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    Clear Final Four

    Final Four is Clear: See-through bag policy to be enforced at concerts, Fan Fest and big games

    Clifford Pugh
    Mar 28, 2016 | 3:59 pm

    Let's be perfectly clear: If you are among the thousands who will attend NCAA Final Four activities in Houston this weekend, your bag must be see-through.

    The "clear bag" security policy will be in effect at all Final Four fan events, Doug Hall, president and CEO of the 2016 NCAA Men's Final Four Local Organizing Committee, said at a press conference Monday at Houston City Hall. That includes Fan Fest Friday through Sunday at the George R. Brown Convention Center, the March Madness Music Festival at Discovery Green Friday through Sunday, the Final Four Friday open practice at NRG Stadium and semi-final and final games at NRG Stadium on Saturday and Monday (April 4).

    To help publicize the policy, 125,000 plastic totes emblazoned with the Final Four Houston 2016 logo will will be given away at information centers at Houston hotels and the GRB and along METRORail platforms. One official said the bags quickly became a collector's item last year in Indianapolis, where the clear bag policy was implemented for the first time at the Final Four.

    "We've got a lot of these clear bags to hand out and encourage people to pack accordingly and to bring as little as possible to the venues or they will be turned away if they show up with their (regular) bags," Hall said, noting camera bags, diaper bags and larger purses will be prohibited. (Small clutches will be allowed in; see above graphic for details.)

    Attendees can also use clear 1-gallon storage or freezer bags by manufacturers such as Ziploc or Glad that can be purchased at any supermarket. "Any clear bag will work," Hall told Culture Map.

    With heightened security concerns following the recent terrorist attacks in Brussels, the Houston Police Department will be out in full force, with uniformed officers visibly present and plain clothes officers who will mill among the big crowds. All events will be monitored from a security command center, acting Houston Police Department police chief Martha I. Montalvo said.

    "We want to make sure Houston is a great event, but also a safe event," she said. "Enjoy yourself, be aware and stay safe."

    Mayor Sylvester Turner joked that he had picked all four finalists that are coming to Houston, which if true would make him among the very few to do that, as Syracuse, which was seeded No. 10 in its region, busted most brackets. After the press conference, Turner admitted it was just a "little exaggeration." He did pick two of the four semi-finalists — Oklahoma and North Carolina — but he declined to predict who will win it all.

    "It's been a great tournament so far and the enthusiasm has been high," he said. "It's been going down to the final seconds and I'm expecting no less when they come to Houston."

    If you carry a bag like this to any indoor Final Four activity, they won't let you in.

    Clear Bag Policy prohibited bags
    Courtesy of NCAA
    If you carry a bag like this to any indoor Final Four activity, they won't let you in.
    event-planner
    news/city-life

    This Week's Hot Headlines

    Longtime Upper Kirby steakhouse to shutter and more top Houston news

    CultureMap Staff
    Mar 28, 2026 | 11:00 am
    Fleming's Prime Steakhouse
    Fleming's Facebook
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    Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top Houston news of the week, including two high-profile closures that are happening soon. Plus, we introduce you to the nominees for Houston's Best New Restaurant in the 2026 Tastemaker Awards. Catch up on our most popular stories below, then find the best weekend events right here.

    1. Steakhouse chain's Upper Kirby outpost will shutter after 25 years. The Upper Kirby location of a popular steakhouse will soon say goodbye. Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar will close on April 18.

    2. United and Chef's Table recruit top Houston chef for premium inflight meal. Beginning August 1, travelers departing from 10 cities around the world may opt for meals created by some of the best chefs in the world, including one from Houston.

    3. Award-winning Houston brewery will soon shutter in EaDo. An award-winning Houston brewery will soon tap its last keg. True Anomaly Brewing Co. will close its doors permanently on April 30.

    True Anomaly Brewing True Anomaly closes next month. True Anomaly Brewing/Instagram

    4. Houston restaurant celebrates 3 years with new cocktail program. Heights restaurant Jūn has an additional reason to celebrate its third anniversary this year: liquor is officially on the menu.

    5. 16 best new Houston restaurants compete for coveted Tastemakers title. For nine of the 10 categories in the 2026 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards, our judges’ panel picks the winners. The one exception is Best New Restaurant, where we ask you to vote for the champion.

    hot-headlinesclosingsbest new restaurantstastemakersmost popular stories
    news/city-life
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