A Lot Has Changed Since Houston Last Hosted The Super Bowl

The city has added lots of new attractions since 2004 and there’s also more transportation options.

By Gail DelaughterFebruary 2, 2017 9:30 am, , ,

From Houston Public Media

It was Feb. 1, 2004, when Houston last hosted the Super Bowl. The thing a lot of people might remember most about it happened at halftime — Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction. Millions of viewers saw it live.

And there was also a streaker. He got on the field dressed in a referee’s uniform.

The game itself was actually said to be one of the best in history. With only four seconds left on the clock, the New England Patriots kicked a 41-yard field goal, defeating the Carolina Panthers 32 to 29.

The NFL had awarded the big game to Houston shortly after Bob McNair acquired the Texans franchise. The team started playing in 2002, back when their brand-new stadium was still called Reliant.

To get the 2017 game, Houston had to really work for it. The city beat out a proposal from south Florida.

Today preparations are moving ahead in the same venue, now known as NRG Stadium. The Patriots will be making a return visit to play the Atlanta Falcons.

We spoke with NFL Director of Events Eric Finkelstein as he watched crews pull up the Texans logo from the end zone so they could install the Super Bowl 51 insignia.

The stadium itself looks much the same, but it’s added a lot of amenities since 2004.

There’s more food to choose from, a lot of it from local restaurants. There’s also stronger wi-fi to handle all the social media that wasn’t around 13 years ago.

Read more.