NFL REPORTS RECORD ATTENDANCE DURING "NFL EXPERIENCE" IN HOUSTON More than 200,000 Flocked to Expanded George R. Brown Convention Center
2.25.2004 -- In another yardstick to measure the success of Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston, the National Football League is reporting that attendance at the NFL Experience fan festival held at the George R. Brown Convention Center (GRBCC) was an all-time record.
NFL officials reported 208,687 attended the interactive indoor theme park over the course of eight days at t he newly expanded GRBCC. No Super Bowl host city has attracted more fans in the 13-year history of the event.
Announced attendance of 61,646 on Saturday, January 31 – the day before the big game – constituted an all-time record for attendance in the 16-year history of the GRBCC, breaking the record of 39,038 established the previous Saturday. The NFL Experience spanned the entire ground floor of the building, which, at 1,600 feet from end to end, is more that five football fields long.
“The George R. Brown's ability to manage unprecedented crowds was very gratifying,” GRBCC director Dawn Ullrich said. “Because of our expansion effort, we are able to offer plenty of elbow room for everyone. Even though the crowds were large, everyone was able to comfortably enjoy the NFL Experience.”
“In the final evaluation, this bodes well for future events, particularly for the John Hancock Baseball Fan Fest that will be held here in July before the Major League All-Star Game,” Ullrich said.
The George R. Brown Convention Center in December completed a $165 million expansion project that nearly doubled the size of the facility, which grew from four exhibit halls to seven. At 1.85 million gross square feet, the George R. Brown now ranks among the 10 largest convention centers in America.
