Super Bowl LI Tourists Expected In Sugar Land This Week

SUGAR LAND, TX - Super Bowl LI may be being played in Houston, but other nearby cities are taking the opportunity to showcase their own city and for Sugar Land, the preparation begins at their own regional airport.

Visitors from all over the world are expected to be flying into airports this week for Super Bowl LI, and the Sugar Land Regional Airport, known as the Luxury Gateway to Houston, has already booked 400 reservations, which translates to 200 aircraft on the ground.

The Sugar Land Regional Airport accommodates the largest business jets and annually serves more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. Its close proximity to the Houston and Gulf Coast region, as well as onsite U.S. Customs service, which minimizes the travel time for busy regional and international corporate executives and contributes to the economic strength of the region.

Many of those visitors flying into the regional airport have also booked hotel rooms in the city, will spend their money at local shopping venues, and will be eating at local restaurants.

The capacity crowd expected in Sugar Land this week will fuel the city's growing tourism efforts, providing an important source of revenue that supports the high level of services residents expect while also maintaining one of the state's lowest tax rates.

Many businesses are planning Super Bowl activities, including the recently announced Maxim party at the Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land, which will include both indoor and outdoor activities for ticketed attendees at the private event that will necessitate the closure of a section of Lexington Boulevard immediately adjacent to the venue.

Sugar Land's 6,400-seat live performance center is one of several entertainment venues identified by citizens and approved by voters to promote tourism. It is projected to provide an annual benefit to the community of $26.1 million over 30 years.

Sugar Land will activate its emergency operations center during Super Bowl weekend to coordinate additional police, traffic and citizen communication resources that may be needed to address the possibility of traffic, noise and other concerns.

The parking lot of Constellation Field, 1 Stadium Drive, has been contracted as an official transportation staging area.

City officials said that about 750 vehicles will be parked at the baseball stadium for use in Houston during Super Bowl weekend.

Mercer Stadium, located at 16403 Lexington Blvd., will also be used.

The majority of the vehicles are expected to leave the parking lots early Sunday morning and return later that evening.

While Super Bowl visitors will arrive at Sugar Land Regional Airport during various times this week, their departures are expected to occur during a short time frame from Sunday night into Monday morning.

City leaders are asking residents to be patient during Super Bowl weekend, as city employees work hard to mitigate any inconveniences as part of this unique region-wide event.

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