According to previous reporting, the chairperson of the authority is jointly selected by the mayor and Harris County Commissioners Court with approval by Houston City Council. Harris County commissioners voted 3-2 in favor of Garcia’s appointment Oct. 29.
What you need to know
The HCHSA was originally created in 1997 to finance, maintain and build sports venues in Houston, and since then, has expanded to also promote the region for sports-related events, according to previous reporting. This includes having a hand in winning bids to host the upcoming World Baseball Classic and seven matches of the FIFA World Cup in 2026.
Friedman served on the authority's board for 22 years, including 17 as chair, before voluntarily departing earlier this fall. His term—which Garcia will now fill—was not set to expire until August. Earlier in October, the HCHSA board voted to remove longtime CEO Janis Burke, who had served 18 years as CEO.
Career history
Garcia said he was born in Brownsville and grew up in the Hiram Clarke area of Houston, having attended Petersen Elementary School. He is a graduate of the University of Houston system, an attorney, and involved in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Garcia said he is the first Hispanic member in the HLSR’s history to serve on its Executive Committee.
What they’re saying
“I couldn’t be more excited to have his leadership, his collaboration with all levels of government and his civic involvement,” Mayor John Whitmire said. “We really have as the highest priority to get ready for the [FIFA] World Cup. It has us on the international scene, so marshal your team in the right direction and do whatever it takes to have a successful World Cup.”
“I appreciate the opportunity here to work both with the county and the city to move the sports authority forward. I know it’s done great things, it’s impacted our city and our county in immeasurable ways, and I look forward to kind of moving that along in this new era of redevelopment that we need to take place both for our major organizations and the facilities that we have,” Garcia said.
Going forward
According to previous reporting, Garcia’s term is effective immediately and expires Aug. 31, 2025.
In similar news
During the Nov. 6 meeting, City Council members also appointed Angel Ponce-Trevizo to the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County’s board of directors. Ponce-Trevizo serves as the director of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities.
“When I became disabled in 2004, I remember sitting in the hospital, healing from my injury, thinking to myself, ‘The world out there is not made for somebody like me, for somebody with a disability.’ ... But fortunately for me and for others like me, METRO and METROLift was there to help me gain my independence back,” Ponce-Trevizo said. “Its footprint serves as a lifeline for so many Houstonians like me, so I truly, really from the bottom of my heart, look forward to what’s to come for METRO.”
Ponce-Trevizo said he shares the goal of making METRO a public transportation option that is equal, safe, clean, viable and accessible for all residents.
“When I was looking for someone that would accept that responsibility and unite this community, represent the disabled community on METRO, you don’t have to look very far,” Whitmire said. “This is just a win-win for the citizens of Houston and certainly the disability community.”
Ponce-Trevizo will serve in Position 1 as the city of Houston’s METRO appointee with a term ending April 7, 2026, according to meeting information.
