It’s somewhat unusual to be able to pinpoint the arrival of a Houston heat wave right down to the hour, especially when that projection comes in the month of November. But a three hour heat wave is exactly what Houstonians can expect to see and feel starting on November 13, 2008 at 7 p.m., thanks to the arrival of the 9th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards. Musical performances in styles ranging from Mexican conjunto to Cuban habanero will spice things up at the Toyota Center as Grammy Awards are presented to recipients in 49 different categories. “Houston, one of the world’s great international cities, is very excited by the opportunity to host the Latin GRAMMY Awards,” said Mayor Bill White. “Houstonians share the passionate love of great music and appreciation for excellence that the Latin GRAMMY’s were created to recognize.” As for involvement from the Houston Airport System, all three airport facilities played a key role in attracting the awards ceremony to Houston, and will be heavily involved in the city’s overall message of “bienvenidos!” In announcing their site selection, event organizers were quick to point out that, according to the Travel Industry Association of America, Houston ranks among the nation's top 10 cities visited by Hispanic-Americans, making it an ideal location for the Latin GRAMMYs. Also among the major selling points for Houston is the fact that George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) offers more flights to Latin American locations than any other airport in the United States.

The Latin GRAMMY Awards come to Houston

So now the only thing left, other than passing out the statues themselves, is a Texas-sized welcome from the host city and that welcome will most certainly begin with the Houston Airport System.

George Bush Intercontinental (IAH), William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) and Ellington Airport (EFD) will all play a pivotal role in bringing in the thousands of international guests expected to attend this event. In preparation, HAS staff have been meeting regularly with representatives from the Houston Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, members of the Latin Recording Academy and others, in an effort to ensure that a warm welcome message is conveyed to all guests and entertainers.

This means detailed coordination with fixed based operators, transportation providers and security personnel. In return for these efforts, not only is the Houston Airport System expecting a flawless event but the city itself is expecting to reap more than $30 million in economic benefits directly attributable to the hosting of the awards show.

And experts agree that it’s hard to overstate the value associated with hosting such a widely viewed international event. After all, only four other cities have ever played host to the Latin GRAMMY’S. After several consecutive years in Los Angeles, the Latin Recording Academy decided to take their show on the road. Stops in New York City, Miami and Las Vegas followed, and now it’s Houston’s turn to shine with millions of people watching on television in more than a hundred countries around the world.

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