[00:00:19]
THIS SUBSTATION WILL STRENGTHEN OUR PRESENCE IN ONE OF THE MOST ACTIVE AND WALKABLE PLACES.
IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO DISCOVERY GREEN, OUR CONVENTION CENTER AND OUR ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, METRO'S AIRPORT, DOWNTOWN DIRECT DROP OFF LOCATION.
NICE, BECAUSE FIRST IMPRESSIONS MATTER.
WHEN VISITORS COME TO HOUSTON, THEY NEED TO FEEL SAFE AND WELCOME, BUT ALSO, DOWNTOWN IS THE HEART OF OUR CITY.
IT'S WHERE FAMILIES COME TO WORK, LIVE, AND PLAY.
THIS LOCATION IS STRATEGICALLY LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER, ENTERTAINMENT, VENUES, RESTAURANTS, STADIUMS, HOTELS, THE METRO LINE.
THIS HERE MPD WILL SERVE AS AMBASSADORS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WHETHER THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF OUR HOMELESS POPULATION WITH OUR CARE TEAM, OR WE ARE HOSTING A SUPER BOWL, A QUILT CONVENTION, OR EVEN THE WORLD CUP SAFETY WILL REMAIN OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
THIS IS PART OF METRO'S ONGOING WORK TO STRENGTHEN SAFETY AND IMPROVE OUR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE ACROSS OUR SYSTEM.
LET ME THANK IN ADVANCE OUR AMAZING MPD OFFICERS WHO ARE TRAINED TO SUPPORT HOUSTONIANS AND VISITORS ALIKE.
THIS IS METRO'S THIRD POLICE SUBSTATION THAT WE'VE OPENED, FOLLOWED BY HARRISBURG AND WHEELER.
AND MORE ARE TO COME, BUT WE COULD NOT DO THIS WORK WITHOUT OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
SO I WANNA THANK REVEREND PRESTON, JUDGE HANH AND DIRECTOR POE FOR BEING HERE AND YOUR SUPPORT.
YEAH, WE'RE ALSO GRATEFUL FOR OUR PARTNERS AT HOUSTON FIRST, SO ALLOW ME TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK, UH, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, JAY ZEIDMAN, AND WE HAVE RYAN MARTIN, DIRECTOR RYAN MARTIN HERE, AND ALSO DIRECTOR WEI LEE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR MAYOR JOHN WHIT MEYER'S VISION FOR A SAFER HOUSTON AND A WORLD CLASS DOWNTOWN EXPERIENCE.
THIS EFFORT WILL COMPLIMENT DOWNTOWN HOUSTON, CHRIS LARSON'S INITIATIVE FOR A MORE WALKABLE HOUSTON AND ALSO HOUSTON.
FIRST MICHAEL HECKMAN'S, COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION OF OUR CO CONVENTION CENTER.
TOGETHER, WE WANTED TO CO-CREATE AN MPD SUBSTATION THAT IS BOTH INVITING AND VIBRANT, AND QUITE FRANKLY, I THINK WE NAILED IT.
I ALSO WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE OUR, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE WHO HAVE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, MARTHA CASSICK TATUM, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIE DAVIS, COUNCIL MEMBER JOAQUIN MARTINEZ.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, IT'S NOW MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE MICHAEL HECKMAN, CEO OF HOUSTON.
ALRIGHT, ELIZABETH, THANK YOU.
UH, AND WELCOME EVERYONE, UH, FOR BEING HERE.
ELIZABETH, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED TREMENDOUS LEADERSHIP, UH, OF THE BOARD OF METRO AND YOUR LONGSTANDING SERVICE, UH, TO THE HOUSTON FIRST BOARD.
SO WE CONTINUE TO APPRECIATE ALL THAT, UH, ALL THAT YOU DO.
UM, I GET CALLS FREQUENTLY AND HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH MY COLLEAGUES FROM OTHER BIG CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
UH, THEY'VE BEEN TO HOUSTON, THEY SEE OUR PRODUCT.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY SEE OUR PEOPLE AND OUR LEADERSHIP.
UM, THEY OFTEN ASK, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU IN HOUSTON MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF ORDER AND SAFETY THAT THE OTHER BIG CITIES THAT WE COMPETE WITH ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SEEMINGLY DON'T HAVE? AND IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO ONE THING IS LEADERSHIP.
AND MAYOR WHITMEYER WILL OFTEN SAY THAT WE CAN HAVE
[00:05:01]
THE BEST HOTELS, WE CAN HAVE THE BEST OF EVERY AMENITY, BUT THAT IF WE'RE NOT SAFE AND WE DON'T FEEL SAFE, NONE OF IT MATTERS.AND I THINK THAT THAT IS EXCEPTIONALLY WELL SAID.
UM, WE ARE MAKING ENORMOUS INVESTMENTS IN THIS PART OF DOWNTOWN, THANKS TO THE MAYOR'S LEADERSHIP OF, OF SECURING NEARLY $2 BILLION FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS, UH, TO FUND THESE TRANSFORMATIONS THAT WE'RE GONNA MAKE.
UM, BUT THESE ARE NOT JUST FOR OUR VISITORS.
THIS IS FOR HOUSTONIANS AS WELL.
THE PLACE WHERE WE STAND TODAY, IF YOU STAND AND WATCH FOR AN ASTROS GAME, OR FAMILIES THAT ARE, THAT ARE GETTING OFF THE LIGHT RAIL AND GOING TO DISCOVERY GREEN, THIS IS A REAL CORNER FOR HOUSTON, AN IMPORTANT CORNER.
WE AT HOUSTON FIRST WE'RE, IT'S AN EASY DECISION FOR US TO MAKE THIS SPACE AVAILABLE HERE IN PARTNERSHIP TOWER FOR, FOR THIS METRO SUBSTATION.
YOU CAN'T HAVE A THRIVING HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY WITHOUT THAT STRONG SENSE OF, OF SECURITY.
THIS SUBSTATION WILL STRENGTHEN THE VISIBLE PRESENCE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR METRO PD IN ADDITION TO THE WORK THAT HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO DO.
AND IT IS AN ENORMOUS COORDINATION BETWEEN OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES, OUR HOSPITALITY PARTNERS, BUSINESSES, PROPERTY OWNERS, AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS LISTENED AND HAS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE MANY TYPES OF FEEDBACK THAT THEY HAVE HAD ABOUT WHAT THE DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY FEELS THAT THEY NEED FOR THAT SENSE OF, OF SECURITY AND ADDRESSING PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY GET LARGER.
AND IN FACT, REDUCING THOSE PROBLEMS. HOUSTON WELCOMES TENS OF MILLIONS OF VISITORS EVERY YEAR, BUT AS WE OFTEN SAY, CREATING GREAT SPACES AND PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO GATHER, IF IT'S A GREAT SPACE, IT WILL APPEAL BOTH TO RESIDENTS AS WELL AS VISITORS.
THIS LOCATION ALLOWS FOR THE METRO POLICE TO HELP OUR TEAM AND OTHERS MOVE FOLKS WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
WHETHER THAT'S FOR ASTROS GAMES, THE UPCOMING FIFA, WORLD CUP OR OTHER BIG EVENTS.
WE HAVE A NEARLY 10,000 PERSON CONVENTION THAT'S CURRENTLY, THAT'S CURRENTLY IN TOWN.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE IMPACT THAT THIS FACILITY TO IS HAVING AND WILL HAVE IN SUPPORTING SAFER STREETS, STRONGER BUSINESSES, AND AN EVEN MORE VIBRANT CONVENTION DISTRICT EXPERIENCE.
IT IS NOW MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE THE HEAD OF HOMELAND SECURITY CHIEF LARRY, LARRY SATTERWHITE.
THANK YOU CHAIR HECKMAN, AND THANK YOU CHAIR BROCK FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
THIS IS GONNA BE A GREAT THING FOR THIS AREA AND FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
YOU KNOW, IN PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, ONE THING ALWAYS BECOMES VERY CLEAR AND VERY QUICKLY, AND I'VE KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME, IS THAT NO ONE AGENCY CAN DO IT ALONE.
UH, IT ALWAYS REQUIRES MANY, ALL THE PARTNERS TO COME TOGETHER.
THAT IS YOUR BEST CHANCE FOR SUCCESS AND YOUR BEST CHANCE TO ENSURE A PUBLIC SAFETY ENVIRONMENT FOR EVERYBODY SO THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC, WHETHER THEY'RE HERE, THEY LIVE HERE, THEY'RE VISITING, UH, FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY, THEY ALL GO AWAY SAYING, HOUSTON IS THE BEST.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE ALWAYS WANT.
WE DON'T GET THERE WITHOUT STRONG PARTNERSHIPS.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE CELEBRATING TODAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND HOW LOCAL AND REGIONAL TRANSPORT PARTNERS WORK TOGETHER.
UH, I'VE, I'VE DONE THIS JOB FOR A LONG TIME, AND IT'S, IT IS TRULY, IT IS THE KIND OF THING, UH, THAT WE CAN CELEBRATE, THAT WE CAN BE PROUD OF HERE.
UH, AND I'VE, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO TRAVEL THE WORLD A LITTLE BIT TO SEE THIS AND WORK WITH OTHER COLLEAGUES.
AND, AND I DON'T THINK WE ANYBODY DOES IT BETTER IN TERMS OF PARTNERSHIPS THAN WE DO IT RIGHT HERE.
SO THAT'S ONE TO BE VERY PROUD OF.
UM, THIS METRO STATION, UH, REPRESENTS STRENGTH AND COORDINATION.
IT REPRESENTS, UH, IMPROVED RESPONSIBILITY, UH, CO UH, RESPONSE TO EVERYBODY THAT'S IN THIS AREA.
YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN HOUSTON IS, IS ON THE RISE.
I MEAN, WE JUST OPENED UP OUR MAIN STREET PROMENADE.
I KNOW CHRIS LARSON IS HERE, AND AND THAT WAS AWESOME THIS PAST SATURDAY.
AND, AND WE ARE HERE, WE ARE PROBABLY, UH, THIS, IF, IF THERE'S, IF DOWNTOWN IS OUR EPICENTER.
I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN SAY THAT, BUT THIS IS THE EPICENTER OF THE EPICENTER BECAUSE RIGHT
[00:10:01]
HERE IS WHERE IT'S ALL HAPPENING BETWEEN THE ASTROS AND THE ROCKETS AND THE, AND THE DYNAMO AND OUR CONVENTION CENTER AND OUR HOTELS AND DISCOVERY GREEN.THIS IS WHERE EVERYBODY WANTS, IS GOING TO COME.
AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO TAKE CARE OF THEM AND, AND MAKE THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE TO GIVE THEM INFORMATION AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
TO HAVE A POLICE STOREFRONT RIGHT HERE, HPD STATION IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
SO LAW ENFORCEMENT ABSOLUTELY IS HERE AND HERE FOR YOU.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN TAKE WITH YOU AND SHARE THAT MESSAGE TO EVERYONE.
I WANNA THANK CHAIR BROCK, UH, FOR HAVING US AND FOR ALL FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND EVERYTHING THAT SHE HAS DONE.
AND TOM, JASON, AND THE WHOLE TEAM, UH, CHIEF 10.
I MEAN, THESE ARE, THESE ARE PEOPLE I'VE KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME.
I'M, I'M PROUD TO CALL THEM FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES.
AND I ALSO WANNA THANK OUR MAYOR, JOHN WHITMEYER.
I MEAN, HE IS A GET IT DONE MAYOR.
I KNOW, BECAUSE HE TELLS ME ALL THE TIME, GET IT DONE,
SO, UH, WITH THAT, IT IS MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE HIM TO THE PODIUM AND, UH, AND THANK YOU MAYOR WHITMEYER FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND EVERYBODY BEHIND ME AND EVERYBODY IN FRONT OF ME.
THANK YOU, CHIEF SATTER, WYATT, AND THANK YOU.
I LEARNED MANY, MANY YEARS AGO IN PUBLIC SERVICE.
IT'S AMAZING WHAT WE CAN GET DONE IF WE DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHO'S GONNA GET THE CREDIT.
I COULD START GOING THROUGH THE AGENCY'S INDIVIDUALS, THE LEADERS, THE RANK AND FILE THAT HAVE MADE THIS POSSIBLE.
BUT WE DID IT FOR HOUSTONIANS AND CERTAINLY OUR GUESTS.
WE HAD THE BEST SPRING EVER IN HOTEL OCCUPANCY THIS SPRING, EARLY SPRING.
WE HAD 70,000 CHEERLEADERS WITHIN A BLOCK OF HERE COMPETING IN THE NATIONAL CHEERLEADER CHAMPIONSHIP.
WE GOT SUCH GREAT REVIEWS, DISCOVERY GREEN, THE ACCESS TO THE HOTELS, THE SAFETY THEY FELT.
BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT HOUSTONIANS.
THE ASTROS WILL PLAY TONIGHT MOSTLY WITH HOUSTONIANS.
AND WHAT'S REALLY EXCITING TO THINK ABOUT THE GEORGE BROWN DOUBLING IN SIZE AND BECOMING A DESTINATION FOR HOUSTONIANS, WE'RE SO UNIQUELY SET TO HANDLE ANY CONVENTION, ANY SPORTS EVENT.
THE NEXT FIFA, WE GOT THIS ONE UNDER CONTROL WITH THE PLANNING, BUT NOTHING IS GOING TO HOLD US BACK.
BUT ONE OF THE REAL VISIBLES THAT I WANT EVERYBODY TO LOOK AT, CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT THE PARENTS OF INCARNATE WORD ARE GONNA SAY ABOUT THEIR YOUNG LADIES AND THE SAFETY AS I TRAVEL THE CITY, I WILL COME DOWN CAPITAL MILL OF THE DAY.
THERE'LL BE 50, A HUNDRED YOUNG LADIES WITH THEIR TEACHERS GOING FROM ONE LOCATION TO THE OTHER ON BEHALF OF INCARNATE WORD.
I WANT TO THANK HPD, EVERYONE THAT MADE THIS POSSIBLE.
THE LEADERSHIP AT METRO, MS. BROCK, TOM JASON, THE BOARD, THE DIRECTORS THAT ARE HERE, ANGEL PONS OF THE OFFICE OF DISABILITIES, TO MAKE CERTAIN EVERYTHING IS DONE CORRECTLY FOR EVERY HOUSTONIAN AND GUEST THAT'S GOING TO TRAVEL DOWN THIS STREET.
CHIEF SATTERWHITE DID NOT HIGHLIGHT ENOUGH THAT WE NOW HAVE EMANCIPATION A FACILITY TO ASSIST THE HOMELESS THAT WILL NO LONGER OCCUPY THIS SPACE.
THANK YOU TO CHRIS LARSON AND HIS TEAM.
TRANQUILITY PARK IS BEING COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED.
THE HOMELESS IN THE EMANCIPATION SITE JUST WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE THIS MORNING HAS 150 CLIENTS.
SO WE'RE LEAVING NOTHING TO CHANCE.
WE'RE TAKING EVERYTHING UNDER CONSIDERATION, THE DESTINATION TO AND FROM THE AIRPORT, JUST TO MY RIGHT, THE WALKABILITY, THE PROPER LIGHTING.
AND NONE OF THIS COULD BE POSSIBLE IF I DIDN'T HAVE THE COLLEAGUES ON COUNCIL.
THE MAYOR PRO TEM, NOT ONE DAY HAVE I REGRETTED THAT.
[00:15:01]
IS THE MAYOR.PRO TEM DOES AN OUTSTANDING JOB OF REPRESENTING HER DISTRICT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WILLIE DAVIS, COUNCILMAN DAVIS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
MY PARTNER, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, WHOSE DISTRICT WE'RE IN, ALWAYS, ALWAYS SPEAKING UP FOR HIS DISTRICT IN HOUSTONIANS.
SO I'M EXCITED IF SOME REFERENCE TO OTHER CITIES, I WON'T PICK ON OUR SISTER CITIES, BUT I COULD BECAUSE OTHER MAJOR CITIES HAVE CHALLENGES OF PUBLIC SAFETY, HOMELESSNESS, BUSINESS IS LEAVING DOWNTOWN, THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT.
WE'RE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
THANK YOU TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, FIRE, HPD, THE METRO POLICE.
I COULD HAVE NOT CHOSEN A BETTER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CHIEF AND CRIME FIGHTER THAN CHIEF 10, THE DIVERSITY THAT HE BRINGS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO ANYWAY, THIS IS CERTAINLY A DAY TO CELEBRATE.
I HOPE, I HOPE OUR PARTNERS IN THE MEDIA WILL MAKE THIS THE POSITIVE STORY THAT IT SHOULD BE.
BECAUSE METRO HAS LISTENED, OUR OFFICIALS HAVE LISTENED, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO GET THE REVIEWS FROM THE PUBLIC WHEN THEY WALK BY HERE AND SEE THIS.
IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT, IF YOU HAVE A CONCERN, THIS IS WHERE YOU WANNA REPORT IT.
BUT MOST IMPORTANT, IT'S A PREVENTIVE MEASURE.
THE BAD ACTORS KNOW, DO NOT COME TO THIS AREA.
IF YOU GET INTO OUR COMMUNITIES, YOU'RE GONNA BE CONFRONTED BY HPD, THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, THE COLLABORATION WITH DPS AND TRAFFIC CONTROL.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHO I'M SUPPOSED TO INTRODUCE
SO, SO REAL QUICKLY, I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE DIRECTOR TERRY MORALES, UM, WHO, UH, SERVES ON THE BOARD OF METRO.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR SERVICE.
ALSO, WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO, UH, TO RECOGNIZE THE HOUSTON FIRST INTERNS.
THERE'S NOTHING MORE THAT I LIKE THAN OUR YOUNG INTERNS.
UM, AT THIS TIME I WILL INVITE DR.
HILTA, UH, FROM THE COMMUNITY TO, UH, MAKE A FEW REMARKS IN SPANISH.
UM, HOUSTON, JOHN MEYER, ELIZABETH GONZALEZ, BROCK, I HOUSTON.
POE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? YES, CHAIR.
UH, WANTED TO THANK ALL OF YOU HERE TODAY FOR, UH, SUPPORTING THIS VERY IMPORTANT INITIATIVE.
I WANNA THANK, UH, OUR MAYOR, JOHN WHITMEYER.
WHENEVER I FIRST MET WITH THE MAYOR TO DISCUSS MY APPOINTMENT TO THE TO THE BOARD, HE ASKED ME, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT IS YOUR MISSION? WHAT IS, WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING AT METRO? AND AS A METRO WRITER AND AS A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY? I REMEMBER ONE OF MY FIRST,
[00:20:01]
UH, INTERACTIONS WITH METRO WAS WHENEVER I FIRST BECAME DISABLED AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO GO, HOW TO GET TO PLACES.I RELIED ON FAMILY THE ENTIRE TIME.
AND METRO PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO BE INDEPENDENT.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WANTED A SAFE PLACE FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B.
AND SO, WHENEVER I MET WITH CHAIR BROCK AND WE DISCUSSED MY APPOINTMENTS, UM, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT JUST PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, BUT OUR SENIOR CITIZENS HAVE EQUAL, EQUITABLE, ACCESSIBLE, SAFE, RELIABLE ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION.
AND THIS SUBSTATION HERE TODAY IS JUST ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE STATEMENTS OF HOW WE ARE PROMISING TO OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR WRITERS A SAFE, UH, PATH OF TRAVEL TO THE GAMES OR TO ALL THE OTHER AMENITIES HOSTED HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, THE LAST THING I WOULD SAY IS, AS A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY, I FEEL SO MUCH SAFER NOW TRAVELING ON METRO BECAUSE OF LEADERSHIP.
LIKE CHIEF TIN, JUST RECENTLY, WE PROVIDED A PRESENTATION TO THE POLICE FORCE ON HOW TO INTERACT WITH PEOPLE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES.
AND THE FEEDBACK WAS SO AMAZING.
AND SO NOT ONLY ARE WE KEEPING OUR RIDER AND OUR VISITORS SAFE DURING THE GAMES AND BEYOND THAT, BUT WE ARE TREATING OUR WRITERS WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY AND THE WAY THAT THEY SHOULD BE TREATED.
UH, AT THIS TIME WE'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, HAD A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, FIFA COMING UP AND METRO RAIL.
WILL ANY OFFICERS ON PLATFORMS, ON TRAINS? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
UH, FIFA IS A BIG EVENT, BUT THIS IS NOT OUR ONLY, UH, THE FIRST EVENT, RIGHT? WE ARE MANY, MANY EVENTS.
WE'RE ALWAYS GONNA BE PREPARED FOR THAT.
THERE'LL BE INCREASED PRESENCE BECAUSE WITH GOOD REASON IN LIGHT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL FOLKS ARE COMING INTO OUR CITY.
BUT I THINK THE KEY TAKEAWAY FOR THAT QUESTION TRULY IS EVOLVE INTO LIKE A COUPLE OF THINGS.
NUMBER ONE IS LET'S NOT LOSE FOCUS ON JUST THE EVENT.
THE PRESIDENT, CEO, HOUSTON, FIRST ALL SAID AS WELL AS THE MAYOR, RIGHT? IT'S ALL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR FOLKS LIVING IN THE CITY.
MEANING THE FACT THAT THIS IS WHY WE INCREASE THOSE PRESENCE.
AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WITH A HIGH LEVEL OF SPECIFICITY, ARE WE INCREASING THOSE PRESENCE FOR FIFA? BUT WE ALSO INCREASE THOSE PRESENCE FOR FIFA AND BEYOND.
I KNOW I GET A LOT OF SHOUT OUT FROM THE MAYOR, FROM THE CHAIR, AND FROM, UH, OUR DIRECTORS AND FROM THE, OUR ELECTED OFFICIAL.
AS MUCH AS I COULD, I'D LIKE TO TAKE CREDIT FOR THEM, BUT I EITHER RESPECTFULLY DECLINE HALF OF THEM.
THE REASON WHY WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE THIS A REALITY MAYOR WILL MENTION EARLIER, BECAUSE OUR LEADERSHIP, OUR ELECTED OFFICIAL, GO OUT THERE AND LISTEN.
THEY LISTENED TO WHAT THE COMMUNITY, WHAT THE FEEDBACK ARE, WHERE WE NEED OUR RESOURCES TO BE.
BUT THAT'S ONLY PARTIALLY THERE.
THEY ACTED ON THE MEANING OF FACT THAT A MONTH AGO WE OPENED A SUBSTATION AT THE EAST END.
OH, THERE WERE GREAT RESULTS OUT THERE.
I HAVE PERSONALLY WITNESSED THAT MYSELF.
AND NOW THIS WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT FACILITY MAY BE SMALL, BUT THE IMPACT IS HUMONGOUS.
MAYOR JUST MENTIONED EARLIER, LOOK TO THE LEFT AND LOOK TO THE RIGHT STADIUM CONVENTION CENTER, RAIL SYSTEM SCHOOL FOR THE KIDS HOTEL.
BUT THE REALITY IS, YES, WE ARE GONNA INCREASE PRESENCE FOR THE GAME ITSELF, BUT THE MESSAGE TO THE COMMUNITY IS WE ARE GONNA INCREASE THE PROTECTIVE POSTURE OF THE PRESENCE TO SERVE THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE ALL THE TIME.
UM, AS A MOTHER OF TWO CHILDREN AT, UH, INCARNATE WORD ACADEMY AND ALSO AS CHAIR OF THE THEATER DISTRICT, WHICH IS JUST, UM, DOWN THE STREET, I WOULD LIKE TO CELEBRATE, UM, THIS PRESENCE AND THE OPENING OF THE SUBSTATION AND THE GREAT WORK THAT MAYOR WHITMEYER HOUSTON FIRST AND THE ENTIRE METRO TEAM IS DOING HERE IN DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.
THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE OPERATING DOWNTOWN, PROVIDING, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR MANY HOUSTONIANS AND MANY, UH, DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES TO COME AND PARTICIPATE IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS DOWNTOWN.
[00:25:01]
PRESENCE AND OPENING OF THE SUBSTATION IS SOMETHING WE CAN ALL CELEBRATE.WELL, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS, AS THE MAYOR WOULD SAY, LET'S GET BACK TO WORK.