The newest team in the NFL, the Houston Texans, call NRG stadium home, giving Houston NFL fans another shot at reaching the Super Bowl, as the previous Houston franchise only won championships as an AFL franchise back in the early 1960s before moving to Tennessee and becoming the Titans.

Originally opened as Reliant Stadium on August 24th, 2002, NRG bought the naming rights to a suite of professional sports stadiums, resulting in these properties falling under the title of NRG Park – which cost $300 million for this 32-year marketing arrangement. Finished at a cost of $352 million, this was the first NFL stadium that featured a retractable roof. The first event in this stadium was a preseason tilt between the Texans and the Dolphins, which Miami took by a score of 24-3.

Hurricane Ike took a bite out of this stadium in 2008, ripping parts of the roof off, scattering debris and water damage across the facility. The building was still structurally sound, but the damage to the roof forced the Texans to play the entire season with an open roof until repairs during Winter of 2009.

Houston Texans Stadium

The latest NFLPA survey of playing fields around the league revealed generally positive feedback about the playing surface at NRG Stadium, which was voted as the seventh best natural playing field in the league. Doubtlessly, the dome helps protect the natural turf, which is comprised of Tifway 419 Bermuda Grass.

The Houston Texans have done well to take care of their home over the past five years, with the exception of a disastrous 2013 season in which they only won one game at home all season. Since 2010, they've gone 21-19 for a .525 winning percentage, which rises to .625 if you exclude their awful 2013 campaign.

Fans of the Houston Texans have a dedicated area known as the Bull Pen, where the most enthusiastic are encouraged to go nuts to support their beloved team. Their proximity to the field allows the Bull Pen to engage with the on-field action in a more direct manner, giving a boost to the fortunes of the Texans.

Stadium Vitals

Date Opened: August 24th, 2002

Construction Cost: $352 million

Architect: Populous; Hermes Architects

Capacity Attendance: 71,795

Playing Surface: Tifway 419 Bermuda Grass

Previous Houston Texan Stadiums

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Other Major Events 

Super Bowl XXXVIII & LI

NRG Stadium was the home of what might be the greatest Super Bowl match of all time, when the Patriot barely squeaked past the Panthers for a 32-29 win. IT was the most watched Super Bowl at the time, attracting an audience of more than 144 million. The Super Bowl is slated to return to this facility in 2017.

WrestleMania XXV

The 25th WrestleMania took place at NRG Stadium, which included a live performance by Kid Rock, Triple H defending his title against Randy Orton and John Cena beating The Big Show and Edge for the heavyweight title. This was also the site of one of the greatest matches ever, when The Undertaker tombstoned Shawn Michaels to lift his WrestleMania record to 17-0.

March Madness

College basketball's finest event has taken place at NRG Stadium during the 2008, 2010 and 2015 campaigns, including the Final Four of the 2011 tournament. The Final Four is slated to return to this facility in 2016.