ASTROS CITY

Houston is the fourth most populous city in the United States of America trailing only New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, and is the largest in the southern U.S. and Texas. Houston is also one of the two largest economic areas in Texas. The city is the county seat of Harris County, the third most populous county in the country. A portion of far southwest Houston also extends into Fort Bend County. In 2003 the population estimate for Houston was 2,009,690. The Metropolitan area's population of 4.8 million is the 10th largest among US Metro statistical areas. Houstonians eat out more than residents of any other city. While in Houston you can choose to indulge in one of the more than 11,000 restaurants ranging from award-winning and upscale to memorable deli shops. The Theater District in Houston is second only to New York City with its concentration of seats in one geographic area. Located downtown, the 17-block Theater District is home to eight performing arts organizations with more than 12,000 seats. Houston has a unique museum district offering a range of museums, galleries, art and cultural institutions, including the City's major museums. The city also has more than 500 cultural, visual and performing arts organizations, 90 of which are devoted to multicultural and minority arts. Officially, Houston has been nicknamed the Space City. "Houston" was the first word uttered on the moon, as Neil Armstrong reported back to NASA. It is known by the locals, however, as the Bayou City. (Other nicknames include "Clutch City", and "Magnolia City".) Houston has professional teams representing every major sport; Houston Astros, Major League Baseball, Houston Rockets, National Basketball Association, Houston Comets, Women's national basketball Association, Houston Texans, National Football League, Houston Aeros, American Hockey League. Houston is home to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The largest rodeo in the world, it attracts more than 1.8 million visitors each year. The city is home to the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical center in the world, with a local economic impact of $10 billion. More than 52,000 people work within its facilities, which encompass 21 million square feet. Altogether 4.8 million patients visit them each year. Home to 18 Fortune 500 companies and more than 5,000 energy related firms, Houston is considered by many as the Energy Capital of the world. Living costs are second lowest among major American cities. Houston is unique in being the largest American city without zoning regulations. The city is also the home of NASA's Johnson Space Center, the Reliant Astrodome and the world-renowned Alley Theatre, and the starting point of the BP MS 150 bike ride, the country's largest charity bicycle. Some of the famous people who call Houston home are; Roger Clemens, Michael Dell, Haylie Duff, Hilary Duff, Beyonce Knowles, Renee O'Connor, Emeka Okafor, Kelly Rowland, South Park Mexican, Patrick Swayze, Lil Flip, Renee Zellweger, and Andrea Pia Yates.