NRG Park's Mastaglio on transition from rodeo to Final Four: 'The court build starts on Wednesday'

The 91st Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR) is history, and NRG Park officials have shifted their focus to the Final Four of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's basketball tournament, per Houston-based media outlets.

Nearly half a decade of planning has come down to just more than a week until NRG Stadium plays host to the climax and conclusion of March Madness for the third time this century.

Just like Houston’s late winter signature event, the Final Four is expected to draw thousands of people and millions of dollars. 

“This is the exciting time,” Holly Kesteron, the president of the entity responsible for bringing the hoops-centric event to Space City, said in a report from Houston NBC affiliate KPRC. “We have been working on this for years now.” 

The dirt that covered the NRG Stadium floor for the past three weeks will make way for the hardwood court and extra seating to be utilized at the beginning of April.

Per Houston ABC affiliate KTRK, Leah Mastaglio, the complex’s assistant general manager (GM), said that the work will be virtually nonstop. 

“The court build starts on Wednesday, so every day around the clock, we have logistics and logistics and logistics happening to make this thing work," Mastaglio told KTRK. 

SportsLogos, a Canadian website that bills itself as “a virtual museum” devoted to the history of “graphic design in the world of sports,” reported that the court is a tribute to Houston’s strong association with spaceflight and exploration.

KPRC reported that while NRG Stadium is the epicenter of the Final Four, Downtown Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center (GRB) and Discovery Green will host Final Four Fan Fest and the March Madness Music Festival, respectively.

Rapper and Pearland native Megan Thee Stallion will be among the cadre of artists to perform at the free concert.

The University of Houston (UH), Texas Southern University (TSU) and Rice University are the Final Four hosts, with the Cougars looking to win the national championship as the de facto home team.

UH will play in its fourth straight Sweet Sixteen on Friday against the University of Miami (FL) Hurricanes.