NRG Stadium, formerly Reliant Stadium, is the home of the Houston Texans of the NFL. The initial plans for the stadium started in 1997 when Houston NFL Holdings, the group that represented the NFL expansion team for Houston reached out to HOK Sport to begin design work for the NFL’s first retractable roof stadium. The stadium’s goal was to have the intimate indoor feeling mimicking the Astrodome, but also allowing for the roof to be open on pleasant Houston fall and winter days. Groundbreaking for the stadium began on March 9, 2000 on a site neighboring the Astrodome. The structure was topped off in October of 2001 with the official opening coming on August 24, 2002 when the new Houston Texans lost their first ever preseason game to the Miami Dolphins. Capacity for the stadium sat at a respectable 69.500 putting it on pace with other NFL stadiums.
The playing surface for the stadium was equally as innovative as its retractable roof. The Texans used a system of trays of sod on which the grass surface grew. The concept was abandoned in 2015 when the Texans installed artificial turf to be used on high school and later Texans games.
The design for the stadium itself was revolutionary for the time. Unlike the domed and fabric roof structures of the past that often felt dark and cramped, Reliant Stadium would have large windows to create an extremely open feeling.The fabric roof as previously mentioned was the first retractable roof system in the NFL. The seam meets at the 50 yard line and the roof can be open from nearly end zone to end zone in only 7 minutes time with the panels traveling at a speed of 35 feet per minute.
The stadium despite being relatively new has already seen a fair amount of updates. In 2012 to ensure a Super Bowl host selection for Houston, the stadium's end zone screens were replaced with some of the largest displays at any stadium in the world with a total viewing area of 14,549 square feet.
The stadium has successfully hosted two Super Bowls with perhaps the most famous being Super Bowl 38, home of the famous wardrobe malfunction. Super Bowl 51 was also hosted at the stadium and is famous for being the first Super Bowl to go into overtime.
Aside from football, the stadium was also purpose built to host Houston’s famous Rodeo and Live Stock show. For three weeks every March the stadium is host to bulls, broncos, steer, and other animals, as well as other concession areas, and a high tech 42 foot concert stage where notable musicians perform during the three weeks of festivities.
In addition to hosting the Texans and rodeo, the stadium is also home to various college football games, with the crown jewel College Football National championship game coming in 2024. International soccer games have also been hosted consistently at the stadium since its opening in 2003.
NRG Stadium had massive shoes to fill as the replacement for the eighth wonder of the world Astrodome. While the Astrodome will always have a special place in the heart for Oilers and Astros fans, NRG does a good job of providing a more modern stadium experience, while still retaining a feeling of an intimate fan experience.