The NFL wants the luxury boxes and club seats at NRG Stadium to "undergo major upgrades at the expense of Harris County or its tenants" prior to Super Bowl LI in '17, but County Commissioner Steve Radack claims that using public funds for the project "would be a non-starter," according to a front-page piece by Gabrielle Banks of the HOUSTON CHRONICLE. Sources have said that the price for "seating updates and other improvements could rise" as high as $50M, with $5M going to "enhance the facility's WiFi capacity." NFL Senior VP/Events Peter O'Reilly said that upgrading the WiFi at the stadium "is something the bid committee has agreed to do." He added NRG Stadium is in a "very good place at this stage in its stadium life, but there are opportunities to upgrade that are common across Super Bowl stadiums as they prepare and continue to make sure they are state-of-the-art." O'Reilly indicated that the "burden for the costs of upgrading the facility rests with Harris County or its tenants," the Texans and the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. However, Banks reports none of the parties involved "have volunteered to pick up the tab." Upgrade options could include "club seats, suites, the general concourse and seating area, concessions, restrooms and also infrastructure like plumbing or air handling systems." Harris County Exec Dir Bill Jackson said that the Commissioners Court "has not allocated any money for improving the stadium." The county is the landlord for the Texans and the rodeo, and County Commissioner Jack Cagle said, "WiFi wasn't really around when our contracts were set up. It's not one of our landlord responsibilities" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 4/14).
