Houston Texans' Reported Stadium Plan Trashed by State's Largest Newspaper

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Theo Burman is a Newsweek Live News Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is on U.S. politics and international news, as well as the impact of digital culture on elections. He has covered electoral and cultural issues extensively in the U.S. and the U.K., along with high-profile legal cases such as the trials of Andrew Tate and Donald Trump. Theo joined Newsweek in 2024 and has previously written for Dexerto, PinkNews, and News UK. He is a graduate of Durham University and News Associates.You can get in touch with Theo by emailing t.burman@newsweek.com. Languages: English.

Theo Burman

Live News Reporter

The biggest newspaper in Texas has condemned the idea of the Houston Texans getting a new stadium.

The Houston Chronicle slammed reports that the NFL team might be moving home, saying that the project would cost too much money.

Why It Matters

The Houston Texans have been based at the publicly-funded NRG Stadium since 2002. However, the building now needs maintenance, leading management to explore other options for the team.

What to Know

The Houston Chronicle, which has a readership of around 6 million, reported Wednesday that the Texans' management has "explored the possibility of a new stadium."

Later in the week, the paper published an op-ed condemning the idea as a waste of public spending, pointing out that taxpayers had not yet finished paying the original cost of the NRG stadium.

"You don't tear down your house when the living room just needs a little paint," the paper's editorial board wrote.

"Unless, that is, you are an NFL team. NRG, it seems, doesn't have as many luxury suites as the homes of several other teams. Boo-hoo for the billionaires. Would taxpayers have to foot the bill for a new stadium? Harris County hasn't even paid off NRG yet.

"Plus, what would we do with yet another empty stadium in that parking lot? Our sky-high taxes are already pricing folks out of their homes. Come to think of it, that prime property where NRG sits would be a great spot for new housing that would be affordable to teachers, plumbers, first responders, fast-food workers and the rest of us."

The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority, which financed the original stadium, still owes $1 billion on the development, and is not scheduled to pay it off fully until 2056.

What People Are Saying

Houston Texans spokesperson Omar Majzoub told Newsweek: "Our priority has always been to support a renovation of NRG Stadium and that's where our focus remains. As we've said before, we are committed to exploring all potential solutions to ensure long-term success and we look forward to working with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Harris County and HSCCC (the Harris County Sports and Convention Corp.) in identifying the best path forward."