HOUSTON - About 500 workers are transforming Reliant Stadium from a massive rodeo to one of college basketball’s biggest stages.
The preparations for the NCAA South Regionals come after a record-breaking year for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which ran March 2-21.
Stadium officials said workers will be setting 16,424 chairs, moving 6,000 yards of dirt and cleaning 1.9 million square feet.
They are expected to finish by 9 a.m. Wednesday.
Rodeo organizers said this year’s entertainment lineup—with headliners like Keith Urban, the Black Eyed Peas and Justin Bieber—pushed attendance above two million people for the first time ever.
“Weather (also) really helped,” said Leroy Shafer, the event’s chief operating officer. “People wanted to get out and have fun. Also, the economy is still a factor. We’re extremely affordable.”
This isn’t the first time crews have faced a difficult turnaround. In 2008, Houston also hosted the southern regionals. They had 80 hours for the transition back then. This year - only 60.
“You’re talking about two world class events back-to-back,” Shafer said. “Very few cities can say that.”
Other regionals are taking place around the country starting Thursday. The other sites are Salt Lake City, St. Louis and Syracuse. All of them are leading up to the Final Four in Indianapolis.
Houston hosts the Final Four next year.
