RodeoHouston boasts a galaxy of stars each year, and for 2018, a brand-new, star-shaped attraction will be front and center as part of the annual festivities.

The striking, rotating entertainment stage will debut on opening night (February 27, with Garth Brooks), measuring a massive 48 feet in diameter, which is eight feet larger than the previously used setup. It’s the first new stage in more than 30 years.

The stage was engineered and manufactured by TAIT, a leader in entertainment automation technology that has designed sets for international stars such as U2 and Taylor Swift. The stage is 126 feet wide from tip-to-tip, with each of the five star points extending to a length of 36 feet — which can be raised or lowered individually or simultaneously. It has 434 lights, four times as many lights as the previous stage and a 28-foot tall, motion controlled video backdrop.

“It’s going to be a real change for us and people will be thrilled to see the show in a different configuration,” Jason Kane, managing director of entertainment and concert production for RodeoHouston, told CultureMap following the entertainer unveiling party in early January. “I think that the ability of an artist to be showcased and how they can take advantage of special effects is going to be multi-tiered. From TAIT working on this project, we had five engineers and one physicist, so these guys are the best.”

It seems a natural fit that country megastar Garth Brooks will be the first performer who will grace the stage. He will also use it last during the 2018 festivities as he will play an encore performance on Sunday, March 18.

“We continue to look for new ways to improve the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo experience for our fans,” said Joel Cowley, HLSR president and CEO. “This new state-of-the-art stage will greatly enhance the RodeoHouston concert presentation and help achieve our goal of providing larger-than life experiences in NRG Park for many years to come.”

For RodeoHouston tickets and information, visit rodeohouston.com.