|
Thousands upon thousands of people come to Houston each year to experience what the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has to offer.
Although the financial impact of the Rodeo is felt by individuals and businesses directly involved with the organization, numerous outlets throughout the city as well as the entire globe, receive economic benefits from this massive event.
Transporting the masses that make their way each year to the Rodeo are Houston’s airports, which in 2006 served more than 51 million passengers.
With its remarkable resume, no other rodeo has the attendance the Houston one does. The livestock show is the world’s largest by number of entries and as of December 2006, Venues Today says Houston has the second-largest fair and festival in North America.
Venues Today is a leading trade publication for the sports and entertainment industry that ranks the Top 50 fairs in North America.
“The event sets a standard in the industry, for quality production and top-of-the-line volunteerism,” says Linda Deckard, editor of Venues Today. “It is one of the biggest events in the world and throughout Texas. Venue operators admire what the Houston crowd has accomplished. The amount the show gives back to the community in scholarships is quite impressive. The caliber of entertainment they are able to book is an industry standard.”
In 2006, for the 12th consecutive year, Rodeo paid attendance has topped one million people enjoying action-packed rodeo and superstars in concert.
Paid attendance is counted for the number of tickets purchased to see Rodeo Houston. The tickets get you access to everything on the ground and admission to Reliant Stadium to see the Rodeo competition and a concert.
Last year, Brooks and Dunn broke the show’s all-time Rodeo attendance record with a paid attendance of 72,843. This year, the likes of Beyonce, Sheryl Crow and Natalie Cole are among the star-studded lineup of performers.
“We are thrilled that we have such strong musicians from very different genres of music to help us open and close our 75th anniversary celebration. This is a milestone event for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo,” said Larry Shafer, chief operating officer of Rodeo Houston, about two of his favorite acts this year.
“These two performers are the perfect match. Texas and Houston legends, George Strait and ZZ Top will help make this a year to remember.”
The 2007 Show will be offering champion cowboy and cowgirl competitions with a total purse value of $1.3 million in awards. The Rodeo’s purse has increased more than half a million dollars over previous years, making Rodeo Houston the world’s richest regular-season Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) celebration.
Making the event a reality each year, though, is a massive undertaking that requires the assistance of many volunteers. There are over 90 committees with more than 17,000 volunteers who help cover all the necessities of putting the Houston Rodeo together.
"The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is a celebration that gives our guests from Houston, Texas, the United States and from around the world a taste of our Western heritage,” Shafer noted. “With 20 days of superstar concerts, world class rodeo, livestock and horse show competitions, educational exhibits, a huge carnival, delicious food and unique shopping, it is no surprise that the Show remains a favorite event and attendance continues to increase."
The 2007 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo runs Feb. 27 through March 18. The Show is a Section 501(c)(3) charitable event, committed to benefiting youth, supporting education, and facilitating better agricultural practices through exhibitions and presentation.
Since the Show’s beginning in 1932, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has contributed more than $200 million to scholarships, research, endowments, calf scramble participants, junior show exhibitors, the Rodeo Institute for Teacher Excellence™, School Art participants, and other educational and youth programs.
For more information about the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo visit http://www.hlsr.com/. |
