Houston Rodeo announces $300M agricultural complex near Reliant Park
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Livestock building by 1901 Airport Blvd. Rendering: Courtesy of Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo announced Wednesday it's building a new $300 million agricultural complex for year-round programming.
Why it matters: The 1 million-square-foot complex will extend the Rodeo's footprint beyond its longtime home, creating more space for livestock and horse competitions, youth agricultural programs and educational events.
The big picture: It's the largest facilities investment in the organization's 95-year history and is expected to open for the 2029 rodeo season, per the announcement.
- "This is an expansion, this is not a relocation," HLSR president and CEO Chris Boleman tells Axios, adding that Reliant Park will continue being the rodeo's home.
- The new complex at Highway 288 and Airport Boulevard, about 5 miles from Reliant Park, will create a two-campus operation during rodeo season. Boleman says the organization envisions shuttle service between the two spaces.
Zoom in: The complex will include two barns totaling roughly 860,000 square feet and a 140,000-square-foot central building. There will also be a covered outdoor cattle yard (105,000 square feet).
- During the annual rodeo season, the new space will host horse shows, livestock and breeding competitions, archery contests, agricultural mechanics events, commercial auctions and educational contests, including 4-H and collegiate programs. Some livestock events will remain at Reliant Center.
- Off-season uses are expected to include educational programming, committee meetings, fundraisers, auctions and galas, though Boleman said details of the facility's year-round programming are still taking shape.
Follow the money: The project will be built on a portion of the Rodeo's 350-acre property purchased in the 1990s and is being privately funded by the organization, per Boleman.
- Mayor John Whitmire said it will not have "any burden on taxpayers."
Between the lines: The project has been in the works since 2019 as HLSR looked for a long-term solution to the aging Reliant Arena — one of the buildings in Reliant Park that hosts horse shows. Rodeo leaders say the facility "has reached the end of its useful life."
- The arena was built by the Rodeo in the 1970s and later transferred to Harris County, which now owns and maintains the facility and will decide its future.
What they're saying: "We're at a time in our organization's history, in year 95, that we continue to grow," Boleman says. "We recognize the growth and the potential for us to work with young people and provide experiences for them year-round."
What's next: Construction is expected to break ground later this year.