HOUSTON -
Home to a stunning skyline, a vibrant economy, world-class culture and an eclectic mix of affordable housing, Houston is a dynamic cosmopolitan city and popular international destination. Resident companies in theater, ballet, symphony and opera, professional sports, fine dining in more than 11,000 restaurants and shopping at the Galleria draw people to Houston like a magnet. Downtown Houston is a melting pot for residential development, business and entertainment. It currently enjoys revitalization efforts resulting in a virtual explosion of growth. Newly constructed projects include Reliant Stadium, the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts and Bayou Place.

The fourth largest city in the U.S. with almost two million people, Houston is located in the southeast corner of Texas, one hour from the Gulf of Mexico. The oil boom of the early 1900s created wave after wave of skyscraper construction in the urban core. Today, many of the original residential and commercial facades have been preserved and marked for historical significance in the Downtown Historic District. Midtown Houston is an urban neighborhood looking forward to the completion of a 7.5-mile light rail project in 2004 that will connect downtown to the Texas Medical Center, the largest in the world of its kind. The historic East End represents the backbone of the city's early industry. MORE