An assortment of politically connected stakeholders – including politicians, a television news anchor, and a labor union that is active in Democratic Party politics – were among those who received free World Cup tickets from the component of Harris County government that runs NRG Park.
The Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation maintains a suite at NRG Stadium where it routinely entertains high-profile leaders at events hosted at the facility. According to its website, “The Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation (HCSCC), is a component of Harris County, Texas, which was created by the Commissioners Court of Harris County, Texas for the purposes of aiding and acting on behalf of Harris County in managing, operating, maintaining and developing the sports and entertainment complex located on County-owned property, known as NRG Park.”
The Texas Voice requested records from the HCSCC to see who all benefited from its hospitality so far this year.
Daniella Guzman, a news anchor for KPRC-TV, was given three tickets to the June 17 World Cup match between Portugal and four tickets to a Bruno Mars concert held at NRG Stadium on April 22. On her social media accounts, Guzman posted video of her sitting in a luxury suite at the World Cup match, accompanied by her parents.
By accepting these tickets, Guzman potentially violated the station’s policies concerning conflicts of interest. KPRC-TV General Manager Sean McLaughlin told The Texas Voice that the station has opened an internal investigation into the matter, adding, “Our station takes journalistic ethics very seriously along with anything that could potentially create even the appearance of a conflict of interest. Due to this being a personnel matter, we won’t have any other comments.”
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and all four Harris County Commissioners received World Cup tickets from the HCSCC.
According to the records obtained from the HCSCC, Hidalgo was given tickets to the June 23 World Cup match. County Commissioner Lesley Briones received tickets to three World Cup matches, receiving four tickets each to the matches on June 17 and June 23, and two tickets to the June 20 match. Briones also received five tickets to the Bruno Mars concert.
County Commissioner Rodney Ellis received eight tickets to the Bruno Mars concert, along with four tickets each to the June 17 and June 29 World Cup matches, and two tickets to the July 4 World Cup match. His Chief of Staff, Brandon Dudley, received two tickets to the Bruno Mars concert and two tickets to the June 29 World Cup match.
County Commissioner Adrian Garcia received six tickets to the Bruno Mars concert and four tickets each to the June 26 and July 4 World Cup matches, while Commissioner Tom Ramsey received four tickets to the June 29 World Cup match and 2 tickets to the July 4 match.
Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham was the only statewide elected official to receive free World Cup tickets from the HCSCC, having been given three tickets to the June 20 match and two tickets to the June 29 match. State Representative Mary Ann Perez received four tickets to the June 17 match.
Former Houston City Councilwoman Letitia Plummer, who is currently the Democratic nominee for Harris County Judge, received two tickets to the Bruno Mars concert. At the time of the concert, Plummer was engaged in a hotly contested Democratic Primary runoff campaign against former Houston Mayor Annise Parker.
Elsa Flores, Commissioner Rodney Ellis’ appointee to the HCSCC Board, received four tickets to the Bruno Mars concert and two tickets each to the June 14, June 29, and July 4 World Cup matches. Flores serves as President of the Texas branch of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which is active in Democratic Party politics. SEIU Texas, which Flores leads, was given four tickets to the July 4 World Cup match.
Erica Lee Carter, the daughter of the late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee who was recently hired as Harris County’s new County Administrator, was given two tickets to the June 14 World Cup match.
Other notable recipients of free tickets from the HCSCC included Houston City College Trustee Adriana Tamez, METRO Board Chairman Elizabeth Brock, METRO Board member Holly Flynn Vilaseca, Houston Police Chief J. Noe Diaz, Jr., and former Congressman Filemon Vela, who now serves on the HCSCC Board.
In April, the Houston Chronicle reported that multiple elected officials and Harris County employees received free tickets from the HCSCC to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
