Houston, We Have Lift Off

America's fourth largest city has launched a massive transformation in the 13 years between hosting Super Bowls.

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Jan 31, 2017, 11:07 ET

HOUSTON, Jan. 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- With the world's gaze shifting to Houston for this year's Super Bowl, excuse onlookers for any inadvertent eye-popping that transpires. Houston isn't the same city it was following the 2004 Super Bowl, as $1 billion of development has transformed downtown (and set the scene for an additional $1.7 billion in the coming years).

Cosmetic improvements and a more vibrant Downtown and Midtown scene were among the elements that created a unique campus feel that the Super Bowl selection team was looking for when it chose the city. Among those improvements is Discovery Green, a former parking lot that is now a 12-acre downtown park, one of Houston's top destinations for locals, and headquarters for the 10-day Super Bowl LIVE festivities that open to the public on Saturday, January 28.

In that same area, the 29-story Marriott Marquis Houston opened in December and the George R. Brown Convention Center received a $175 million upgrade. A new restaurant row along pedestrian-friendly Avenida Avenue is also taking shape, with 10 new restaurants, along with art and sculpture installations highlighting Houston's emerging arts scene.

Elsewhere, a residential real estate boom around Houston's core has also been in motion, including the new 40-story Market Square Tower, and light rail access has tripled in the city, expanding to nearly 23 miles from seven back in 2004.

For a concise look at all of the changes to Houston, please see the corresponding infographic highlighting the transformation, prepared by the Greater Houston Partnership.

Greater Houston Partnership works to make Houston one of the world's best places to live, work and build a business. It represents 11 counties: Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Walker and Waller. With more than 1,000 member organizations, the Partnership represents approximately one-fifth of the region's workforce. Visit the Partnership at www.houston.org.