Five years from now, in 2022, when Houston hopes to host another Super Bowl, NRG Stadium will be 21 years old. The next four games leading up to that one will be played in brand new or renovated stadiums.
So what does that mean for our chances of getting another one?
Harris County Judge Ed Emmett is certain it won’t take building a brand new stadium for the city to secure that bid.
“I just think it still has to be a clean facility, a safe facility, a facility that’s easy to get in and out of and with as many bells and whistles that are reasonable,” Emmett said.
Whether it’s the Super Bowl or some of the other big events, Harris County is obligated by an agreement with the Houston Texans and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo to maintain NRG in good condition. So investments and upgrades are always on the table.
“What do your customers, what do the fans want? That’s who gets to decide. If the fans say this is what we need to enhance our experience, then that's the direction we need to be going,” Emmett said.
Emmett believes the NFL cares Just as much about the experience a community can provide for its fans as it does about the venue to host the game. Roughly 70,000 fans may attend a game at NRG but many, many more part take in the activities connected to the Super Bowl. Discover Green hosted 1.3 million fans during a 10-day period.