Dixon on appointment as Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation chair: 'I look forward to making the citizens of Harris County and the greater Houston area proud'

A Houston clergyman has been tabbed to lead the Harris County entity that oversees NRG Park, per a report from Houston NBC affiliate KPRC.

The Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation (HCSCC) named Bishop James Dixon as its new chairman of the board on Wednesday, KPRC reported. 

Dixon, who has been on the board since 2018, will succeed Edgar Colon. Colon held the same position from 2008 to this year, the station reported.

Dixon thanked Colon for what he calls his predecessor's "tenured and appreciated leadership," per KPRC.

"I’m excited to hit the ground running as the new Chairman of the Board for HCSCC,” the pastor said, the station reported.

He comes into office just as Houston, the fourth-largest city in the U.S., is slated to host some high-profile sporting events within the next half-decade.

“We have some very prestigious events coming to NRG Park, including the NCAA Division I Men’s Final Four in 2023, the College Football Playoffs in 2024 and most recently announced, the World Cup in 2026," Dixon said, KPRC reported. "By leading through consensus building, I look forward to making the citizens of Harris County and the greater Houston area proud with the experience they will have here at NRG Park.”

Houston Daily reported that the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) selected Houston as one of its 16 host cities for the 2026 World Cup.

The premier international soccer tournament in four years will be played across the U.S., Mexico and Canada and will be expanded to include 48 teams.

The 2022 World Cup will be played in Qatar in the fall, and will be the last tournament under the 32-team format.

Dixon is a native Houstonian who graduated from Waltrip High School and is an alumnus of Houston Baptist University (HBU) and Texas Southern University (TSU), KPRC reported.

He earned a doctorate from the Virginia University Lynchburg and Seminary.

According to HCSCC's website, it was created by the Harris County Commissioners Court to help and represent the county in the management, operation, maintenance and development of NRG Park, which is anchored by NRG Stadium.