HOUSTON
Here's the latest recovery update from Visit Houston/Houston First following Hurricane Harvey.
"Hour by hour the landscape continues to change here, but progress is being made. You can follow along via this live webcam from the top of the George R. Brown Convention Center overlooking Discovery Green Park and Kinder Lake—the front yard of Avenida Houston.
Houston First continues to work closely with all major hotels, restaurants and retailers in the area to obtain the status of their operations. Here is an update on key facilities as of today:
- Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center (GRB) and surrounding campus, Avenida Houston, is fully operational and has sustained minimal damage. The GRB continues to serve as an emergency shelter. As of Monday, Sept. 4, the GRB shelter population had dropped to just under 1,600 from its peak of over 10,000, and we expect this number to continue to decline as we work swiftly with local and national agencies to find transitional housing for those sheltered in our facility.
- Houston First has communicated with all groups planning to use the GRB through this fall. At this time, five groups planning to use the GRB through Sept 14th have been rescheduled for later dates in 2017, and all others will go on as planned. Our goal is to reopen with the Texas Society of Association Executives September 17-19.
- According to the Hotel Lodging Association of Greater Houston, roughly 95% of hotels in and around the Greater Houston area are open for business.
- Both George Bush Intercontinental and William P. Hobby Airports resumed limited domestic passenger airline operations on Thursday, Aug. 31, and expect to be fully operational later this week.
- According to the Metro Transit Authority of Harris County, all METRORail routes, and the majority of local bus routes, resumed regular service Tuesday, Sept. 5. All park and ride facilities, as well as HOV/HOT lanes (with the exception of I-45 North) will resume normal operations Wednesday, Sept. 6.
- Avenida Houston restaurants connected to the GRB are preparing to re-open for business this week.
We have moved quickly from rescue to recovery and rebuilding.
In response to the many who’ve asked what they can do to help, we are in discussion with the hospitality community to set up a fund to help hospitality employees impacted by hurricane Harvey. We will provide more information as soon as arrangements have been made.
Houston First will provide its next update to media next week. We ask for your continued patience and understanding as we work through what has been an unprecedented natural disaster."
