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WELCOME TO NRG, UH, PARK NOW RELIANT, OF COURSE, AND WE'RE WELCOMING ALL OF OUR GUESTS WHO ARE HERE FROM AROUND THE WORLD BY CAMERA, AND CERTAINLY SO MANY IMPORTANT, AMAZING, INCREDIBLE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM TODAY.
UH, CAN YOU JUST START BY GIVING THE PERSON NEXT TO YOU A HAND, BECAUSE THEY'RE A CHAMPION NEXT TO YOU? JUST, JUST GIVE THEM HAND, MAN, BECAUSE THERE'S A CHAMPION NEXT TO YOU.
MY NAME IS JAMES DIXON, CHAIR OF THE HARRIS COUNTY SPORTS AND CONVENTION CORPORATION.
GLAD TO WELCOME YOU HERE AND HAVING THE PRIVILEGE, UH, TO INTRODUCE A MAN WHO NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION ANYWHERE NEAR THE CITY, STATE, OR EVEN IN THE NATION.
UH, HONORABLE MAYOR, OUR LEADER OF THE CITY.
LET'S RECEIVE THE HONORABLE JOHN WHITMEYER AT THIS TIME.
LET ME THANK EVERYONE THAT'S HERE.
CERTAINLY EVEN OUR FRIENDS IN THE MEDIA.
WE NEED DAYS LIKE TODAY COME TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT HOW GREAT OUR CITY IS AND HOW WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED A MAJOR GOAL.
FIRST OF ALL, LET ME PUBLICLY ADMIT I AM NOW A SOCCER FAN,
AND I'VE BEEN EXPOSED TO SOCCER WITH GRANDSONS SONS.
IT'S CONTAGIOUS, NOT ONLY BECAUSE IF YOU LIKE ROUGH SPORTS SPEED, BUT ALSO THE JOY IT BRINGS TO OTHERS, HOW IT WILL UNITE A COMMUNITY, CERTAINLY OUR COMMUNITY, OUR DIVERSITY, OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY.
I VISITED WITH SOME OF THE TEAM LEADERSHIP, TAKE THIS HOME WITH YOU.
EVERY VISITING TEAM SAID THEIR EXPERIENCE WAS BEING THE HOME TEAM IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, BECAUSE OF OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.
THAT IS REALLY SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF, BUT LET ME THANK EVERYONE I COULD SPEND THE AFTERNOON.
I'LL BE VERY SERIOUS FOR A MOMENT.
ONE OF THE TOUGHEST DECISIONS I HAD TO MAKE THUS FAR AS MAYOR WAS CHANGES AT THE SPORTS AUTHORITY COMMISSIONER.
WE HAD FRIENDS THERE, BUT WE SAW THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENERGIZE THE SPORTS AUTHORITY TWO YEARS AGO AND GET READY FOR FIFA.
AND I'M SO PROUD WITH THE RESULTS.
RYAN, JUAN SPORTS AUTHORITY, AND EVERYONE THAT WAS YOUR PARTNERS HAVE REALLY STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE.
I THINK AS MAYOR, I'M PROBABLY IN A POSITION TO GET MORE FEEDBACK ON THE GOING ONS IN HOUSTON, WHETHER IT'S A TRADE GROUP FROM OUT OF, OUT OF THE COUNTRY OR ACROSS THIS DIVERSE CITY.
I CAN HONESTLY TELL YOU I'VE NEVER HEARD A COMPLAINT FROM HOUSTONIANS OR OUR GUEST ABOUT THE FIFA IN HOUSTON EXPERIENCE.
IT'S UNFORTUNATELY THAT SOME FOLKS WERE SAYING, WELL, IT'S GOING TO REALLY MAKE THE TRIP TO WORK DIFFICULT.
I HAD TO REMIND SOME OF OUR FRIENDS, NO, THE GAMES ARE AT NOON.
BUT IT WAS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE AND THE CITY WILL BENEFIT FOR YEARS FROM SOME OF THE ASSETS.
I KNOW THERE'S ACTUALLY DISCUSSION ABOUT PRESERVING SOME OF THE FAN FEST SOCCER FIELD, MAYBE A MAKE IT A MUSIC VENUE.
THERE'S JUST A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT FIFA BROUGHT TO HOUSTON, BUT IT WAS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE.
THE COLLABORATION AMONG ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS, WHETHER IT WAS THE AIRPORT OR METRO OR PUBLIC SAFETY, IT ALL WORKED AND IT PREPARES US FOR THE NEXT CHALLENGE.
AND I KNOW WE'RE ALREADY DIS IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE WORLD, THE WOMEN'S WORLD CUP IN 2031, SO WE'RE READY.
I'D BE SHOCKED IF WE'RE NOT GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOST SOME OF THOSE ACTIVITIES.
NOW, ONE OF MY MAJOR DUTIES THIS DAY IS TO INTRODUCE SOMEONE THAT TRULY PASTOR BISHOP DOES NEED
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NO INTRODUCTION.I DON'T NEED AN INTRODUCTION, BUT WHEN YOU SAID THE NATION, I I, I ALWAYS PUT YOU ON SUCH HIGH PEDESTAL.
I DON'T WANT TO CATCH YOU LYING BECAUSE THE NATION, BUT THIS GENTLEMAN NEEDS TO KNOW INTRODUCTION.
COMMISSIONER ELLIS WE'RE IN YOUR PRECINCT.
IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT.
I THINK YOU AND I AGREE, IT'S THE BEST IS YET TO COME.
AND LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I HAVE TAUGHT THE COMMISSIONER EVERYTHING.
HE KNOWS
WE'VE SEEN BETTER DAYS IN THE SENATE, DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, BUT COMMISSIONER S UH, I THINK OUR COLLABORATION THE BEST IS YET TO COME.
I'M SITTING HERE LOOKING AT THE COMMISSIONER AND SEEING YOU.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE SUCH A ASSET FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND I KNOW WE'RE ALL PUTTING OUR HEADS TOGETHER FOR THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY TO USE YOUR LEADERSHIP.
IN FACT, LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR CHRIS CNET.
BUT SENATOR ELLIS, IF YOU'LL COME FORWARD AND GIVE US SOME OF YOUR WISDOM, UH, THIS DAY WILL BE COMPLETE
LADIES, GENTLEMEN, COMMISSIONER ELLIS, IT IS A GREAT DAY TO BE IN HOUSTON AND IN HARRIS COUNTY.
UH, MAYOR, I, I'LL TELL YOU MY SOCCER STORY.
MY SON PLAYED, YOU KNOW, WE WENT IN AUSTIN.
WE WERE ALWAYS UP THERE, LONG HOURS, AND SO 'EM AT ONE OF THE TOURNAMENTS, AND I SAW THE PARENTS START YELLING, SO I GOT UP AND START CHEERING AS WELL.
MY WIFE SAID, YOU DAMN FOOL, IT'S THE OTHER TEAM THAT SCORED
BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW, BECAUSE FIFA CAME TO HOUSTON, NOW I KNOW WHICH TEAM IS WHICH.
UH, IT WAS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE, A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS.
UM, MAYOR WHITMAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS, AND THE ENTIRE TEAM, CHRIS RYAN, ALL OF YOU, DID A MAGNIFICENT JOB.
I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T THINK, UH, I PREDECESSORS AS WELL.
UH, IT TOOK AN ENTIRE VILLAGE TO REALLY WIN THE DISTINCTION OF HAVING AN EVENT LIKE FIFA IN HOUSTON AND IN HARRIS COUNTY.
AND I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY, WE GOTTA CONTINUE THAT PARTNERSHIP BECAUSE THIS IS A GREAT COMPLEX.
WHEN I TALK ABOUT PREDECESSORS ON COMMISSIONER'S COURT, I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY IT WAS REAL VISIONARY ON THE PART OF JUDGE HINS TO CONVINCE THE VOTERS TO MAKE THIS INVESTMENT IN THIS COMPLEX.
AND WE'LL NEED OUR STATE PARTNERS, OUR MAYOR, OUR CITY PARTNERS, PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY, AND THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT TO KEEP IT GOING.
BISHOP, I WANNA THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM, SINCE I'M FROM THE COUNTY, ALL OF US AT HARRIS COUNTY, EVERY ONE OF US, ALL FIVE OF US WERE HONORED TO BE A PART OF THIS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE BIGGEST SPORTING EVENT IN THE WORLD IS A BIG DEAL.
BUT WHAT REALLY MAKES IT BIG IS NOT WHO WON OR WHO LOST.
IT'S NOT HOW MANY PEOPLE SHOWED UP.
500,000 MIGHT I HAD GOING INTO THAT VENUE.
BUT IT'S REALLY THE INVESTMENTS THAT ARE HERE AFTER FIFA HAS LEFT BEYOND THE MATCHES HIMSELF.
WORLD CUP RELATED INVESTMENTS WERE DESIGNED TO LEAVE LONG-TERM BENEFITS IN OUR REGION.
LEGACY INITIATIVES, INCLUDING GROW THE GAME, IMPACTED EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN OUR REGION.
400 LANE MILES OF RESURFACE STREETS, MAYOR, THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR THAT.
A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN LOCALIZED DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, $84 MILLION IN SIDEWALKS, 5,000 TRANSIT BUS STOP UPGRADES, 7,000 NEW TREES.
PEOPLE WERE SAYING, HOW YOU GONNA DO THAT IN HOUSTON? IT'S HOT.
IT WOULD'VE BEEN IF WE HADN'T PLANTED ALL THOSE TREES.
THE DOORS OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY WERE OPEN.
THE EYES OF THE WORLD WERE ON US, WE WERE PREPARED.
AND MY JOB IS REALLY TO BRING UP THE EXPERT WHO KEEPS THIS GOING.
UH, RYAN WALSH, YOU AND YOUR TEAM DID A FANTASTIC JOB, AND I'M JUST SO PROUD OF YOU AND THE PARTNERSHIP YOU HAD WITH MARTY BISHOP AND ALL OUR FOLKS, RYAN WALSH, WE LOST YOU FROM HARRIS COUNTY, BUT THE REGION MADE A SIGNIFICANT GAIN BY GETTING YOU WELCOME, RYAN WASHINGTON.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE, UH, COMMISSIONER THOSE COMMENTS AND CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOUR PARTNERSHIP.
MAYOR, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, UH, YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS EFFORT.
I REMEMBER SITTING IN YOUR OFFICE AND, AND TALKING ABOUT WORLD CUP
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AND, AND YOU'RE LIKE, WHAT, WHAT DO THEY DO IN A WORLD CUP? AND WELL, NOW YOU'RE A SOCCER FAN.SO I THINK WE, WE'VE, WE'VE CERTAINLY GOTTEN OUR POINT ACROSS.
UM, BUT CERTAINLY THANK YOU TOO FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN, IN, IN, IN THE CHANGE, UH, BRINGING THE NEW LEADERSHIP INTO THE HARRIS COUNTY HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY.
I THINK IT ALLOWED US TO PUT THE TEAM TOGETHER, THE, THAT PROVIDED THE SUCCESS IN THE EVENT THAT YOU SEE TODAY.
COMMISSIONER ELLIS, THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES ON THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
ALL FOUR OF THE COMMISSIONER'S PRECINCTS PARTICIPATED IN THIS AND, AND ARE BENEFITING, AND CERTAINLY THE YOUTH AND THE RESIDENTS OF YOUR PRECINCTS ARE ALSO BENEFITING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT AS WELL.
UH, JUST A SMALL LIST OF ADDITIONAL THANK YOU.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CERTAINLY JOAQUIN MARTINEZ, UH, MARTHA KASEK TATUM, WHO'S WHOSE, WHOSE DISTRICTS WE'RE IN.
WERE IN MARTHA'S DISTRICT HERE FOR THE STADIUM IN JOAQUIN'S OVER IN FAN FEST.
UH, AND OF COURSE I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T THANK THE BOARDS OF DIRECTORS, THE SPORTS AUTHORITY FOUNDATION, THE HARRIS COUNTY HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY, UH, LYNDON, UH, LAURA, A COUPLE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS HERE TODAY, AND CERTAINLY OUR CHAIRMAN, JUAN GARCIA, UH, THE, THE, THE PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS.
I THINK WE OWE A MASSIVE DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO, I THINK THE SUCCESS OF THIS EVENT IS DUE IN NO SMALL PART TO THE EFFORTS OF TOMMY COLLABRO AND THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AND THE MANY, MANY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THAT GOT TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS EVENT THE SAFEST THAT IT WAS.
SO THANK YOU TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS ACROSS THE STATE, THE CITY, THE COUNTY, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS WELL.
AND I SEE A LOT OF OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR STAKEHOLDERS AND PARTNERS IN THE, IN THE ROOM THIS AFTERNOON THAT WE HAVE TO THANK CERTAINLY METRO CHAIRMAN BROCK, THANK YOU FOR IN YOUR, IN YOUR TEAM'S LEADERSHIP.
I KNOW THAT, UH, THAT THE, THE NUMBERS WILL COME OUT, BUT I THINK WE, WE SHOWED A SIDE OF THE CITY BASED ON YOUR HELP AND, AND LEADERSHIP, THE TRANSPORTATION, GETTING PEOPLE TO AND FROM NRG STADIUM AROUND THE CITY.
SO THANK YOU AND CERTAINLY, UH, THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM.
JIM, TALK ABOUT GETTING PEOPLE PLACES.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE.
UM, CERTAINLY BIG THANK YOU TO DOWNTOWN HOUSTON PLUS HOUSTON.
FIRST, THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP AND SO MANY OTHERS.
UH, AND A BIG THANK YOU TO MR. CONNET, CHRIS CONNET.
UH, THERE'S, THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT WE HAD THE RIGHT MAN FOR THIS JOB.
YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS A LONG TIME, CHRIS, AND THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THIS, THE REASON THIS WAS SUCH A SUCCESS IS BECAUSE OF YOU AND YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THE TEAM THAT YOU PUT TOGETHER.
UH, BIG THANK YOU TO OBVIOUSLY WITHOUT THE HARRIS COUNTY SPORTS AND CONVENTION CORPORATION AND NRG PARK, RELIANT PARK, BISHOP, YOU AND YOUR TEAM, WE WOULDN'T, UH, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE A WORLD CUP IN HOUSTON.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS AND YOUR TEAM.
UM, AND CERTAINLY THE TEXANS IN THE RODEO WHO, WHO LIVE HERE AT NRG STADIUM, UH, AND THEIR PARTICIPATION AND SUPPORT.
AND I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T THINK THE STAFF OF THE, THE HOST COMMITTEE, THE SPORTS AUTHORITY, THE FOUNDATION, 39 CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF, OF VERY TEMPERATE MODERATE WEATHER THAT THEY HAD TO WORK OUTSIDE IN, UH, VERY, VERY IMPRESSED WITH EVERYTHING THAT THEY'VE DONE.
THE, THE, THE NIGHTS, THE LONG HOURS, THE SWEAT, UH, THE EFFORT THAT THEY PUT INTO THAT, THE TIME AWAY FROM THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO, TO, TO PULL THIS EVENT OFF, UH, THE DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO THEM AS WELL FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY'VE DONE.
SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND I THINK A BIG, BIG THANK YOU GOES TO HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY.
THANK YOU ALL TO THE RESIDENTS OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY FOR, FOR ALLOWING US TO BRING THIS AND FOR SUPPORTING THIS EVENT SO MUCH THE, THE REGION REALLY CAME TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS EVENT WHAT IT WAS.
SO THANK YOU TO HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE.
AND I THINK OUR GREATEST HALLMARK IS THE WAY THAT WE COME TOGETHER AND DO BIG THINGS AND ACROSS ALL THE PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS WORKING TOWARD A COMMON GOAL IS WHAT MAKES HOUSTON STAND WELL ABOVE ALL THE OTHER CITIES.
AND NO ONE DOES BIG EVENTS LIKE HOUSTON.
SINCE 2004, HOUSTON HAS HOSTED MORE MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS THAN ANY OTHER CITY IN NORTH AMERICA.
AND IT UNIFIES THE LEADERSHIP AND ALIGNMENT ACROSS OUR CITY AND COUNTY.
IT'S A SHARED COMMITMENT TO EXECUTION AND OUR PROVEN TRACK RECORD TO HOSTING MAJOR EVENTS, SHOWS THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM OUR PARTNERS FOR MONTHS, HOW THERE WAS NO CITY MORE PREPARED THAN HOUSTON MAYOR, COMMISSIONER, YOU KEEP SAYING IT, AND I AGREE.
AND HOUSTON SETS THE STANDARD FOR A HOST CITY BECAUSE OF THAT COLLABORATION, WE HEAR THAT ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, THE ENTIRE WORLD LOOKED TO HOUSTON, AND THIS SUMMER WE SHOWED THEM WHAT WE WERE ALL ABOUT.
AND AS THE UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION FOR THE HOST COMMITTEE, IT IS INCREDIBLY REWARDING TO SEE THE YEARS OF PLANNING COME TOGETHER AND DELIVER ONE OF THE GREATEST EVENTS THIS REGION WILL EVER SEE IN OUR LIFETIME.
WE'VE SET THE BAR EXTREMELY HIGH FOR OURSELVES AHEAD OF THIS, AND THROUGH THIS COLLABORATION, WE DELIVERED AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE FOR HOUSTON AND ITS VISITORS.
WE CLEARED THAT BAR AND WE RAISED THAT BAR EVEN HIGHER FOR FUTURE EVENTS, AND I'M PROUD OF THAT.
AND IT IS A CREDIT TO CHRIS AND HIS TEAM AND OUR STAFF AND THE LOCAL LEADERS FOR UNDERSTANDING THE OPPORTUNITY THAT EXISTED WITH BRINGING THE WORLD CUP TO HOUSTON AND HOW EXECUTING AN EVENT OF THIS SCALE AND SIZE WILL ELEVATE OUR CITY AND PROVIDE LONG-TERM BENEFITS TO OUR COMMUNITIES.
IT'S THROUGH THESE TOP TIER EVENTS THAT THE
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HARRIS COUNTY HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY HELPS FUEL THE ECONOMY, BRING VISITORS, DRIVE IMPACT, SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES, STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY BONDS, AND ENHANCE OUR REPUTATION AS A GLOBAL DESTINATION FOR SPORTS.THESE MAJOR GLOBAL SPORTING EVENTS ARE IMPORTANT FOR HOUSTON AS THEY CREATE CIVIC PRIDE IN A SHARED IDENTITY AND A FRONT PORCH FOR HOUSTON TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.
HOUSTON'S CHARACTER AND CULTURE IN FRONT OF EVERY COUNTRY IN EVERY TIME ZONE ON EVERY CONTINENT.
IN THE LAST SEVEN WEEKS, 500,000 VISITORS CAME FOR THE WORLD CUP AND HOUSTON'S GENEROSITY AND HOSPITALITY ENSURED THAT THEY LEFT OUR CITY AS AMBASSADORS TO HOUSTON.
THOUSANDS OF VISITORS WERE WRAPPED IN THEIR NATION'S FLAG, AND HOUSTON WRAPPED ITS ARMS AROUND THEM.
AND AS THE MAYOR SHARED EARLIER, THESE MAJOR EVENTS LIKE WORLD CUP ARE CREATING A GENERATIONAL IMPACT THAT IS ALREADY UNDERWAY.
WE KNOW THE BIGGEST MOMENTS FROM THE WORLD CUP WON'T BE MEASURED ON ANY STADIUM SCOREBOARD, BUT THE UNFORGETTABLE SUMMER WILL CONTINUE TO ECHO IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES THAT MADE IT STRONGER THROUGH IMPACT.
HOUSTON 26, A LEGACY INITIATIVE AROUND THE WORLD CUP.
THE SPORTS AUTHORITY FOUNDATION AND THE HOST COMMITTEE ARE ENSURING THAT THE WORLD CUP DELIVERS A LASTING IMPACT FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.
IMPACT HOUSTON 26 IS THREE PILLARS OR GROW THE GAME, PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT, AND DEFEND HUMAN RIGHTS.
AND WITH GROW THE GAME AND THROUGH FREE KICK SOCCER, ONE OF IMPACT HOUSTON 26 FLAGSHIP INITIATIVES, WE'RE ADDRESSING ONE OF THE SPORT'S MOST PERSISTENT BARRIERS, ACCESS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCTS ONE AND 2, 1, 2, 3, AND FOUR, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER, UH, THE YOUTH SOCCER COMMUNITY.
AND THIS INITIATIVE WILL DELIVER 23 NEW OR REFURBISHED SOCCER PITCHES, A COLLECTIVE INVESTMENT OF ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS ACROSS FIVE LOCAL YOUTH SOCCER CLUBS AND MORE THAN 1200 CLUB SCHOLARSHIPS TO BOYS AND GIRLS IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
THE LASTING IMPACT WILL COME IN A MEANINGFUL SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS TAKING PLACE THROUGHOUT OUR REGION AND AN IMPACT HOUSTON 26 IS PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT PILLAR.
WE WILL SEE BEAUTIFICATION EFFORTS AT MASON PARK DEVELOPMENT OF THE GREEN CORRIDOR AS A LEGACY INVESTMENT, BAYOU CLEANUPS TOOLKITS FOR THE HOSPITALITY SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM AND SUSTAINABLE SOCCER FIELD KITS TOO.
AND I SEE ELIZABETH SITTING THERE, ELIZABETH CARLSON, WHO IS THE CHAIR OF THE SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE FOR THE 2026 HOUSTON HOST COMMITTEE.
ELIZABETH, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS.
YOU WERE ONE OF THE HARDEST PEOPLE WORKING, SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE AND APPRECIATE THE LEGACY THAT YOU'RE LEAVING.
BUT AS BIG OF EVENT AS THIS IS FIFA, WORLD CUP 2026 IS ONLY A MILESTONE IN OUR STORY.
BIG EVENTS BRING BIG EVENTS, AND THERE'S NOT ANOTHER CITY THAT CAN TOP HOUSTON'S RESUME WHEN IT COMES TO HOSTING BIG EVENTS AND OUR WORLD CLASS VENUES, HAVING ONCE AGAIN SHOWN THE WORLD HOW HOUSTON IS CAPABLE OF HOSTING GLOBAL EVENTS.
AT THIS SCALE, THE SPORTS AUTHORITY IS BIDING ON A NUMBER OF GLOBAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AND OTHER SPORTS, AS WELL AS THE 2031 FIFA WOMEN'S WORLD CUP.
WE'RE WORKING ON THE 2031 MEN'S RUGBY WORLD CUP AND WE'RE IN PURSUIT OF SEVERAL UPCOMING NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS AND FACTORING IN THE WORLD CUP, THE SPORTS AUTHORITY AND ITS HISTORY WILL HAVE HELPED DELIVER $4 BILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACTS SINCE ITS CREATION.
NOW MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN CREATING THE SPORTS AUTHORITY SO MANY YEARS AGO.
HOUSTON IS BUILT FOR THE BIGGEST GLOBAL STAGES, AND WE'VE PROVEN IT.
WE ARE THE PREMIER DESTINATION FOR SPORTS DEFINED BY A COMMUNITY THAT SHOWS UP COLLABORATES AND DELIVERS MEANINGFUL IMPACT.
WE ARE ALREADY WORKING ON WHAT'S NEXT AND CONTINUING TO DRIVE SPORTS TOURISM AND ENSURING HOUSTON HAS THAT TITLE OF HAVING HOSTED THE MOST MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS ON NORTH AMERICA.
THERE'S NO LIMIT TO HOW FAR WE CAN GO AND THE TOURNAMENT MAY BE OVER, BUT OUR STORY IS STILL BEING WRITTEN.
I'D LIKE TO NOW TURN IT OVER TO MR. CHRIS CONTI, OUR LEADER EXTRAORDINAIRE.
SO I'VE BEEN SELLING SOCCER IN THIS COUNTRY FOR ABOUT 26 YEARS AND UH, THERE WAS PROBABLY NOT MORE FUN.
I HAD SELLING SOCCER THAN TEACHING MAYOR WHITMEYER THE GAME OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
WE SAT IN THE, THE SUITE, WE SAT AT THE FAN FEST, I THINK, MAYOR, I GOT YOU TO UNDERSTAND OFF SIDES NOW, RIGHT? UM, MAYBE THE HANDBALL IN THE BOX RULE MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT, BUT, UH, IT'S BEEN A JOY, UH, WATCHING THE GAMES WITH YOU AND, AND GETTING YOU CONNECTED TO THE SPORT, WHICH WE COULD ALL SEE FROM YOUR REMARKS.
UH, A BIT OF A WARNING, THIS MAY NOT BE THE SHORTEST SPEECH YOU'VE EVER HEARD, UH, AND THAT IS BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD STUFF THAT I HAVE TO REPORT HERE.
SO LET ME START OFF BY SAYING, I'M GONNA MAKE A VERY BOLD STATEMENT HERE, THAT THE FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 WAS THE GREATEST SPORTING EVENT EVER STAGED PERIOD, NOT JUST FOR HOUSTON.
I COULD, YEAH, WE COULD APPLAUD THAT NOT JUST FOR HOUSTON, BUT FOR THE UNITED STATES AND GLOBALLY.
IT WAS AN UNPRECEDENTED MOMENT IN SPORTING HISTORY.
IT WAS AN ICONIC ONCE IN THE GENERATION EXPERIENCE AND ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST IMPACTFUL EVENTS OUR CITY HAS EVER HOSTED.
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TOGETHER FANS, VISITORS, TEAMS, AND CULTURES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.IT CREATED ONE WOW MOMENT AFTER ANOTHER, IS HOW I LIKE TO SAY IT.
MORE THAN 1 MILLION PEOPLE TOOK PART IN WORLD CUP RELATED EVENTS ACROSS HOUSTON, DRIVEN BY SEVEN MATCHES AT THE STADIUM, THE FAN FEST EXPERIENCE IN EAST DOWNTOWN, AND THE INCREDIBLE FAN WALKS THAT WERE SHARED GLOBALLY ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. THE SEVEN MATCHES DREW AN AVERAGE ATTENDANCE OF ALMOST 70,000 FANS AND FEATURED 13 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, INCLUDING THE GLOBAL FOOTBALL POWERS FROM BRAZIL, GERMANY, PORTUGAL, AND THE NETHERLANDS, AS WELL AS FIFA, WORLD CUP DEBUTANTES, CAPE VERDE AU AND UZBEKISTAN.
HOUSTON DELIVERED ONE OF THE TOURNAMENT'S MOST EXCITING MATCH SLATES LEADING ALL 27, LEADING ALL HOST CITIES WITH 27 GOALS SCORED ACROSS ITS SEVEN MATCHES.
AND WHEN YOU COME TO SOCCER GAMES, YOU WANNA SEE GOALS SCORED.
SO THAT WAS A GREAT THING TO TO HAVE HERE IN HOUSTON.
THERE WERE SO MANY MEMORABLE MOMENTS AND WHO COULD FORGET CHRISTIANA RONALDO'S TWO GOAL PERFORMANCE AGAINST UZBEKISTAN AND BRAZIL'S DRAMATIC STOPPAGE TIME WINNER OVER JAPAN IN THE ROUND OF 32 EVEN.
AU DELIVERED A HISTORIC HIGHLIGHT IN ITS OPENING MATCH AGAINST GERMANY WHEN THE SMALLEST COUNTRY TO EVER QUALIFY FOR THE TOURNAMENT SCORED ITS FIRST WORLD CUP GOAL TO BRIEFLY EQUALIZE AGAINST THE FOUR TIME CHAMPIONS.
AND WE WERE SO PROUD HERE IN HOUSTON TO HOST THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO IN HOUSTON FOR ITS TEAM BASE CAMP.
AND THEY WENT ON TO MAKE A HISTORY ADVANCING OUT OF THE GROUP STAGE AND NEARLY KNOCKING OUT ENGLAND WHO WENT ON TO THE FINAL FOUR.
AND THEN THERE WAS OUR FAN FEST DOWNTOWN, WHICH WAS A HUGE SUCCESS AND I MEAN A HUGE SUCCESS.
IT RAN THROUGHOUT THE 39 DAY TOURNAMENT, ATTRACTING MORE THAN 1 MILLION VISITORS TO IDO THROUGH THE OFFICIAL FIFA FAN FEST SOCCER CELEBRATION AT SHELL ENERGY STADIUM AND FOOTBALL FIESTA ACROSS THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BARS AND RESTAURANTS.
A WHOLE NEW LOCAL AND GLOBAL AUDIENCE WAS INTRODUCED TO IDO.
THANKS TO THE FAN FEST, IT CREATED LONG-TERM VISIBILITY FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND CONNECTED VISITORS WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES AND CULTURE.
IT DROVE SUBSTANTIAL FOOT TRAFFIC AND SPENDING CREATED LASTING BENEFITS FOR RESTAURANTS, BARS, AND SMALL BUSINESSES, AND POSITIONED THE DISTRICT FOR FUTURE MAJOR EVENTS AND INVESTMENTS.
MORE THAN A HALF MILLION PEOPLE PASS THROUGH THE TURNSTILES AT FAN FEST AND SOCCER CELEBRATION, GATHERING FOR LIVELY WATCH PARTIES AND SHARED CELEBRATIONS THROUGHOUT THE TOURNAMENT.
AND I'M HEARING TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT OUR FAN FEST IS WIDELY REGARDED AS THE BEST.
AMONG THE 16 HOST CITIES, HOUSTON'S CELEBRATION CREATED LASTING MEMORIES FOR HOUSTONIANS AND VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
AS RYAN MENTIONED, 500,000 TRAVELED TO HOUSTON FOR THE FIFA WORLD CUP, INCLUDING FANS, MEDIA AND WORKFORCE.
THIS IS SOME COOL DATA RIGHT HERE.
TICKET DATA DEMONSTRATED THE EVENTS BROAD REACH WITH 81% OF THE BUYERS COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSTON AREA, INCLUDING AN IMPRESSIVE 44% FROM INTERNATIONAL MARKETS.
WE HOSTED TICKET BUYERS FROM ALL 50 STATES IN INCREDIBLY MORE THAN 200 COUNTRIES.
REINFORCING THE CITY'S ROLE AS A PREMIER GLOBAL DESTINATION, SAFETY AND SECURITY WERE OUR PRIORITY FROM DAY ONE.
WE SAID THAT TIME AND TIME AGAIN, AND THANKS TO THE METICULOUS PLANNING AND TREMENDOUS COLLABORATION OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS, WE DELIVERED ON THAT PRIMARY OBJECTIVE.
WE ARE ALL PROUD AND THANKFUL TO SAY THAT THERE WERE NO SAFETY AND SECURITY ISSUES TO REPORT.
MORE THAN 1 MILLION PARTICIPANTS CELEBRATED PEACEFULLY AND HARMONIOUSLY THROUGHOUT THE 39 DAY EVENT.
A MAJOR FOCUS WAS ON PREVENTING HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES AND RESPONDING QUICKLY WHEN THEY OCCURRED.
THE PLAN PROVED HIGHLY EFFECTIVE WITH FEWER THAN 70 HEAT RELATED EMERGENCY ROOM TRANSPORTS ACROSS ALL EVENTS AND MORE THAN 1 MILLION ATTENDEES.
OPERATIONALLY, THE EVENT WAS FLAWLESS FROM START TO FINISH.
THERE WERE NO MAJOR OPERATIONAL ISSUES AT THE STADIUM.
THE FAN FEST ACROSS TRANSPORTATION OR PARKING, EVERYTHING RAN SMOOTHLY.
OUR TRANSPORTATION PARTNERS AT THE AIRPORTS IN METRO DEVELOPED EXCEPTIONAL PLANS AND EXECUTED THEM SEAMLESSLY, CREATING WORLD-CLASS EXPERIENCES FOR VISITORS.
METRO RECORDED APPROXIMATELY 5.5 MILLION RIDES DURING THE WORLD CUP WINDOW AND APPROXIMATELY 500,000 BOARDINGS ON METRO RAIL ACROSS MATCH TRAY RE REPRESENTING A NEARLY 50% INCREASE OVER A TYPICAL DAILY RAIL BOARDING.
THE AIRPORT SAW 4.5 MILLION TRAVELERS PASS THROUGH THE TERMINALS DURING THE MATCH PERIOD WITHOUT ANY OPERATIONAL ISSUES AND MAINTAINING A HIGH CUSTOMER SERVICE RATING.
FIFA LAUDED US SAYING HOUSTON WELCOMED AND EMBRACED THE FIFA WORLD SINCE DAY ONE WITH SCALE ENERGY AND DIVERSITY THAT DEFINES ITSELF AS ONE OF AMERICA'S GREAT GLOBAL CITIES.
THANK YOU HOUSTON FOR YOUR SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY, YOUR AMBITION, AND YOUR UNMISTAKABLE WORLD'S CUP SPIRIT.
YOU DID NOT SIMPLY HOST THE WORLD'S GAME, YOU LAUNCHED IT TO NEW HEIGHTS.
WE ARE INCREDIBLY PROUD TO HAVE DELIVERED ON EVERY COMMITMENT WE MADE TO FIFA WHEN HOUSTON WAS SELECTED AS A HOST CITY.
AND WHILE WE CAN MEASURE THE WORLD CUP'S IMPACT THROUGH ATTENDANCE, TICKET SALES, VISITOR NUMBERS, AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, ITS MOST MEANINGFUL IMPACT CANNOT BE CAPTURED ON A STAT SHEET.
IT LIVES IN THE HAPPINESS, JOY, AND LIFELONG MEMORIES.
THE FIFA WORLD CUP BROUGHT TO OUR COMMUNITY
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ACROSS ALL 39 DAYS.WE SAW COUNTLESS SMALL BUT POWERFUL MOMENTS BETWEEN FRIENDS AND FAMILIES AND OFTEN BETWEEN STRANGERS FROM EVERY WALK OF LIFE.
IN THOSE MOMENTS, THE WORLD CUP BECAME A MUCH NEEDED UNIFIER.
NONE OF THIS WOULD'VE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE THE EXTRAORDINARY TEAM EFFORT ACROSS EVERY PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTED THIS PROJECT OVER THE PAST SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS.
WHILE THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY TO NAME INDIVIDUALLY, I WOULD ESPECIALLY LIKE TO RECOGNIZE CITY OF HOUSTON LED, LED BY MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER.
YOUR LEADERSHIP WAS FELT EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
HARRIS COUNTY LED BY JUDGE LENA HILDAGO, COMMISSIONERS LESLIE BRIANIS, RODNEY ELLIS, ADRIAN GARCIA, AND TOM RAMSEY, THE HARRIS COUNTY HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY AND SPORTS AUTHORITY FOUNDATION, LED BY JUAN GARCIA AND RYAN WALSH, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM LED BY OUR CHIEF SAFETY AND SECURITY OFFICER, TOMMY COLLABRO AND CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, DR.
THESE GUYS WERE SUPPORTED BY SO MANY GREAT MEN, MEN AND WOMEN ACROSS HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY IN WHICH THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY TO NAME LIKE.
TO THANK OUR PARTNERS AT RELIANT PARK AND HARRIS COUNTY SPORTS AND CONVENTION CORP, OUR PARTNERS AT METRO AND THE HOUSTON AIRPORTS, OUR FAN FEST TEAM, LED BY OUR CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS, PATTY SMITH AND HOLLY DE BEER, AND DELIVERED BY OUR PARTNERS FROM SPORT FIVE LEVY RESTAURANTS AND THE MACY FAMILY, OUR PARTNERS AT HOUSTON.
FIRST, THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP, DOWNTOWN HOUSTON PLUS AND THE EAST END MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
THE DYNAMO DASH SHELL ENERGY STADIUM, SABERCATS STADIUM, THE TEXANS, THE RODEO SPACE CENTER, HOUSTON, AND THE POST.
AND HOW ABOUT THE INCREDIBLE TEAM THAT BUILT AND MAINTAINED THE BEAUTIFUL PITCH LED BY DAN BI BERGSTROM AND PRECISION TURF, AND OUR TEAM OF 4,200 HOST CITY VOLUNTEERS DIRECTED BY TOKE AALA AND OUR INCREDIBLE ROSTER OF CORPORATE PARTNERS LISTED HERE.
OUR HOST COMMITTEE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, CHAIRED BY JOHN ARNOLD AND OF COURSE OUR HOST COMMITTEE AND SPORTS AUTHORITY STAFFS.
IT LITERALLY TOOK A VILLAGE TO PULL THIS OFF, AND EVERY PERSON AND EVERY ORGANIZATION REPRESENTED PLAYED A ROLE IN DELIVERING AN UNFORGETTABLE FIFA WORLD CUP EXPERIENCE FOR HOUSTON AND THE WORLD.
NOW WITH 104 MATCHES PLAYED IN THE FINAL WHISTLE BLOWN, WE CAN DIRECT OUR ATTENTION TO THE LEGACY.
THIS WORLD CUP LEAVES FOR OUR COMMUNITY FROM GROWING THE GAME AND ADVANCING HUMAN RIGHTS TO PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT.
FROM SUPPORTING EDOS FUTURE TO TO DEVELOPING OPERATIONAL BEST PRACTICES.
FROM STRENGTHENING HOUSTON'S REPUTATION AS A PREMIER MAJOR EVENT HOST CITY TO ELEVATING HOUSTON'S GLOBAL BRAND.
THIS FIFA WORLD CUP DELIVERED AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO DELIVER BENEFITS FOR OUR COMMUNITY WELL INTO THE FUTURE.
THE MISSION HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.
THE FIFA WORLD CUP HAS HELPED MAKE HOUSTON A BETTER PLACE TODAY AND FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.