARE ALSO GONNA BE DOING A AIRPORT, UH, EMPLOYEE TERMINAL EMPLOYEE PARKING LOT EXPANSION. AND SO WHAT THAT'S GONNA DO IS ALLOW US TO FREE UP, UH, WELL, IT'S GONNA CREATE ABOUT 80, 80, 100 ADDITIONAL SPACES FOR EMPLOYEE PARKING AT THE AIRPORT TO CONTINUE WITH OUR GROWTH. UH, BUT THEN IT'S ALSO GONNA FREE UP NEW PARKING SPOTS IN THE TERMINALS THAT ARE CURRENTLY, UH, AND ALSO THE REMOTE LOT THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING USED BY EMPLOYEES. SO THAT'S ABOUT A LITTLE OVER 6,000 SPOTS THAT BASICALLY GET FREED UP FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, UH, BY OPENING THIS, UH, NEW EMPLOYEE, CONSOLIDATED EMPLOYEE LOT. SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, AND THEN THE AB GARAGE. UM, SO THE AB GARAGE ITSELF RIGHT NOW CURRENTLY HAS TWO ENTRANCES, UH, TWO ENTRANCE LANES, AND THEN WITH THE TERMINAL B OPENING OVER THERE, UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET PEOPLE IN THE GARAGE AND NOT CLOG THE ROADWAY. AND SO WE'LL BE GOING FROM TWO LANES TO FOUR LANES OF OUR ENTRANCE THAT WE CAN GET PEOPLE INTO THE GARAGE MUCH QUICKER. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, SO PASSENGER FEEDBACK. SO A COUPLE COUNCILS AGO YOU GUYS, UH, VOTED FOR OUR, UH, A SQ, UM, SO THAT'S OUR AIR SERVICE QUALITY. THAT'S, UM, OUR AIRPORT TRADE GROUP, UH, A CI DOES THIS SURVEY AT MULTIPLE AIRPORTS, AND SO WE HAVE SOME DATA HERE WE'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU. SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. UM, SO THIS IS, UH, OUR GENERAL OVERSET, UH, OVERALL SATISFACTION AT BOTH AIRPORTS. SO WE DO INTERCEPT SURVEYS WITH CUSTOMERS THAT ARE IN THE TERMINALS, UH, AT DIFFERENT TERMINALS, DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, DIFFERENT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY'RE ARRIVING, WERE THEY DEPARTING AND WE CONSOLIDATE THAT ALL OVER. ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ASKED. WE KIND OF BOIL IT DOWN INTO THESE BENCHMARKS. AND YOU CAN SEE, UM, ON THE LEFT IS IAH AND OBVIOUSLY THE, THE BAD TIMES THERE. UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS, IT WAS, THAT WAS WHEN OUR TRAFFIC WAS AT ATS WORST, AND OBVIOUSLY THAT LEAVES A BAD TASTE IN A LOT OF PEOPLE'S MOUTH. UM, BUT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, ON IMPROVING A LOT OF THINGS. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE REALLY RISEN THE AIRPORT UP TO WHERE WE, WHERE, WHERE WE'RE IN THE, WITH OUR BENCHMARKS. AND THE BENCHMARKS ARE THE OTHER PEER LARGE AIRPORTS. UM, 'CAUSE LARGE AIRPORTS ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT, UM, ANIMAL THAN THE MEDIUM SIZED HUB, UH, AIRPORTS. AND IF YOU LOOK AT FROM A HOBBY PERSPECTIVE, A VERY SIMILAR SITUATION THERE. SO WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON AND MAKING IN THERE, WE'RE, WE'RE AT, YOU KNOW, UH, WITH OUR, OUR PEERS AGAIN. SO, UH, BUT YOU CAN SEE ALSO THE IMPROVEMENT THAT WE'VE MADE, UM, IN THE EXPERIENCE OF BOTH AIRPORTS IS, IS SIGNIFICANT HERE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A KIND OF A, OF THE, THE THINGS THAT WE JUST SPOKE ABOUT ON THE OVERALL. ONE IS WE CAN DRILL DOWN INTO THE ACTUAL, LIKE, INDIVIDUAL SEGMENTS OF THAT. AND SO THIS IS JUST THE AIRPORT ARRIVAL EXPERIENCE, AND IT KIND OF SHOWS YOU THE DIFFERENCE THAT WE'VE GOT HERE ABOUT WHEN TRAFFIC WAS TERRIBLE, UM, AND WHAT THAT DID TO THE AIRPORT FROM A REPUTATION AND A, AND A FIELD PERSPECTIVE. AND NOW THAT WE'VE KIND OF, UH, SOLVED THAT, UM, WE'VE REALLY INCREASED THAT. UM, AND, AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THE PASSENGERS ARE REALLY IMPRE UH, APPRECIATING THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOTTEN THAT AND THAT THAT THAT CRAZINESS ON THE ROADS AT THE AIRPORT IS NOT AN EXPECTATION ANYMORE. IT'S KIND OF A, IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S THE NOR NORMAL TRAFFIC IS THE KIND OF THING THAT PEOPLE SHOULD EXPECT. NOW, IF YOU WANNA GO NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, AND THEN AGAIN, THIS KIND OF JUST HIGHLIGHTS, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY DO WE GET THE, THE FEEDBACK FROM THE PASSENGERS, BUT WE'VE GOT THE TECHNICAL DATA HERE. AND SO THE TECHNICAL DATA, THIS IS HOW WE MONITOR THE ROADWAY TRAFFIC ON A DAILY BASIS. AND THEN KIND OF JUST SHOWS YOU THAT WHEN WE WERE IN OUR PEAK OF OUR CONSTRUCTION WOES, UM, TO WHERE WE ARE NOW, OUR, OUR SEVERE TRAFFIC IS DOWN 99%. UM, SO WE DON'T HAVE SEVERE TRAFFIC AT THE AIRPORT UNLESS WE HAVE BASICALLY A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT OR A THUNDERSTORM PARKS OVER THE AIRPORT FOR, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE HOURS, UH, YOU KNOW, OR IT'S CRAZY PEAK HOLIDAY PERIOD. BUT IN GENERAL, SEVERE TRAFFIC HAS BEEN REDUCED, 99% HEAVY TRAFFIC'S DOWN 92%, AND OUR MODERATE TRAFFIC'S DOWN ALMOST 80% THERE. SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS THERE. AND THEN THE RESTROOMS, WE ALWAYS MONITOR THE RESTROOMS. SO WE'VE GOT THE, THE SMILEY FACE, FROWNY FACE THERE. UM, VERY EXCITED AT IAH. WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO UP THAT TO 92% POSITIVE, UM, AT HOBBIES AT 95. AND, AND FROM A [00:45:01] BUSH PERSPECTIVE, AGAIN, WE'VE GOT SOME OF THOSE OLD RESTAURANTS AND THOSE OLD, OLD RESTROOMS, AND THOSE OLD RESTROOMS DO NOT SCORE IN THE 92. UH, BUT WHEN WE OPEN NEW ONES, WE GET A LOT OF POSITIVE ON THAT. AND SO THAT REALLY DRIVES THAT NUMBER UP A LOT. AND SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE ABILITY TO OPEN NEW RESTROOMS AT BUSH, UH, AGAIN, FRIDAY. AND, AND THEN THE FOLLOWING WEEK, IT'S, IT'S GONNA MAKE THE TRAVEL EXPERIENCE MUCH BETTER THERE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, AND THEN FROM A PARKING PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, WE GET, UH, FEEDBACK ON THE PARKING OPERATION THERE. SO, UH, WE'VE ADDED 36 NEW SHUTTLES THERE, SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. THEY'VE BEEN UP AND RUNNING WITH THOSE SHUTTLES. COME NOW A NEW GPS SYSTEM THAT, THAT TRACKS WHERE THE, THE SHUTTLE BUS IS. AND NOW WE HAVE THAT MAP THERE, SO YOU KNOW ABOUT HOW MUCH TIME IT'S GONNA TAKE BEFORE THE SHUTTLE BUS SHOWS THERE. AND THEN ON THE BOTTOM LEFT, YOU'LL KIND OF SEE THE RESERVATIONS TRAFFIC. SO AGAIN, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE MESSAGE AND MESSAGE AND MESSAGE ABOUT MAKING RESERVATIONS AT THE AIRPORT, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR NUMBERS CONTINUE TO GO UP AND UP AND UP AND UP AND UP. UM, AND THE FACT THAT THE RESERVATIONS ARE BECOMING VERY, VERY POPULAR. AND WE'VE ALSO ADDED THE, UM, WE'VE DROPPED THE 12 HOUR, UH, RESERVATIONS WINDOW DOWN TO TWO HOURS NOW. SO THAT'S A, A RECENT ADDITION. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AND THAT HELPS US AGAIN ON OUR POST PARKING SURVEY. SO FOR THE FOLKS THAT PARK WITH US, WE SEND THEM A, AN EMAIL AND, AND, AND THEY'LL RESPOND TO US. UH, AGAIN, IT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RESPONSES THAT WE GET AND WE'VE HAD A REALLY GOOD RESPONSE, UH, FROM A PARKING PERSPECTIVE, AND THAT'S BASED ON TWO THINGS. UM, SO NUMBER ONE, IT WAS THE FIXING THE TRAFFIC SO YOU DON'T GET TRAPPED IN THE GARAGE ANYMORE. AND THEN NUMBER TWO IS, IS THAT, UH, THE, THE COUNCIL FUNDED US WITH A NEW PARKING SYSTEM AT, UM, AT BOTH AIRPORTS AND THAT NEW PARKING SYSTEM WITH THE, UM, THE BARCODE READERS AND THE FANCY LICENSE PLATE READERS AND THE ABILITY TO USE APPLE PAY AND ALL THE ADVANCEMENTS THAT THEY'RE, UM, WE'VE, IT'S BEEN ABLE TO GET PEOPLE IN AND OUTTA THE FACILITY VERY QUICKLY. AND SO WE'VE HAD A SIGNIFICANT, IF, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE NPS SCORES. UM, AND SO IF YOU LOOK AT THAT NOW, AND PARTICULARLY THE CDE GARAGE AND BUSH, UM, THAT IS A, YOU KNOW, NET 30 POSITIVE RIGHT NOW THAT USED TO BE NEGATIVE. UM, AND SO YOU'D NEVER WANNA HAVE A NEGATIVE NPS IF YOU CAN. AND SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE FACT THAT BY SOLVING THE TRAFFIC AND THEN PUTTING IN THE NEW SYSTEMS IN THERE, WE'VE REALLY INCREASED THE, THE SATISFACTION OF PARKING AT THE AIRPORT. AND ONCE WE'RE DONE WITH THE SIGNAGE, WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT THAT'S, THAT NUMBER'S GONNA CONTINUE TO GO NORTH. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, AND THEN I'M VERY EXCITED. IT'S KIND OF GOT LOST IN THE WHOLE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. UM, BUT WHEN WE WERE AT SKY, YOU KNOW, THE SKY TRACKS AWARDS WERE ANNOUNCED, UM, HOBBY AIRPORT WAS CHOSEN BY PASSENGERS, UM, THROUGH THE SKYTRAX RATING SYSTEM AS THE CLEANEST AIRPORT IN NORTH AMERICA. SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED AND VERY PROUD OF THE TEAM AT HOBBY. UM, THAT'S A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT. UH, I TOLD 'EM WHEN I MET WITH THEM, IT'S LIKE, YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS AND WE KNOW HOW HARD IT WORKS, WHETHER IT'S BASKETBALL OR FOOTBALL OR WHEREVER YOU'RE TRYING TO WIN A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. IT'S A LOT OF WORK. UM, AND SO OUR HOBBY TEAM IS THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS THERE, SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED FOR THEM AND, AND VERY PROUD OF THEM. SO NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM, SO THAT'S MY KIND OF PREPARED REMARKS, SO I'M ALWAYS READY TO TAKE QUESTIONS, UH, FROM, FROM THE FOLKS. THANK YOU. AND, UH, COUNCIL RAMIREZ HAS JOINED US AND IS ALSO IN THE QUEUE. COUNCILMAN, UH, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND JIM, I WALKED IN IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS, SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. BUT I DO WANNA, UM, UH, COMMEND YOU GUYS FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING EVENT YESTERDAY. UH, HUGE PROBLEM, UH, EVERYWHERE, BUT IN, ESPECIALLY HERE IN HOUSTON. SO I'M GLAD THE AIRPORT IS AWARE OF THAT AND TAKING STEPS TO, TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO, TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING. SO THANK YOU. UH, I JUST, UH, QUESTION ABOUT THE AGE OF THE FLEET OF THE PARKING SHUTTLES THERE AT THE AIRPORT THAT HAD BEEN REPLACED. I'M JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW, UH, HOW, HOW LONG WE USED THOSE BEFORE WE REPLACE 'EM, IF, YOU KNOW. YEAH, I DON'T OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, UM, BUT WE CAN GET THAT ANSWERED IF YOU NEED IT. BUT THEY, THEY, THEY WERE A LITTLE BIT WORN DOWN. THEY WEREN'T, THEY WEREN'T IN TERRIBLE SHAPE, BUT THEY WEREN'T, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE NEW ONES LOOKED MUCH BETTER. UM, YOU KNOW, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY HAVING THE GPS TECHNOLOGY IN THERE TO BE ABLE TO TRACK 'EM, UM, AS, AS A, AS MUCH BIGGER ENHANCEMENT FORCE US WHAT HAPPENS TO THE OLD ONES? DO WE SELL 'EM AND GET SOME, SO WE'RE GONNA SALVAGE, SALVAGE SOME OF 'EM. AND THEN SOME OF 'EM WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA USE FOR OUR OWN AIRPORT, UM, FUNCTIONS. SO WE'LL, WE'LL STRIP 'EM OF THE STICKERS AND, AND THOSE AND BE ABLE TO USE 'EM TO SHUTTLE EMPLOYEES AROUND, OR SOMETIMES WE DO TOURS AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS, SO WE'LL, WE'LL REPURPOSE SOME OF THEM AND THEN SOME OF THEM WE'LL SALVAGE. AND, AND AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE FOR WALKING IN LATE, BUT, UH, YOU DISCUSSED A NEW PARKING PARKING LOT FOR EMPLOYEES. WHAT ARE THE CURRENT ARRANGEMENTS AND HOW ARE THEY CHANGING WITH THE NEW LAW? SO, SO WE HAVE A COLLECTION. WE HAVE A A WE, THERE'S A, A, IT'S A MISHMASH OF EMPLOYEE PARKING ALL OVER THE PLACE. UM, AND THEN WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOME OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE PARKED IN THE GARAGE, AND THAT'S A LEGACY OF, YOU KNOW, UH, COVID NINE 11. SO PASSENGERS WEREN'T SHOWING UP AND PARKING. AND SO DECISIONS WERE MADE TO ALLOW EMPLOYEES TO PARK THERE, AND THEN TRAFFIC RETURNED AND THEY WERE NEVER REMOVED FROM THE CENTRAL CORE, AND BY THE TIME IT WAS TIME TO REMOVE 'EM, LIKE WE HAD NO PLACE TO PUT 'EM. UM, AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE SOME, UH, GROUP OF FOLKS THAT ARE PARKED IN OUR ECONOMY [00:50:01] LOT. AND SO BY BUILDING THIS NEW LOT, THIS GETS, GETS THEM INTO A CONSOLIDATED AREA WHERE WE CAN PUT THIS ONE, UH, AIRPORT BUS, UH, AND THEN BE ABLE TO AGAIN, RECLAIM THOSE, UH, PARKING SPOTS FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC. AND, AND HAS THE OVERALL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEE SPOTS CHANGED? HAS IT INCREASED OR, YEAH. SO THERE'S GONNA BE AN INCREASE THERE. RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT ABOUT 6,000 EMPLOYEES THAT ARE KIND OF SPOTS THAT ARE DEDICATED TO THAT. AND WE'LL, WE'LL BE GOING UP TO 8,100, UM, IN THE NEW LOT. SO THERE'S ABOUT A 2000 ADDITIONAL PARKING SPOTS IN THAT, THAT LOT. AND IS THAT PARKING FREE FOR EMPLOYEES? UH, IT'S NOT FREE, BUT WE, WE CHARGE A DE MINIMIS AMOUNT ON A MONTHLY BASIS FOR THE EMPLOYEES TO PARK THERE. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT. COUNCILWOMAN ALCORN, WHEN DID YOU SAY THE HOBBY WILL BE DONE? THE NEW GATES? SO, UH, FOR THE, THE, THE EXPANSION? YEP. SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE PUT PUTTING IT IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2027. OKAY. AND IS THERE, ARE THERE GONNA BE CONCESSIONS THERE TOO? UH, YES. IS THAT GONNA BE A DIFFERENT PACKAGE OR NO? SO IT'S JUST THE EXISTING, EXISTING ONES. WE'LL JUST EXPAND INTO THERE? CORRECT, YES. OKAY. OKAY. AND ON THE EMPLOYEE PARKING THING, IS THAT JUST, UM, AIRPORT EMPLOYEES OR IS IT LIKE UNITED EMPLOYEES AND IT'S A MIX? YEAH, IT'S A MIX. AIRLINES EMPLOYEES. YEAH. YEAH. SO IT'LL BE, IT'LL BE AIRLINE EMPLOYEES, IT'LL BE CONCESSIONAIRES, IT'LL BE SOME OF THE GROUND HANDLERS. IT'LL BE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A MIX OF EVERYBODY THERE. I FLEW INTO DI DON'T KNOW, A FEW WEEKS AGO. GOD, IT LOOKS GREAT. IT JUST LOOKS GREAT. Y'ALL HAVE DONE AMAZING WORK OUT THERE. IT'S GONNA BE SO NICE. YEAH, NO, IT'S, UH, IT'S, UH, YEAH, IT'S, UH, IT, IT, IT PUTS US ON POWER WITH A LOT OF THOSE INTERNET, YOU KNOW, LIKE IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO LIKE THESE FANCY AIRPORTS IN, IN ASIA, THOSE KIND OF PLACES D WOULD FIT RIGHT IN AT THOSE PLACES. IT'S DEFINITELY VERY NICE. WELL, THANKS FOR EVERYTHING. SO GOOD OUT THERE. STAFF FROM COUNCILWOMAN SALINAS. EXCUSE ME. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, DIRECTOR. I WANNA MAKE SURE I GET YOUR NAME RIGHT. IS IT DIRECTOR NIA? CORRECT. ALRIGHT. DI GOT IT ON THE FIRST TRY. I THOUGHT IT WAS SMITH, BUT NOT SMITH. WELL, I, YOU KNOW, I DO MY SMITH JOKE AND, AND YOU KNOW, BUT I, HE'S NEW, SO I DON'T WANT, I DON'T WANNA PULL THIS, BUT IT IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT KEEPS THE TELEMARKETERS AWAY. THEY DON'T CALL ME, SO. ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. UH, WELL, DR. DIRECTOR SES, I WANTED TO CIRCLE BACK, UH, TO SOMETHING THAT YOU WERE TELLING US ABOUT EARLIER WITH THE FIFA, UH, PREPARATIONS, UM, IN REGARDS TO MAKING TRAVEL A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFICIENT, UH, FOR INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS. UM, EARLIER YOU MENTIONED THE DEVICES THAT SCAN FOR THE BIOMETRIC DATA AND THEN MATCHES IT WITH PEOPLE'S, UH, PASSPORTS. UM, MY QUESTION FOR YOU ON THAT ONE IS, DO YOU KNOW THE NAME OF THE ENTITY OR THE CONTRACTOR THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH FOR WHO'S PROVIDING THOSE DEVICES? SO IT'S, IT'S, UM, IT'S CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION'S PRODUCT. SO, UH, I, WE'D HAVE TO GET IT FROM, SO IT'S FEDERAL. YES. RIGHT, RIGHT. YEAH. SO, SO, SO YEAH, WE AS THE AIRPORT GENERALLY, DON'T WE, I THINK WE, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S A CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION KIND OF PROJECT. ABSOLUTELY. SO IT MIGHT BE THEIR OWN INTERNAL, UH, IT, THAT'S THE KIND OF THE GUTS OF IT, UM, BUT NOT NECESSARILY ANYTHING THAT THE AIRPORT WOULD BE CONTROLLING. UNDERSTOOD, UNDERSTOOD. I JUST ASKED SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THAT BIOMETRIC DATA IS ACTUALLY BEING STORED AND FOR HOW LONG IT'S BEING STORED. SO I, THOSE ARE QUESTIONS THAT I CAN KIND OF FOLLOW. I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE THAT DATA ON THEIR, I THINK ON THEIR WEBSITE THAT EXPLAINS IT. AND IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, UM, IT IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IT'S LIKE A ONE TIME, YOU KNOW, LIKE, IT, IT MATCHES YOUR PASSPORT WITH YOUR BIOMETRICS, AND THEN AFTER THAT IT KIND OF FORGETS ABOUT YOU, UM, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S GOT THE, YOU KNOW, THEY CUSTOMS KNOWS WHO'S SUPPOSED TO BE COMING IN THAT DAY, RIGHT. AND SO IT KNOWS, OKAY, I'M EXPECTING JOE BLOW AND JOE SHOWS UP AND IT'S LIKE, ALL RIGHT, CHECKED IT. YEP, HE'S GOOD. AND THEN IT, IT KIND OF DISAPPEARS. BUT, UM, THAT'S HOW IT'S, YOU KNOW, KIND OF, I THINK PRESENTED TO WORK. UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT'S ALL I HAD ON MY SIDE. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. I GOT A COUPLE OR COMMENTS MORE THAN ANYTHING. UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE JOB Y'ALL DID, UH, DURING THE ISSUES WITH THE TSA AGENTS NOT GETTING PAID, UH, SORRY THAT THAT PROBLEM WAS DUMPED IN YOUR LAP AND AS NOT OF YOUR MAKING AND YOU'RE THE ONES THAT HAD TO DEAL WITH IT. AND JUST REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DID WITH THAT TO TRY AND GET IT THROUGH. UH, I RECENTLY WENT THROUGH HOBBY AND, UH, I ACTUALLY SAW THE LIGHTS ON THE BATHROOM THAT YOU WERE TALKING TO. I'D NEVER SEEN THOSE BEFORE AND WASN'T SURE IF THOSE WERE NEW AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, OR WHETHER I JUST MISSED THEM BEFORE OR, OR WHATEVER. THAT WAS KIND OF INTERESTING. UH, ALSO SAW WHERE, UH, IN THE AREA, LIKE BETWEEN THE, UH, TERMINALS IN HOBBY OR THE, THE, THE WINGS I GUESS. UM, THERE WAS SOME LARGE CHAIRS, UH, THAT LOOKED VERY COMFORTABLE. YES. AND THAT WAS REALLY NICE. UH, ALSO SAW A BUNCH OF NEW ART THAT WAS IN THERE THAT LOOKED REALLY GREAT AS WELL, SOME LARGE PAINTINGS. SO I, I THOUGHT THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE AT HOBBY WAS WAS VERY GOOD. WELL, IT'S YOUR FIVE STAR AIRPORT. WELL, I, I THOUGHT YOU'D DONE A GREAT JOB AND JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU ON IT. YES. SO, YEAH, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. AND I THINK WITH THAT, WE'VE GOT, UH, I LOST MY PLACE HERE. [00:55:01] SHOULD BE, UM, MANAGING PRINCIPAL AT HALLS HILL. NINA GON YOU'LL BE, YOU'LL BE PRESENTING ON THE SOUTHWEST REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, TURS TWENTIES CLUB CREEK PARK IN VIETNAM, MEMORIAL WINNER OF ULI, HOUSTON'S DEVELOPMENT OF DISTINCTION AWARDS. YES. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS STAFF, NINA, MEGAN, I'M REPRESENTING, UM, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TODAY FOR, UM, TOUR 20, UM, SOUTHWEST HOUSTON REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. AND WE WANTED TO COME WITH YOU THIS AFTERNOON TO SHARE, UH, ONE OF, I WILL SAY OUR CROWN JEWEL PROJECTS AND A PROJECT THAT WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF AND JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL TODAY. TOUR 20, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, IS SOUTHWEST HOUSTON, UM, CENTERED AROUND, I WOULD SAY THE SHARPSTOWN AREA. AND WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF, UH, WONDERFUL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS OVER THE YEARS. WE ALWAYS SAY THAT WE'RE SORT OF THE MEATS AND POTATOES. WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF DRAINAGE, ROADWAY, UM, SIDEWALK, CONCRETE PANEL REPLACEMENTS. BUT TODAY WE WANNA SHARE PROJECTS THAT I KNOW THAT IS REALLY THE BOARD'S FAVORITE, UM, PROJECT THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON. LIKE I SAID, WE CALL IT THE CROWN JEWEL AND IT'S CLUB CREEK, CART PARK AND BASIN. AND THIS WAS A, UM, PIECE OF LAND 14 ACRES THAT WE BOUGHT, UM, OVER 10 YEARS AGO. AND IT WAS MEANT FOR BE FOR DRAINAGE FOR CITY OF HOUSTON ROADWAY PROJECTS. IT WAS JUST GONNA BE A HOLE IN THE GROUND. IT WAS BOUGHT ALONG BRAISED BAYOU. UM, AND IT TURNED INTO, OVER THE YEARS, SOMETHING SO MUCH MORE AND SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL FOR THE COMMUNITY. WE WERE ABLE TO MULTIPURPOSE THIS SITE INTO A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY ASSET THAT I'M GONNA SHARE WITH YOU TODAY, UM, THAT SERVES AS ACTIVE AND PASSIVE RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES AND SO MUCH MORE. WHAT REALLY MAKES THIS SPECIAL IS THE AREA THAT IT'S LOCATED IN. THIS IS IN ONE OF THE MOST DENSELY AREAS OF HOUSTON. IT IS VERY UNDERSERVED. IN FACT, 70% OF THE RESIDENTS IN THE AREA LIVE IN APARTMENTS. THEY DON'T HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF HAVING A BACKYARD OR GREEN SPACE. THIS SITE IS ACTUALLY SURROUNDED BY APARTMENTS. SO WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO BEYOND JUST THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN BRINGING, UM, RECREATION A GREEN SPACE, A PLACE TO CONNECT FOR THIS COMMUNITY, UM, WAS REALLY A PRETTY AMAZING, UM, CONCEPT AND IDEA. AND IT WAS REALLY AMAZING FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND FOR WHAT THIS BOARD WAS ABLE TO DO. NEXT SLIDE. SO WE WEREN'T THE ONLY ONES THAT WERE REALLY PROUD OF THIS PROJECT THIS PAST YEAR. WE GOT A LOT OF ATTENTION. UM, WE WON UL I'S DISTINCTION AWARDS FOR GREEN SPACE THIS PAST YEAR. AND WHAT WAS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT AND TRULY SPECIAL WAS WINNING THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD, BECAUSE THAT WASN'T JUST ABOUT OPEN SPACE, IT WAS, WE WERE COMPETING AGAINST ALL PROJECTS IN ALL CATEGORIES. AND TO WIN THAT AWARD, I KNOW OUR BOARD CHAIRMAN FELT LIKE HE WON THE OSCARS THAT NIGHT, SO WE WERE REALLY EXCITED. WE WERE ALSO RECOGNIZED THIS PAST YEAR BY HGAC FOR THEIR OPEN SPACE AWARDS IN THAT CATEGORY. SO WE GOT A LOT OF ATTENTION, INCLUDING NATIONAL ATTENTION ON THIS PROJECT. UM, NEXT SLIDE. SO JUST AT A HIGH LEVEL, I WANTED TO KIND OF EXPLAIN SOME OF THE KEY CONCEPTS OF IT. UM, THERE'S 120 ACRE FEET OF DETENTION, UM, WHICH WAS A LOT MORE THAN WE ACTUALLY NEEDED FOR THOSE PROJECTS. SO WE STARTED TO BE MORE FORWARD THINKING OF WHAT COULD WE NEED? AND WE STILL HAVE OVER HALF OF THAT CAPACITY IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE PROJECTS TO SERVE DETENTION IN THE AREA. BUT WHEN WE FIRST BOUGHT THIS LAND, IT WAS REALLY, LIKE I SAID, IT WAS GOING TO BE JUST A HOLE IN THE GROUND. AND AS THAT BOARD AT THAT TIME, AND IN PARTICULARLY THE BOARD CHAIR, WE SAT AROUND AND WE SAID, WE'VE GOT THIS OPPORTUNITY. THIS IS A LONG BRAISE BAYOU, AND IT'S WHERE BIANET AND 59 KIND OF INTERSECT ALONG CLUB CREEK DRIVE. HE SAID, WE'VE GOT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE SPECIAL. SO WE THOUGHT LET'S AMENITIZE IT AS OTHER PEOPLE DO WITH THEIR DETENTION. AND IT WAS JUST GONNA BE MORE OF A NATURAL AREA. BUT WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING IS WE ENDED UP NOT ONLY AMENITIZE IT WITH DETENTION, WE ADDED A PARK IN COORDINATION WITH HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. WE ADDED A VIETNAM MEMORIAL, AND WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO CONNECT THIS TO THE, UM, ALONG BRAYS BAYOU TO THE GREENWAYS BAYOU SYSTEM. NEXT SLIDE. SO I'M GONNA GO INTO A LITTLE MORE DETAILS BY SHARING SOME OF THESE PICTURES AND OUTLINE OF SOME OF THE AMENITIES OF HOW WE GOT THERE. SO ORIGINALLY 14 ACRE SITE, IT WAS REALLY JUST GONNA BE NATURAL AREAS WITH THE TRAIL, AND IT DOES HAVE THE 1.5 MILE TRAIL AROUND IT. AS WE STARTED TO LOOK AT IT, IT, YOU CAN SEE IN THE, UH, DIAGRAM, YOU CAN SEE BRAS BAYOU AND THE GREENWAY. THE BAYOU GREENWAY WAS ACTUALLY GONNA GO ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THAT TRAIL, UM, NORTH SIDE OF THE BAYOU. THE TRAIL WAS ACTUALLY PROGRAMMED THERE BY, UM, PARKS BOARD. SO ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE DID IS IF WE'RE GONNA BUILD THIS PARK AND AMENITIZE THIS AREA AND SERVE ALL THESE RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY, WAS WE DID GO TO THE PARKS BOARD AND ASK THEM TO MOVE THAT TRAIL TO THE SOUTH PART OF BAYOU, WHICH THEY DID, SO THAT OUR TRAIL COULD CONNECT INTO THEM AND THEY WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THE GREATER HOUSTON TRAIL SYSTEM AND OTHER DESTINATIONS IN HOUSTON. WE ALSO STARTED LOOKING AT AMENITIES AND, AND LOOKING AT HOW WE COULD, UM, PUT PASSIVE AND ACTIVE RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES HERE. WE DID ADD [01:00:01] SOME PARKING. UM, BUT LIKE I SAID, THIS REALLY SERVES THE COMMUNITY. THIS IS SURROUNDED BY HUNDREDS OF APARTMENTS AND PEOPLE IN APARTMENTS. SO THEY REALLY ARE WALKING AND COMING TO USE THIS AS THEIR BACKYARD AND THEIR PLACE TO CONNECT. SO AMENITIZED, WE WANTED THE WATER. EVERYBODY WANTED THE WATER INSTEAD OF A DRY POND. AND TO MONETIZE THAT. UM, NEXT SLIDE, YOU CAN GO IN TO SEE THAT. WE WANTED NATURAL AREAS TO BE VERY PROMINENT. SO THERE ARE MEADOWS, THERE ARE WETLANDS THAT HAVE BEEN RESTORED. UM, THERE'S LOWER AND UPPER BASINS. IT TRULY IS A NATURAL AREA AND TRAILS THAT MEANDER THROUGHOUT. THERE'S BIRD WATCHING, THERE'S SIGNAGE. AGAIN, A VERY DIVERSE AREA. IT'S INTERACTIVE. ALL THE SIGNAGE IS ACTUALLY IN FOUR LANGUAGES TO ACCOMMODATE THE COMMUNITY AROUND THERE. SO IT IS A VERY PEACEFUL AND SERENE AREA. AS WE STARTED TO DEVELOP THE DESIGN, THE DESIGN WAS DEVELOPED OVER TWO YEARS. WE ALSO WANTED TO ADD SOME ACTIVE COMPONENTS. AND IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE WE ADDED FITNESS STATIONS. WE ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE THOSE TRAILS WERE WIDE ENOUGH SO THAT YOU COULD NOT ONLY WALK, BUT YOU COULD BIKE AND CONNECT TO THE LARGER BAYOU SYSTEM. AND, AND BASICALLY YOU HAD ACCESS TO THE FULL BAYOU GREENWAYS. SO WE WERE ABLE TO ADD ALL THESE FEATURES. THERE WERE SECURITY LIGHTING THROUGHOUT AS WELL, SO IT COULD BE VERY SECURE. AND THEN IN 2018, UM, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT REALIZED THAT THIS WAS, WELL, DIDN'T JUST REALIZE, THEY ALWAYS KNEW THAT THIS WAS A PARK DESERT AND IT WAS A VERY UNDERSERVED AREA. SO THEY PARTNERED WITH US AND CONTRIBUTED FUNDS TO LET'S BUILD A PARK AND PLAYGROUND FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO NEXT SLIDE, 1.87 ACRES WAS DEDICATED TO, UM, THIS PARK. AND THIS IS THE ACTUAL CITY OF HOUSTON PARK. SO WE WERE ABLE TO PUT IN A PLAYGROUND. WE WERE ABLE TO PUT IN SHADE STRUCTURES AND BENCHES, PICNIC TABLES, A WATER FOUNTAIN, AND CREATE A PARK THERE THAT WAS OPENED IN 2021 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM. AS WE WERE FINISHING UP THIS DESIGN, UM, DISTRICT J CAME TO US WITH ANOTHER IDEA. UM, AND THAT WAS BUILDING A VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL AT THIS SITE TO HONOR THOSE THAT HAD SERVED. NEXT SLIDE. SO THAT WAS THE LAST COMPONENT THAT WE DID ADD ONTO THIS WAS THE, THE MEMORIAL, WHICH IS BEAUTIFUL IF YOU'VE NOT BEEN OUT THERE. IT'S GOT THE NAMES ETCHED AND THE BLACK STONE OF ALL THOSE THAT SERVED. IT ALSO HAS A BEAUTIFUL WELCOME HOME SIGN. AND THIS HAS REALLY SERVED AS A PLACE WHERE WE CAN HONOR THEM, REFLECT, AND HONOR THAT HISTORY. IT'S ALSO SERVED AS A PLACE FOR EVENTS AS WELL. SO THIS WAS THE LAST COMPONENT THAT REALLY COMBINED THIS ENTIRE PARK TOGETHER. AND I WILL SAY, UM, WE GARNERED, IT WAS A LITTLE HIDDEN GEM AGAIN, IN BETWEEN ALL THESE, UM, NEIGHBORHOODS AND, UM, APARTMENT COMPLEXES. IT'S A HIDDEN GEM THERE, BUT IT GARNERED A LOT OF ATTENTION. UM, IT, IT WAS SO WELL USED AND SO WELL NEEDED THAT THERE WAS A POINT IN TIME WHERE WE COULD ACTUALLY NOT KEEP UP WITH THE TRASH PICKUP. WE WERE HAULING OFF TONS OF TRASH BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE COMING OUT THERE TO USE IT, TO HAVE THEIR FESTIVALS TO PICNIC. AND, AND IT WAS JUST, IT WAS AMAZING. BUT IT WAS, IT WAS A LOT. IT WAS, IT WAS DEFINITELY A NEED. AND YOU COULD SEE THAT NEED. I WILL SAY I WAS PERSONALLY THERE WHEN I GOT TO TOUR WITH THE ULI JUDGES AND THESE WERE THREE REAL ESTATE, UM, FOLKS THAT CAME FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AND ACTUALLY ONE CAME FROM CANADA. AND TO SEE THEIR FACES WHEN THEY HEARD THE STORY, WHEN THEY DROVE THROUGH THE AREA TO SEE WHAT THIS ACTUALLY DID, I PROBABLY COULD NOT HAVE PICKED A BETTER DAY TO TOUR THEM IS A PERFECT 70 DEGREES IN HOUSTON, NO HUMIDITY. BUT WHEN WE GOT TO THE PARK, IT WAS IN THE EARLY EVENINGS AND THERE WERE FAMILIES IN THE PLAYGROUND PICNICKING WITH HER FRIENDS, UM, AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS. THERE WAS ADULTS RUNNING THE TRAILS, ADOLESCENTS ON THE WORKSTATIONS. THERE WERE SOME ELDERLY FOLKS BIRDWATCHING BY THE LOWER BASIN. IT WAS PRETTY AMAZING. AND WE TOURED AND THEY WALKED THE WHOLE PARK TO SEE HOW THIS COMMUNITY UTILIZES IT AND WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO WITH AN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT THAT TURNED INTO A TRUE COMMUNITY PLACE. AND IT, WE ALWAYS SAY IT WAS A PARK BY THE PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE. AND IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE HOW WE COULD TURN INFRASTRUCTURE INTO CONNECTIVITY, PLACEMAKING, PASSIVE AND ACTIVE RECREATION FOR GENERATIONS. AND GIVE FOLKS NOT ONLY PROTECT THEM FROM FLOODING, BUT GIVE THEM A PLACE TO GATHER AND CONNECT AND, AND COME TOGETHER. SO IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS REALLY AMAZING TO SEE THAT. AND THE AWARDS REFLECT THAT NEXT SLIDE. AND I ALWAYS SAY, THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE WITHOUT PARTNERSHIPS, COLLABORATION, SOME VISION AND SOME FORWARD THINKING. AND WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE A BOARD THAT HAD THAT VISION AND THAT FOUND THAT FUNDING OVER THE YEARS. THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. AND IT DIDN'T HAPPEN WITH JUST US. WE WORKED WITH THE COMMUNITY. UM, WE HAD WORKED WITH FLOOD CONTROL. WE GOT $1.5 MILLION FROM FLOOD CONTROL TO HELP WITH THE PROJECT. WE ALSO, CITY OF HOUSTON CONTRIBUTED BOTH DISTRICT J FOR THE VIETNAM MEMORIAL AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT FOR CREATING THAT PARK. SO IT WAS A COMBINATION OF ALL THIS EFFORT AND THEN WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY AND OUR PARTNERS TO CREATE THIS, UM, WONDERFUL GEM AND HIDDEN GEM. AND IF YOU HAVEN'T GONE OUT THERE, I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND EVERYONE TO GO SEE IT. UM, IT IS REALLY BEAUTIFUL. THESE PICTURES DON'T DO JUSTICE, BUT IT IS A REALLY GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT THE TURS WAS ABLE TO DO IN PARTNERSHIP AND LEVERAGING FUNDS AND WHAT THEY WERE ABLE [01:05:01] TO DO WITH A LITTLE BIT OF INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY TO MULTIPURPOSE THIS SITE AND CREATE SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR HOUSTON AND THE COMMUNITY SURROUNDING IT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ. THANK YOU, UH, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU, UH, NINA FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS AND THE WORK THAT HAWS HILL DID. CURIOUS TO NOTE THE PROPERTY USE BEFORE THIS, UH, THIS PROJECT. IT WAS VACANT. IT WAS VACANT, YES. YES. SO WE BOUGHT IT BACK IN 2015 FOR ABOUT 1.6 MILLION. 'CAUSE WE KNEW WE HAD TO, UM, SUPPORT SOME CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, ROADWAY PROJECTS. SO IT WAS VACANT AND IT WAS REALLY JUST MEANT TO BE A HOLE IN THE GROUND. YEAH. OKAY. AND, UM, AS DETENTION? YES. SO, UH, WAS IT ANYTHING, WAS ANYTHING ON THE LAND BEFORE IT WAS, UH, VACANT? NO. NO, NO. AS FAR BACK AS WE CAN REMEMBER THEN YES. YES. AS FAR AS BACK IS WHEN WE HAD IT, YES. YEAH. YES. GOT IT. GOT IT. AND, UM, IS IT, OR WAS IT IN A FLOOD ZONE? SO YES, IT WAS RIGHT ALONG BRAY'S BAYOU. UHHUH , YES. SO IT'S RIGHT ALONG THE BAYOU. ALRIGHT. AND SO THIS WILL OBVIOUSLY HELP. YES, YES. AND DETENTION WAS BEYOND LIKE 120 ACRE FEET IS A LOT OF DETENTION. SO WE SORT OF FORWARD THINKING IT WAS BEYOND WHAT WAS EVEN NEEDED AT THAT TIME. UM, BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME CITY OF HOUSTON ROADWAY PROJECTS AND THERE WAS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TENSION THAT WAS NEEDED THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE. BUT AS IT'S EVOLVED, IT WAS LIKE, LET'S BE FORWARD THINKING. AND IT'S GOT MORE DETENTION, UM, THAN THAT WAS NEEDED TO SERVE THOSE PROJECTS THAT WE COULD UTILIZE TO FOR FUTURE PROJECTS. RIGHT. I'VE BEEN OUT THERE A FEW TIMES. YES. AND IT IS HUGE. YES. AND I THINK YOU DID SAY THERE'S, THERE'S ROOM FOR, UH, OTHER THINGS AS WELL. YES. THIS WAS, AND AND THIS PLAN EVOLVED OVER TIME AND IT WAS REALLY GONNA JUST BE A NATURAL AREA WITH THE TRAILS. BUT YES, I MEAN, YOU'VE SEEN IT, THERE'S PLENTY OF ROOM. UM, IF THERE WAS ADDITIONAL AMENITIES THAT NEEDED TO BE ADDED ON. RIGHT. AND, UM, I WAS AT THE VIETNAM MEMORIAL RECENTLY AND, UH, IT IS REALLY, REALLY NICE. SO, UH, A GREAT ADDITION TO THAT, UH, THAT AREA. ANYWAY, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR WORK. THANK YOU. OKAY. UH, WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER THAT SIGNED UP AND, UH, THEY HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK. UM, AND IF, UH, THEY'RE ON VIRTUALLY HIT STAR SIX TO UNMUTE, BUT NOW THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES MO ABBAS HAVE TWO MINUTES. OKAY. UH, WITH THAT, BEFORE WE ADJOURN, I WOULD LIKE TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THE NEXT SCHEDULED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING IS TO BE DETERMINED DUE TO THE BUDGET WORKSHOP SCHEDULE. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN RECEIVING INFORMATION ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETINGS, PLEASE CONTACT THE DISTRICT K OFFICE AT DISTRICT K@HOUSTONTX.GOV. UH, THE TIME IS 3 0 8 AND WE ARE NOW ADJOURN. I'M SORRY. YES. OH, ONE, ONE MINUTE LESS. NO, PLEASE. I'M SORRY. THANK YOU, SIR. APPRECIATE IT, COUNCIL. GOOD, GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, SO I HAVE BEEN COMING HERE, UH, TO THESE MEETINGS, UH, FOR THE WHOLE YEAR. IF YOU COULD STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. OH, YES, SIR. UH, MY NAME IS GERARDO ANO. UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A BRIEF MOMENT. UH, I WROTE THIS, UH, UH, BRIEF, UM, THESE WORDS TO RECOGNIZE THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING. I HAVE, UH, WORKED AND INVEST ALMOST MY WHOLE LIFE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY. AND SINCE I HAVE BEEN WORKING AND, AND INVESTING HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TALKING AND, AND DOING, UM, BACK AND FORTH, UH, IDEAS WITH MR. BOKER, WHO'S, WHO'S RIGHT HERE NOW, I UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS THE GREATEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD. SO, I MEAN, YOU GUYS WERE ALL YOUR HARD WORK WITH YOUR COMMITMENT. YOU'RE MAKING THE CITY AND THIS COMMUNITY BETTER EVERY DAY. AND I JUST FEEL BLESSED TO BE HERE, TO CONTRIBUTE AND REALLY TO, TO PROVIDE VALUE TO THE CITY. AND, UH, I JUST WANNA ASK YOU GUYS, UH, JUST, UH, UH, ONE THING. SO TODAY, ON YOUR WAY HOME, PLEASE JUST FEEL PROUD AND BE GRATEFUL, UH, FOR THE COUNTRY, THE CITY, AND THE PLACE THAT YOU ALL WITH, WITH YOUR HARD WORK AND YOUR DEDICATION ARE BUILDING AND, AND HAVE EARNED, REALLY, BELIEVE ME. AND, AND I CAN SAY FROM, FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE, IT'S NOT THE SAME IN, IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD. SO I JUST, UH, CONGRATULATIONS ALSO TO MAYOR WHITMORE AND EVERYONE IN, IN HIS OFFICE. AND REALLY, YOU'RE AN AMAZING GROUP OF PEOPLE. AND WELL, I JUST, UM, FEEL BLESSED TO BE HERE AND PROVIDING VALUE AND, AND TO TRY TO, TO, TO KEEP INVESTING HERE. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR VALUABLE TIME. WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE KIND WORDS. [01:10:01] NO, SIR. THANK YOU GUYS. AND, AND, UH, WITH THAT, WE'RE NOW ADJOURNED. CHECK. * 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.