Tag Archive | Greater Houston Partnership

Houston Has Arrived In The Collaboration Age

By Cheval John

The Houston Dynamo wanted to give their fans a win in the final home match of the 2016 Major League Soccer (MLS) season.

The Dynamo fell short after ceding a 1-0 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy in front of 21,085 people on Fan Appreciation Day.

Dynamo coach Wade Barrett shared some of his frustration with the media when the team could not get points at home since taking over the team midseason.

Houston played hard against Los Angeles and nearly closed out the matchup with a draw.

Midway through stoppage time in the first half, Joe Willis made two crucial saves that kept the matchup scoreless.

However, Los Angeles got the break that they needed in the 72nd minute when Alan Gordon knock the rebound in the back of the net.

Those type of breaks help great teams to win a matchup.

Los Angeles coach Bruce Arena give Houston a lot of credit for playing his team tough throughout the matchup.

Despite the disappointment that the city of Houston will not be hosting a matchup during the MLS playoffs, they have a lot to look forward to when Partnership Tower (PT) opens up to the public on Wednesday.

The PT is what many in the Greater Houston Partnership (GHP) calls “the front door” to the city of Houston.

And the people are not lying because the tower is strategically located in front of Minute Maid Park, connected by sky bridge to the George R. Brown Convention Center and a train ride to BBVA Compass Stadium, where the Dynamo and the Houston Dash play their home matchups.

Businesses and organizations can get an awesome view of Discovery Green Park, where most of the festivities during Super Bowl week will take place.

The PT is now the home of the GHP, Houston First, the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, Houston Hotel and Lodging Association and the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority, which gives them more opportunity to work together to bring in more visitors to the city.

Jamey Rootes, who is the Houston Texans president and is serving a one year term as chair of the GHP has every reason to feel truly confident about Houston going to the next level due to PT.

“When the Partnership leads a business delegation overseas, we are received in spaces that reflect the nature of the region and country, which instantly builds a memorable experience as well as the host’s credibility” Rootes said. “Partnership Tower will enable visiting business leaders and dignataries to experience many of the things that make Houston so special.”

PT has elevated Houston to another level of a unique city.

When people was taking a photo with Tap Snap, many could see the backdrop of downtown houston.

And people will see all of what Houston represents inside PT with the Houston Wall

The project to build the two floors of PT cost 8.5 million dollars.

Five companies provided the funding for the PT: CenterPoint Energy, Phillips 66; Reliant, an NRG company, Silver Eagle Distributors and the Texas Medical Center.

Mr. Rootes used a football analogy to describe the leadership of the five companies who made PT possible.

“This is a very special group of leaders; they understand the need and they know this is a great time to make an extra investment in Houston. When big things happen in Houston, you can be sure forward-looking, community-minded leaders are calling the plays, Rootes said.

It is great that the business leaders were able to come together to build a place that would allow Houston’s leading organizations to be in one place where they can collaborate on making the fourth largest city in the USA a leading destination in the state of Texas.

Small businesses can follow the lead in working together in order to succeed in the marketplace because they are constantly competing against the giant companies.

And once the Super Bowl arrives next year, visitors will see a more “globalized” Houston due to the major improvements to the city.

That is why Houston will continue to be the forward thinking city that it has established itself to be for the better.