By Rachel Estrada, CW39 Houston – August 1, 2025
HOUSTON (KIAH) – Harris County residents want more entertainment options — and many are willing to help pay for it.
A new survey by the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs, discovered that a majority of local registered voters want a wider variety of sports and entertainment, including wanting a WNBA and NHA team. How about a theme park and resort too?
The survey also found widespread support for Houston hosting seven men’s FIFA World Cup matches in 2026, with 75% of voters expressing excitement — including 84% of Latino voters.
When it comes to funding, voters appear open to using public money for improvements to NRG Stadium and even for reviving the Astrodome as an entertainment venue. About 62% support a public-private partnership to renovate the long-closed stadium.
Support for NRG upgrades may be driven by the popularity of its two key tenants — the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (81% favorability) and the Houston Texans (73%).
While opinions varied on how much public funding should be used, only 26% of voters opposed using any taxpayer dollars at all.
Other findings:
- 68% support building a theme park resort in the Houston area
- 61% said they would visit the park at least once a year
- A proposed motor speedway drew the least enthusiasm, with 48% support
The full survey was conducted July 9–18 in English and Spanish and has a margin of error of ±2.04%.