Soccer notebook: Houston final stop on U.S. tour
In a testament to Houston's status as one of the premier soccer communities in the United States, the Bayou City is the fifth and final metropolitan area the USA Bid Committee will showcase next week during the FIFA Inspection Delegation's three-day evaluation of venues that USA Bid is highlighting in its quest to land the 2018 or 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The six-person FIFA delegation, which is led by Chile Football Association president Harold Mayne-Nicholls, will begin the tour Monday in New York/New Jersey and proceed to Washington, D.C., Miami, Dallas and Houston.
"We're pleased that we are one of five cities the U.S. bid committee will tour for the FIFA inspection delegation," said Jamey Rootes, president of the Texans. "We're the last city, and that last impression is important. So we're excited to leave a lasting impression to FIFA folks for the 2018 or 2022 World Cup."
Earlier this year, Houston was one of 18 cities the USA Bid Committee submitted as prospective host cities when the U.S. submitted bids to host either World Cup. Each of the 18 prospective host cities will be represented at the welcome reception that will be at the St. Regis Hotel in New York on Monday night in honor of the delegation's arrival.
In addition to Mayne-Nicholls, Danny Jordaan, who was chief executive officer of the 2010 South Africa World Cup local organizing committee, will also be in the delegation along with officials from FIFA's event management, media, marketing and competitions departments.
The group is scheduled to begin its tour Tuesday with visits to the new Meadowlands Stadium, a proposed World Cup stadium venue, and Red Bull Arena, a proposed training site.
On Tuesday evening, they'll move on to D.C., and Wednesday they'll tour the Washington Monument, a proposed Fan Fest site.
The tour will move to Miami on Wednesday afternoon, then travel to Dallas on Wednesday evening. Thursday morning in Dallas, they'll visit the Dallas Convention Center and Cowboys Stadium before heading to Houston to tour Reliant Stadium and the George R. Brown Convention Center, a prospective site for the International Broadcast Center.
Students from St. Francis de Sales, St. Francis of Assisi and Our Lady of Guadalupe will serve as Houston ambassadors to the FIFA committee.
The tour will conclude with a briefing Thursday afternoon at the George R. Brown Convention Center by Mayne-Nicholls and U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati, chairman of the USA Bid Committee.
"On behalf of our cities and people, the USA Bid Committee is honored to welcome the FIFA delegation to the United States," Gulati said in a statement. "Our respect for the importance of this visit is matched only by our passion for the game and our commitment to deliver a bid that will be considered worthy of hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2018 or 2022.
"To the FIFA family and the global soccer community, we pledge and promise our very best and look forward to sharing our vision with the FIFA delegation throughout the tour next week."
The six-person FIFA delegation, which is led by Chile Football Association president Harold Mayne-Nicholls, will begin the tour Monday in New York/New Jersey and proceed to Washington, D.C., Miami, Dallas and Houston.
"We're pleased that we are one of five cities the U.S. bid committee will tour for the FIFA inspection delegation," said Jamey Rootes, president of the Texans. "We're the last city, and that last impression is important. So we're excited to leave a lasting impression to FIFA folks for the 2018 or 2022 World Cup."
Earlier this year, Houston was one of 18 cities the USA Bid Committee submitted as prospective host cities when the U.S. submitted bids to host either World Cup. Each of the 18 prospective host cities will be represented at the welcome reception that will be at the St. Regis Hotel in New York on Monday night in honor of the delegation's arrival.
In addition to Mayne-Nicholls, Danny Jordaan, who was chief executive officer of the 2010 South Africa World Cup local organizing committee, will also be in the delegation along with officials from FIFA's event management, media, marketing and competitions departments.
The group is scheduled to begin its tour Tuesday with visits to the new Meadowlands Stadium, a proposed World Cup stadium venue, and Red Bull Arena, a proposed training site.
On Tuesday evening, they'll move on to D.C., and Wednesday they'll tour the Washington Monument, a proposed Fan Fest site.
The tour will move to Miami on Wednesday afternoon, then travel to Dallas on Wednesday evening. Thursday morning in Dallas, they'll visit the Dallas Convention Center and Cowboys Stadium before heading to Houston to tour Reliant Stadium and the George R. Brown Convention Center, a prospective site for the International Broadcast Center.
Students from St. Francis de Sales, St. Francis of Assisi and Our Lady of Guadalupe will serve as Houston ambassadors to the FIFA committee.
The tour will conclude with a briefing Thursday afternoon at the George R. Brown Convention Center by Mayne-Nicholls and U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati, chairman of the USA Bid Committee.
"On behalf of our cities and people, the USA Bid Committee is honored to welcome the FIFA delegation to the United States," Gulati said in a statement. "Our respect for the importance of this visit is matched only by our passion for the game and our commitment to deliver a bid that will be considered worthy of hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2018 or 2022.
"To the FIFA family and the global soccer community, we pledge and promise our very best and look forward to sharing our vision with the FIFA delegation throughout the tour next week."