Big Event City

Does Houston even want to host the Olympics? USOC's sudden Texas love could be fleeting

All four of Texas’ major markets — Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio — are potentially in contention to be the United States' official bid city for host of the 2024 Olympics.

The cities were encouraged to consider submitting a bid by the United States Olympic Committee— along with a smattering of other metropolitan areas that include Los Angeles, Chicago, Nashville and Boston — in a letter sent out to the respective cities’ mayors:

Our objective in this process is to identify a partner city that can work with us to present a compelling bid to the [International Olympic Committee] and that has the right alignment of political, business and community leadership. We are seeking a partner that understands the value of the Olympic Games and the legacy that can be created not only for their community, but for our country.

Thirty five cities are in the running to become the official United States bid city, but for a city to win the bid, it has to meet a host of criteria, namely demonstrating the ability to accommodate the massive influx of people. The brass tacks:

45,000 hotel rooms
An Olympic Village that sleeps 16,500 and has a 5,000-person dining hall
Operations space for more than 15,000 media and broadcasters
An international airport that can handle thousands of international travelers per day
Public transportation service to venues
Roadway closures to allow exclusive use for Games-related transportation
A workforce of up to 200,000

Houston has hosted a Super Bowl and the city is in contention to host the NFL's big game again in 2017. Houston hosted the Final Four in 2011 and will be the host city again in 2016. The city is also coming off a successful NBA All-Star Weekend and has expressed a desire to host another Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

Officials say it is too early to determine if Houston will attempt to put together an Olympic bid. Houston was one of four semifinalist to be the U.S. bid city in 2012, losing out to New York. Of course, London ended up getting those games.

The U.S. has hosted the Olympics eight times, the most recent being the winter games in 2002 in Salt Lake City. The International Olympics Committee will choose the official host city for the 2024 Games in 2017.

Cowboys Stadium in Arlington is surely a point in Dallas' favor to host the Olympic games.

Photo courtesy of Dallas CVB

Cowboys Stadium in Arlington is surely a point in Dallas' favor to host the Olympic games.

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Get Rodeo ready

Virtual races and a new rollercoaster debut at RodeoHouston for 2025

Photo by © Michelle Watson CatchLightGroup.com

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The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is less than two weeks away. Here are four new things added to the festivities this year that Houstonians won't want to miss.

AGVENTURE Park
Bees are an incredibly important part of the environment, and concerns about declining bee populations has led to an explosion in beekeeping as a hobby. In the past five years, America has added a million new bee colonies, mostly through people taking up beekeeping.

Agventure Park, presented by Oxy, is the Rodeo's new soil and bee exhibit. Both children and adults can interact with education stations to see the essential role of bees in agriculture. Visitors can plant sunflowers, live chat with experts, and learn everything they need to start their own hives at home.

Virtual Welding and Chuck Wagon
Virtual reality has come a long way in the last two decades. Even the Houston Museum of Natural Science rarely launches a new exhibit without some kind of VR attraction. The Rodeo is no different.

This year, visitors can get in the saddle for a virtual chuck wagon race, driving horses around a virtual dirt field in one of the Rodeo's most beloved competitions. Presented by Verizon, the event is completely free to try and a thrilling educational tool for understanding this part of the pioneer era.

If something more technical is your speed, there is also a VR welding experience that offers the experience of welding with none of the danger. Both exhibits are in Hall C of NRG Center.

Heidi Rollercoaster
A new ride at the carnival weds the German heritage of Texas with the thrill of a rollercoaster. Heidi is a high-speeding spinning coaster that rotates riders as they zip through over a thousand feet of track more than four stories in the air. It's an Octoberfest on wheel for those in the mood for a wild ride.

Nor is it the only new ride at the carnival. Overdrive is a new spinning ride that uses movie-level FX to heighten the experience. There is also a family-friendly Dragon coaster for the kids too small for the bigger rides.

Decadent Desserts
The Rodeo is one of the biggest food events of the Houston social calendar, offering chances to try new street cuisine and experimental vittles. This year, be sure to check out two new food stalls centered around desserts.

Strawberry cups have been a viral TikTok trend that's drawing people to wait hours in line in cities such as London and Dubai. These are strawberries drizzled in a variety of gourmet chocolates and served, obviously, in a cup. Candy Factory will bring the trend to the Rodeo Midway.

The other go-to sweet spot is Totally Baked Cookie Joint. Despite its name, its actually a refreshing ice cream stand where fresh scoops are topped with oatmeal cookie crumbles. Just another new experience for the 2025 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

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