Naming the Future: Amber Burda

Danielle Grossman 0:01
All right, we’re back with another episode of Mission Rodeo. We have such a special guest, Amber Burda, our Chief Operations Officer and General Manager here at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and we are talking about naming the future-the future of the complex at Highway 288-and what the name is going to be. We’re so excited to discuss the future. Amber, welcome.

Amber Burda 0:21
Thank you very much. It is exciting time.

Danielle Grossman 0:23
Yes, it is an exciting time, and congratulations to you in this new role. You have a lot going on, busy woman. How does it feel?

Amber Burda 0:33
Very exciting. Very blessed to be here in this position. You know, I’m starting off after 10 years of being here and excited in this new role.

Danielle Grossman 0:42
Well, we’re excited for you for the future and for this moment to name our property at 288. Before we dive in, we have some fun stuff. Does that work for you?

Amber Burda 0:52
Yes, ma’am.

Danielle Grossman 0:52
Okay, so we are going to get to know you a little bit more in a different episode later in the season. We’re going to talk all things Amber Burda. Okay, but just a cute little icebreaker here. What’s the most used app on your phone during Showtime?

Amber Burda 1:07
Oh God, Teams and Outlook.

Danielle Grossman 1:10
Really?

Amber Burda 1:11
Yeah. Yes. At night, I tend to get more into Facebook and Instagram and seeing how the results of the guest experience went. But definitely during the day, it is communication, communication.

Danielle Grossman 1:22
Oh yeah, I think we all agree with that. It’s just nonstop, nonstop. Pinging.

Amber Burda 1:28
Yes.

Danielle Grossman 1:28
That’s okay. I think we all have that. So, what’s your favorite food at rodeo? Like, what is your? What do you think about all season? And you’re like, this is the food I need to eat on day one.

Amber Burda 1:39
I make a round. You know, you may have to make a schedule around here. You’re gonna go to Trill burgers, and then you’re gonna go to 1932 Cattlemen’s Club, and then God. Then you just gotta have some tamales, that Alamo tamales downstairs, and it just makes you feel like you’re at rodeo.

Danielle Grossman 1:55
Oh yes, so good. I know we have a list too. We usually try to make like a circle on the property to make sure we hit all the good spots.

Amber Burda 2:01
And timing is perfection.

Danielle Grossman 2:04
It is yes, because we know the lines. 10 a.m. I’m getting a juicy burger. There you go. Doesn’t matter, right? We got to do what we got to do.

Amber Burda 2:12
I love it.

Danielle Grossman 2:12
I know. Okay, so we are here to talk about something very cool. So there’s been a contest that kicked off a bit ago, to help name the complex over at Highway 288, our new agricultural complex, 1 million square feet. It’s going to be amazing for the community, for exhibitors, for everyone involved. So let’s talk a little bit about what it takes to name such an iconic complex or building like this. Just briefly talk about that, and you know the thought that goes into to naming something that’s going to be living around for decades and for generations to come.

Amber Burda 2:50
Well, I think about where we’re sitting right now here at Reliant Park. It originally started out as Reliant Park. It switched to NRG Park or NRG Stadium, NRG Center, and most recently we just went back to the original name, the iconic of what the consumer knows, what the community knows is that it is Reliant Park. And so when you think about that, and we’re on 25 years of that partnership and the naming of this facility, what is going to stick out to you, especially in this vast, amazing community of Houston life and different venues that you have the opportunity. This is a this is a unique experience because it will be agricultural Western heritage, very focused on our mission, where no other venue in the surrounding area has that.

Danielle Grossman 3:38
Yeah, and you know, people have memories associated with building names often, right? Like they have specific memories. They’re like this happened at Reliant or this happened at NRG, and they remember. And so this is not something we’re taking lightly. This is a huge deal to name a complex of this size, and then we are taking a lot of considerations into it. Let’s talk about the contest, right? So we opened this contest originally to our volunteers because we respect their ideas and they are a huge part of every decision made this organization. So we initially opened it to them to give us some ideas of what the name could be, and we had over what 2000 submissions.

Amber Burda 4:17
It’s insane 36,000 volunteers and putting their love and respect into naming this and providing names, once in a lifetime opportunity, and I think it was the right move to involve the stakeholders that mean the most to us all the time.

Danielle Grossman 4:32
Absolutely, I mean they’re in it, you know, and they all have such different experiences here at Cho, and like they’re all in different committees, and so it’s cool to see what their thoughts are about what it should be named.

Amber Burda 4:41
Right.

Danielle Grossman 4:42
Let’s talk about some of the fun ones.

Amber Burda 4:43
Oh God!

Danielle Grossman 4:44
I think like a lot of the volunteers probably submitted these. Just like, you know, they knew it wouldn’t get chosen, but they’re still kind of great.

Amber Burda 4:51
They’re creative. They’re so creative.

Danielle Grossman 4:53
Howdyland.

Amber Burda 4:54
Howdyland. Howdy place.

Danielle Grossman 4:56
Howdy place. I actually love howdy land.

Amber Burda 4:59
Oh God, moo-seum. Yeah, we have to.

Danielle Grossman 5:05
We have to. Like, if we ever have a museum, that’s basically what it has to be called.

Amber Burda 5:09
There has to be some play on words. There may be some, you know, hidden eggs, you know, thought process when you look at. We have to do something. It’s super cute. There’s not naming, naming.

Danielle Grossman 5:19
I know. I mean, when you think about like rodeo, Western heritage, agriculture, there’s so many fun puns and things we can do with that. I mean, it’s never ending.

Amber Burda 5:28
No, never. But I’m I’m so happy that they submitted all of their great their great thoughts and collaboration into this contest.

Danielle Grossman 5:36
Yeah, and some of the submissions are absolutely incredible. And honestly, it’s going to be really hard to choose the one, but let’s talk about how we’re making this decision. The names and the words that are associated with our brand, our mission, and why we have to think so deeply about it. Right. So, first of all, you know our mission is a huge part of choosing.

Amber Burda 5:56
Absolutely.

Danielle Grossman 5:56
So, where does that fall into place when choosing a word to use in the title, or eliminating a word, right? So, like when we think about agriculture, is that we’re probably going to think about agriculture as an option to include in the name, right? Because it’s such a huge part of our mission.

Amber Burda 6:10
You have to. That’s where we started in 1932 in the idea of agriculture and how we created the Fat Show here to get to the Houston Livestock Show and rodeo, and as we progress into our next 100 years, this is going to be a pivotal complex, a area. a It’s 350 acres. It’s huge, and so it’s not just one building. It’s not just one center. It’s not one piece. It is the start to what a you said complex, the a complex of some sort in that realm of this is an entire area that we need to create a name for.

Danielle Grossman 6:47
Yeah, and a lot of the submissions that we got, right? They were very specific, like arena or building, and so that’s also something we are taking into consideration. Maybe not using a specific name for a specific facility because this is a broader complex that will eventually grow in the future.

Amber Burda 7:04
and each building will have its own name, its own focus into the future. But what we’re looking for is the entire area for a name. That’s what the contest was really geared towards: is to creating what it looks like when you come on this property, and then when you look at the arena or the Sales Pavilion or the different focus areas, could those have different names?

Danielle Grossman 7:27
Absolutely, yeah. And a lot of the key words that we’ve been entertaining and talking about with these names, right? 1932. That was our founding. That’s a huge part of us and a number we use and associate with a lot, like 1932 Cattlemen’s Club, right?

Amber Burda 7:40
Absolutely. And what else can you get from 1932? You can get heritage, you can get legacy, you can get anything into the future. Thinking of what’s going to need keep this name relevant for my kids and my grandkids as we move forward, and that’s important.

Danielle Grossman 7:56
Yes, and for a name to resonate with folks who are maybe not just exhibitors, but who are passing through, and you know, makes sense for everyone who’s experiencing agriculture and Western heritage for the first time. Because, as we know, Houston is a melting pot of people, and it’s growing day by day.

Amber Burda 8:12
It is, it is, and I think that’s why this is an incredible time to be working and being associated with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, because this is going to be such a pivotal moment into our future.

Danielle Grossman 8:23
It really is. And while we’re naming this and figuring out what this, you know, historical result will be, we also have to make sure it’s unique and it doesn’t reflect another agricultural complex somewhere else in the country, which is challenging because there are a few. None’s going to be as great as ours, obviously. But it has to be unique. It has to be unique to HLSR. It has to be special, and so that’s something that’s taken into consideration, right?

Amber Burda 8:49
Absolutely. We partner and we keep up with our relationships with these other facilities around the United States, and we want to make sure that we create a name that is legacy-driven for Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and particularly focuses on our mission, where we’re not taking anything away from any of the other facilities that are doing similar things in the United States.

Danielle Grossman 9:12
Exactly. So yeah, I think it’s going to be a difficult decision, but it’s okay. It’s going to be great. There’s so many great people that have submitted things, so we’re really excited for those who are listening or watching this. There’s two more days left to vote.

Amber Burda 9:27
Get your vote in. Yes.

Danielle Grossman 9:28
Get your vote in. Yes, two more days. It’s a pivotal time. You can be a part of this decision, so they can go to rodeohouston.com or our socials at RODEOHOUSTON for the link to the form where they can submit. So, and it’s not just this contest that people can get involved. Let’s talk talk about the other opportunities for the community businesses to leave their legacy on this complex at 288 and be a part of something greater. What does that look like?

Amber Burda 9:54
Absolutely, we are working through those pieces, and we will have more to come. But the idea is. Is that from a horseshoe in the ground to a name on the cattle arena? What can that look like from a individual, a family, a local organization or company? We want to make sure that the names that are associated with this building, they are invested into this mission, into the future of agricultural and Western experience for the community, and we continue to push that educational commitment as well with their collection into their naming rights during that time.

Danielle Grossman 10:34
That’s amazing. I feel like the opportunity is truly endless with this place. I mean, it’s still we’re still designing it, but you know, 100, you know, a million square feet. That’s a lot of territory to cover.

Amber Burda 10:46
It really is, and the creative geniuses behind this of art installations with potential used cowboy hats that your family grew up with, or boots, or lasso, saddles, things that hit that Western heritage experience that comes from your families is definitely an opportunity into what you can leave your legacy with.

Danielle Grossman 11:10
Is there going to be an opportunity for you know maybe not big businesses but smaller smaller businesses individuals like what does that look like for opportunity to get involved in some way, no matter where you come from or the size of company you have.

Amber Burda 11:25
Absolutely, our legacy giving director is focused on this to ensure that everybody has an opportunity if they want to leave something as a naming rights or a piece of their family heritage in some sort of fashion. There will be an option for them.

Danielle Grossman 11:41
Why do you think it’s so important for the community to? Obviously, we want people to be a part of this, but why is so important to our organization? I mean, this is a building for the community, right? So, talk a little bit more about that and why it’s so special to us.

Speaker 1 11:55
Personally, it’s. I’ve been coming to the rodeo for decades. I’ve been bringing my kids. I’ve attended here with my grandparents, my parents, my aunts. I mean, it’s a family atmosphere. And so, when you think about going from a couple of weeks of an event and now expanding it to an entire year, I cannot wait until my family gets to experience what we’ve been looking at and planning for years to get to where we are now, and so I think those stories resonate with millions of people in the community and people that have used to live here and have, you know, flew out of Texas and moved elsewhere. They continue to come back. It’s for them as well, and I think it’s somewhere for to make memories with our mission in mind, and there are a lot of the community that doesn’t know everything about agricultural and where your food comes from and your fiber, and so being able to utilize that year-round will be very important to them as well,

Danielle Grossman 12:56
especially for you know young folks in Houston, Greater Houston, even the region, right? To come, get an education and learn-not just in March. You know that is just so pivotal for our mission to be able to share that, and and then those people, those community businesses to get involved and be a part of that. And so, I mean, there’s so much opportunity.

Amber Burda 13:19
So much opportunity, and it will look different year round versus what it looks like during show, of course. And we’re excited about all of that.

Danielle Grossman 13:29
I know it’s there’s a lot coming. It’s going to be changing. But the name itself, Amber. So we’re in this contest, which is pretty incredible. We’re announcing this name on september 17, which is the groundbreaking of the agricultural complex. Are you excited?

Amber Burda 13:48
I’m very excited. September 17 could not get here soon enough, but not too soon. But we we have a little bit more work to get there. But very excited to showcase, put that shovel into the ground, get this started, so that by 2029 we are open and welcoming our our community, our exhibitors, our volunteers, and our top stakeholders.

Danielle Grossman 14:11
I was talking with Wesley Sinor, Chris Bolman, and we were talking about the timeline, and we said it out loud, and I was like, 24 months. That sounds like you know it’s going to be here before you know it. It’s it really is, and we are thinking with 2029 in mind. That is so important for us to start planning now.

Amber Burda 14:31
Absolutely, 2027 show will be here soon, and that’s obviously still forefront and still making that magic happen. But at the same time, what will 2029 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo look like during that month of March is really how we’re we’re focusing our our future and how our meetings and how the planning situation is going right now.

Danielle Grossman 14:56
So very cool. I’m excited to see which one is chosen.

Amber Burda 14:59
Me too! Name is coming.

Danielle Grossman 15:01
It is coming.

Amber Burda 15:02
Vote.

Danielle Grossman 15:03
It’ll be nice to have a name and say, okay, this is the complex instead of you know we keep 280 highway 288 agricultural complex, which is still great, but you know having a name to identify with something so grand is great.

Amber Burda 15:16
Looking forward to it.

Danielle Grossman 15:17
I know. Okay, so this is an exciting time to be at the rodeo for someone who’s not familiar or hasn’t been or is coming for the first time. What are three words to describe? What three words you would use to describe the rodeo? Oh

Amber Burda 15:31
Oh God, family. I’m gonna. This is just family memories, and world class.

Danielle Grossman 15:45
Yes, good one.

Amber Burda 15:48
I’m just you grow up here. This is where you you you know what you’re doing in March. That’s what you’re doing, and my kids do now as well.

Danielle Grossman 15:56
Absolutely, our kids live here.

Amber Burda 15:59
Yes, yes!

Danielle Grossman 16:00
As they should, that’s awesome. I like those words. Okay, I have another question for you. Okay, when you were like 10, or when you were younger, what was your dream job?

Amber Burda 16:10
I knew I was gonna run something.

Danielle Grossman 16:12
Of course you were, and I think your mother Leanna would say absolutely.

Amber Burda 16:17
Yes, yes, you know, climbing head cheerleader and then sorority life and government affairs. Anyways, yeah. So and then of course, when you co-grow up coming to here, getting into the event and fair business 20 years ago was definitely a blessing. And then as I was able to work with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on the business development side, and then come to the side. It definitely, the previous company could not hold me back. I said, “I’m leaving. I’m coming to my dream job. I’m coming to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Danielle Grossman 16:53
Absolutely.

Amber Burda 16:54
and that was 10 years ago.

Danielle Grossman 16:56
A blink of an eye.

Speaker 2 16:57
Blink of an eye.

Danielle Grossman 16:57
I mean, I think about it too, and I’m like, five or five shows. How did that happen? I feel like we just got here, but in that duration of time, like your decade, my half a decade, I just feel like the evolution has been so crazy in a great way. Right, we’re just growing so fast, but because the people want it, it’s needed, it’s necessary, and it’s time.

Amber Burda 17:20
It is. It is. And and this is why this moment of 2029 in mind is so important. Is that yes? We don’t want to lose the focus of our upcoming show and event. is going to be here before we know it. But 20, we have outgrown this area, and we’re going to expand, and we’re excited.

Danielle Grossman 17:42
We’re very excited, and we’ve been working on this for a long time. So for us, I think it’s just it’s kind of like it feels good to be able to talk about it. Yeah, you know, because all of us internally have just been like you know meeting about it for years, and so it feels really nice to feel the response from the community and what they have to say. What have you heard?

Amber Burda 18:03
Oh God, great! All of our official partners want to know more. They cannot sit still. They keep on asking, “What’s going to happen? What what is going to look like in 2029 at Reliant Park versus what’s going to happen at Highway 288? And once we have that name, we can…

Danielle Grossman 18:22
exactly

Amber Burda 18:23
funnel that. But they’re looking forward to how they can be interactive not only during showtime but year round at that facility. And so I think that the the livestock exhibitors, your FFA 4-H chapters, are very excited. I think they can see the future of being able to host events at that facility. Where right now we don’t have that opportunity to assist in that realm for them. This is going to operate or give them the opportunity to do that, which is truly obviously one of our pillars is to associate with those organizations,

Danielle Grossman 19:01
Yeah, I think people are craving the year-round aspect.

Amber Burda 19:05
They really are.

Danielle Grossman 19:05
Yeah, so we’re all excited about that. So for the folks who maybe have a business or want to contribute, get involved, leave their legacy on this complex, we are going to share more information September 17. We are going to have a dedicated page at rodeohouston.com so they can get information, learn more about how they can contribute, be a part of it, and of course, we’re going to announce the name.

Amber Burda 19:27
Announcing the name will be extremely exciting.

Danielle Grossman 19:29
I know. Thank you, Amber, for talking all things 288 and rodeo. It’s been great. I love it. Yeah. All right. Thanks for being on Mission Rodeo. Until next

Amber Burda 19:33
I love it.

Danielle Grossman 19:34
Yeah. All right. Thanks for being on Mission Rodeo. Until next time.