$6.1bn NFL team faces relocation decision as renovations to ‘below average’ stadium climb to $1.4bn

The Houston Texans have a big decision to make.

NRG Stadium, which the Super Bowl LX chasing team has called home since 2002, has fallen behind the curve.

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The Texans made the 2025 NFL Playoffs as the AFC’s 5th seed, meaning they won’t be hosting a postseason game, and instead travel to Gillette Stadium for a showdown against the New England Patriots on Sunday for a place in the conference championship game.

It is, perhaps, lucky that the franchise are playing on the road.

A 2024 facility assessment found NRG Stadium was ‘in average or below average condition compared to its peers’ and in need of serious upgrades.

Those upgrades would cost $1.4billion, to be exact, according to a report from the Houston Chronicle.

Some of the repairs needed include a new roof, new scoreboards and replacement of seating, elevators and escalators.

Any premium features the NFL team, valued at $6.1bn, may want to add begin to approach the cost of a stadium rebuild.

Therefore, a question has been posed.

Should the Texans renovate NRG Stadium, or is building a new facility the better option?

Is there a chance the Texans could relocate?

In January 2025, the franchise hired Mike Tomon as their new team president.

Announcing the move, CEO Cal McNair said: “Mike is a proven leader who brings more than 20 years of experience in sports and entertainment to our team.

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“His extensive background in stadium development and passion for inspiring those around him shined during our conversations.

“As we enter this next chapter as an organization, I’m looking forward to the future of our business operations under his leadership.”

One of the biggest issues Tomon has been hoping to tackle, is that of NRG Stadium, which sits next to the biggest abandoned stadium in USA.

The Texans are said working on a new lease agreement, as the current one ends in 2032, but as McNair noted in January, one of Tomon’s qualities is his ‘extensive background in stadium development.’

He was previously an executive at Legends, a stadium operations firm co-founded by Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, where he worked on arrangements for new NFL stadiums in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Buffalo.

The Houston Chronicle speculated 11 months ago that McNair’s praise of Tomon’s history suggested the Texans may have bigger ambitions than renovating NRG.

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“Two sources familiar with the Texans’ thinking told the Chronicle the Texans have explored the possibility of a new stadium, though the team has not committed to that path,” the Chronicle’s report read.

“The team has not proposed a new stadium in the lease negotiations, and the ultimate decision will depend on what makes the most financial sense for the Texans, the Rodeo and Harris County, which owns the campus and leases it to the two organizations.”

However, Tomon later indicated NRG Stadium remains the priority for the franchise.

He said the Texans are focused on renovations — not building a new venue — and that moving the team out of the Greater Houston area is completely off the table.

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Any decision, though, will likely hinge on the price of renovation, which has been estimated at $1.4bn.

What do locals think of the NRG Stadium situation?

A study conducted by the University of Houston in July 2025 revealed that a majority of Harris County residents are in favor of using public funds to renovate NRG Stadium — while also reviving the iconic Astrodome next door.

Renee Cross, senior executive director of the Hobby School of Public Affairs at UH, believes strong support for NRG Stadium’s two major tenants — the Texans and the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo — likely played a part in support of using public funds.

“We found that 81% of voters have a favorable opinion of the rodeo, and 73% say the same about the Texans,” she said in the news release.

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“A substantial number of voters also agree that some public funding for renovations is appropriate.”

More than 60% of people canvassed were enthusiastic about the stadium hosting World Cup games later this year, while a majority also expressed interest in bringing an NHL team to the area.

The public opinion, it seems, is in favor of the Texans staying NRG Stadium.

If voters really are in favor of using public funds to help pay for renovations, that is no doubt helpful to the team ownership that are said to be weighing up options.

Should the Texans bring Super Bowl glory back to Houston this year, that might further help their cause.

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