Minute Maid Park on Jan. 30 will host the Super Bowl LI Opening Night festivities, a "combination of Media Day interviews for the press and entertainment opportunities for about 12,000 fans to get a look at the teams ... on their first full day in town," according to David Barron of the HOUSTON CHRONICLE. Tickets will cost $30 "for field level seats" and $20 for the upper deck. Around 6,000 fans attended the NFL's first Opening Night event last year at SAP Center in San Jose -- Super Bowl 50 was at Levi's Stadium -- but the "size of Minute Maid Park will enable the NFL to double ticket availability." NFL Senior VP/Events Peter O'Reilly said that the ballpark's "downtown location adjacent to the George R. Brown Convention Center and Discovery Green will provide more space for more fans at a spot closer to the city's Super Bowl week hub." Barron notes the Astros are "in the process of renovating the ballpark's center field area, removing Tal's Hill and working on new seating areas." However, construction "will not be affected" by the Opening Night festivities (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 11/18).
MISSION TO MARS: In Houston, Andrea Rumbaugh reported the Super Bowl Live fan fest will include a virtual reality ride that will allow people to "both see and feel a journey to Mars." The Future Flight ride will include a "virtual lift-off and the journey to Mars ... during the gradual upward portion of the ride." The 90-foot-drop "will quickly return riders to Earth, landing on the 50-yard-line of NRG Stadium." The ride will be open from Jan. 28-Feb. 5 as part of the fan fest (CHRON.com, 11/16).
