The NFL has reportedly required up to $50 million in upgrades to NRG Stadium in advance of the 2017 Super Bowl.  Many of the upgrades would be to the luxury boxes and club section inhabited by the Swells.   The question of who will foot the bill is up in the air and no one is stepping forward.  To his credit, County Commissioner Steve Radack has stated that Harris County should not be on the hook.  The Houston Chronicle reports that Radack is adamant about not spending taxpayer money on a perfectly good stadium.

If the NFL has its way, luxury boxes and club seats at NRG Stadium will undergo major upgrades at the expense of Harris County or its tenants before Super Bowl LI arrives in Houston in 2017.

But if the decision is up to Harris County Commissioner Steve Radack, using public funds to improve suites for corporate executives and billion-dollar companies would be a non-starter.

“I’m not about to vote to spend a single dollar of county money updating these luxury suites,” Radack said.

 With 21 months to go until the sporting event that launches Houston onto the world stage for one glorious Sunday, much work still remains to prepare for the big party. One of the most significant tasks appears to be dressing up NRG Stadium. The price for seating updates and other improvements could rise as high as $50 million, including $5 million to enhance the facility’s WiFi capacity, sources previously have told the Houston Chronicle.

Red likes the Texans and likes going to at least a couple of games each season.  Red’s tickets are in Section 547 – up there with the Riff and the Raff. Nonetheless, Red is all on board for upgrading WiFi at the stadium.  It is almost impossible to get a signal from some of the carriers during a game.  But there is no way that taxpayers should be paying for upgrades to luxury boxes and club level seats.  The denizens of those hallowed grounds are the last ones who should be looking for a hand out from Harris County – since no doubt a goodly number of them are virulently anti-tax.

Photo of oddly legless bulls in front of NRG Stadium from stadiumjourney.com