HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Janice Burke, CEO of the Harris County Houston Sports Authority, is retiring after nearly 20 years with the organization.
The agency’s board of directors voted Friday on a settlement and mutual release between them and the former CEO.
Chairman of the Board J. Friedman issued the following statement:
“The Harris County Houston Sports Authority and its Board of Directors would like to thank Janice Burke for her extraordinary and groundbreaking 18 years as CEO of HCHSA. Her efforts have made Houston and Harris County a destination for a wide range of national and international sporting events, bringing over $2 billion in economic activity to the region. The sports industry wishes Janice all the best in her future endeavors.”
The sports authority, which Whitmire founded in part during her time as a Texas state senator, is tasked with funding the city’s professional sports stadiums, according to ABC13’s news partners in the Houston Chronicle. Its members are appointed by city or county leaders to ensure that a city or county’s credit rating remains intact in the event of financial distress.
Prior to the meeting, Houston Mayor John Whitmire held a press conference and called on the sports agency to seek new leadership. The mayor also talked about how the city’s sports venues need improvement and the lack of communication from authorities.
“Yesterday, the owner of the Dynamo came to my office and said that he needs help.The sports authority is not cooperating with us.The World Cup team wants to use our stadium as a practice facility. We are not communicating well with the sports world.”I would like to thank the sports authorities for their public service in guiding the authorities in the right direction, but to say that we can do better. We are united in this,” Whitmire said.
Houston is scheduled to host several World Cup games in 2026, and Whitmire went on to say Houston must be ready.
“We came together today to say we can do better. We have to do better. We have to prepare. We all have a practical deck for the World Cup. In the meantime, We’re going to address the concerns of individual franchises, what Rodeo has been telling me for months,” Whitmire said.
Two new board members were also introduced: Christopher Newport and John Arnold.
Burke could not be reached for comment, but issued the following statement:
“After more than 18 amazing years, as I prepare to say goodbye to you as CEO of the Harris County Houston Sports Authority, I am filled with mixed emotions of gratitude, nostalgia, and excitement for the future. We are honored to work with you to build relationships and collaborate on initiatives that have a meaningful impact on our community in our shared mission to make Houston a world leader. I am incredibly proud of what our incredibly talented and passionate team has accomplished over the past nearly 20 years at the world’s premier sporting destination. My marching orders were to put Houston on the world stage, making it a great place to host sporting events, and tourists who would inevitably stay in hotels or rent cars. This strategy could result in more visitors to the city, resulting in the continued generation of tax revenue needed to pay stadium bondholders through good times and bad times. Thanks to this, we were able to have great success in weathering the most severe tourism downturn caused by the pandemic. We diligently paid down our high-interest debt and secured the stadium’s most promising future. Over the years, we have successfully bid on and hosted small to large sporting events, with each event creating a positive economic impact for the entire region. From events such as the NCAA Men’s Final Four and AAU Junior Olympics, which we hosted several times during our tenure, to first-time events such as the College Football Playoff, World Table Tennis Championships, and the upcoming 2026 World Baseball Classic, Sports Authority. The team at is responsible for hosting or assisting in hosting events that have had a combined economic impact of over $2 billion for the city and county during my tenure. We are proud to have collaborated with our community partners and thank them for their continued support, kindness, and friendship over the years. Although I am leaving my job, I look forward to seeing and hearing about your continued great work. Please know that I will be this area’s biggest cheerleader. I will always carry those memories with me as I step into a new chapter in my life. ”
The interim CEO will be appointed by the Chairman of the Board. No timeline is given.
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