POSITION OVERVIEW CHIEF DESTINATION MARKETING OFFICER, HOUSTON FIRST PRESIDENT, HOUSTON CVB (HOUSTON) THE CITY AND DESTINATION Houston is a city of limitless potential and notable achievements. For instance, it was the first word heard from the moon and the home of the first artificial heart transplant. Houston has nationally recognized parks, professional sports, fine dining, an active arts scene and many other attractions – but with it, a dynamic mix of imagination, talent and a culture alive with energy and rich in diversity. Given this mix, it's no wonder that Houston is a popular destination for both domestic and international visitors. Greater Houston offers everything from breathtaking museum exhibits to vibrant downtown entertainment. Explore the wonder of space or spend the day shopping in The Galleria. Houston Texas is home to the world’s largest concentration of medical professionals, world’s largest rodeo, NASA, Grand Prix of Houston, Shell Houston Open, Rotary Lombardi Award, world-renowned museum and theater districts, Houston Rockets (NBA) basketball, Houston Astros (MLB) baseball, Houston Texas (NFL) football and Houston Dynamo (MLS) soccer. For starters, The Galleria is an upscale mixed-use urban development centrally located in one of the largest business districts in the country. Set beneath spectacular glass atriums, The Galleria features more than 400 fine stores and restaurants, an impressive ice rink and two hotels. It is the fourth-largest mall in the nation, with over 2.4 million square feet of retail space and is undergoing a significant expansion to be completed in 2016. NASA/Johnson Space Center (named for Lyndon B. Johnson) is the training facility for all of America’s astronauts. Johnson Space Center is also the control point for US human space flight activities, with primary responsibilities in research, design, development, testing and operations of the Space Station program. Johnson Space Center employs approximately 17,000 engineers, scientists and administrative personnel. Space Center Houston is the designated visitor center for JSC and features interactive exhibits to educate and entertain visitors as well as showcase America’s accomplishments in space. Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is one of the city's major attractions, occurring in February and March every year. It is a long-standing Houston tradition. In fact, 2012 marked the 80th anniversary of the rodeo. The largest rodeo in the world, it attracts more than 1.8 million visitors each year. Since the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was established, it has made an impressive footprint on the livestock and entertainment industries and in the sport of rodeo. SearchWide Position Overview – President, Houston CVB / Chief Destination Officer, Houston First – Page 1 of 8 Texas Medical Center is the largest medical center in the world, with a local economic impact of $10 billion and 45 member institutions. More than 52,000 people work within its facilities, which encompass 21 million square feet. Altogether 4.8 million patients visit the TMC each year. The complex includes 13 renowned hospitals and two specialty institutions, two medical schools, four nursing schools and schools of dentistry, public health, pharmacy and virtually all health-related careers. Bayou Place was developed in partnership with the City of Houston; the $22 million project transformed a vacated convention center into a thriving entertainment project in downtown’s Theater District. Bayou Place includes the Sundance Theater, a 3,000-seat live performance venue, Hard Rock Café, multiple restaurants and bars. Downtown Aquarium is the product of redeveloping two downtown Houston landmarks – Fire Station No. 1 and the Central Waterworks Building. This magnificent six-acre entertainment and dining complex is a 500,000- gallon aquatic wonderland, home to over 200 species of aquatic life from around the globe. With a full-service restaurant, an upscale bar, a fully equipped ballroom, aquatic & geographic exhibits, shopping and a variety of amusements, Downtown Aquarium has it all! SIZE OF CITY & COST OF LIVING Houston is the fourth-largest city in the US and is the largest city in Texas with a population of more than two million. The City of Houston spreads over three counties: Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery. Houston trails only New York, Los Angeles and Chicago in population and is the largest city in the southern US. Houston is the seat of Harris County, and its metropolitan area is the fifth-most populated in the US, with over 6 million people. Houston has the most affordable housing of the 10 most populated metropolitan areas in the country. BUSINESS & ECONOMY The city boasts more than 40 colleges, universities and educational institutions – offering higher education options to suit all interests. In addition, Houston is home to eighteen Fortune 500 companies with more than 5,000 energy-related firms, Houston is considered the Energy Capital of the World. The Greater Houston Partnership is the primary advocate of Houston’s business community and is dedicated to building economic prosperity in the region. Employment in the Houston region grew 4.3 percent between September 2014 and September 2014, according to the Greater Houston Partnership, leading the nation’s major metropolitan areas in the pace of job growth. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the Houston metro area created 120,700 jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis, a close second to the 129,100 jobs added in the New York metro area during the same period – remarkable considering the fact that Houston is home to 2.9 million jobs, a third of New York’s 8.8 million jobs. HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM Houston has the fourth largest multi-airport system in the US, the seventh largest international gateway in the country. The system is comprised of three airports with Bush Intercontinental ranking third among American airports for nonstop flights. In 2012, more than 50 million people zipped in and out of Houston’s three airports; generating in excess of $24 billion in economic impact for the local region and supporting over 151,000 local jobs. SearchWide Position Overview – President, Houston CVB / Chief Destination Officer, Houston First – Page 2 of 8 DIVERSITY Houston is the most diverse city in the United States. In addition, Houston is ranked among the top 10 cities in the US visited by Hispanic-American and Asian-American travelers, according to the Travel Industry Association of America. Based on Greater Houston Partnership calculations using US Census Bureau data and State of Texas data, Houston has 225,000 women- and minority-owned businesses. ARTS AND OTHER AMENITIES The combined annual attendance for arts and cultural performances, exhibits and other programs in Houston is more than 10.7 million, which includes both Houston residents and visitors. The non-profit arts are a $977.7 million industry in Houston and generate $130.4 million in local and state government revenue. Houston has a Theater District second only to New York City in the number of theater seats with all of the performing arts disciplines, and a Museum District with 6 million visits a year to 20 museums within a 1.5- mile radius. Houston is home to more than 18,000 acres of green space managed by the Houston Parks Department. More than 165 public and private golf courses offering year around play are also located in the Houston region. HOTEL INVENTORY From limited service to luxury, the Houston area offers more than 75,000 hotel rooms. In addition, growing demand has led to rising occupancy rates and a slew of new development. More than 2,500 rooms will come online downtown alone in the next few years, with hundreds more slated for areas such as the Galleria, Energy Corridor and the Medical Center. RIDA Development Corporation broke ground in April 2014 on the new 1,000-room Marriott Marquis that will rise adjacent to the GRB Convention Center. The massive hotel (along with the existing Hilton Americas-Houston) will bookend Discovery Green and dramatically increase the city's convention capacity. In addition to the hotel's 100,000 square feet of meeting space, it will also feature a Texas-shaped “lazy river” and retail shops on the ground floor. Completion of the $335 million project is scheduled for the early fall of 2016. RESTAURANTS Houstonians eat out more than residents of any other US city and for good reason with more than 11,000 restaurants ranging from award-winning and upscale to memorable deli shops. Countless cutting-edge chefs have made Houston home, including James Beard Award winners and internationally renowned chefs serving up innovative cuisine that frequently catches the attention of foodies in Bon Appetit, Food & Wine and Saveur. To learn more about the greater Houston area, please visit www.visithoustontexas.com. SearchWide Position Overview – President, Houston CVB / Chief Destination Officer, Houston First – Page 3 of 8 HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION AND THE GREATER HOUSTON CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU Houston First Corporation (“HFC”) is one of the region’s clear voices. A local government corporation formed in 2011, Houston First leads the effort to have Houston recognized as one of the great cities of the world. With an annual budget of over $230 million, it operates the city’s finest convention, arts and entertainment venues, managing more than 10 municipally-owned buildings, plazas, and parking facilities. These assets include the George R. Brown Convention Center, Wortham Theater Center, Jones Hall for the Performing Arts and Miller Outdoor Theatre. The corporation is also the owner of the city’s largest hotel, the 1,200-room Hilton Americas- Houston. The mission of Houston First is to enhance the quality of life of Houstonians and to advance the economic prosperity and development of Houston through our services, attractions and venues. Houston First was created in 2011 by melding the City of Houston’s Convention & Entertainment Facilities Department and the Houston Convention Center Hotel Corporation.