Hurricane Beryl has left millions without power since reaching the Houston area earlier this week. The storm has also damaged the Texans' NRG Stadium, as ESPN reported, though Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced the complex will soon house up to 250 hospital patients who cannot return home.
Home to the Texans since their inaugural 2002 season, NRG Stadium will open its doors to patients who are ready to be discharged but have ongoing power outages at home, Patrick said, per KPRC 2. This will free up space at several Houston-area hospitals while the region recovers from the Category 1 hurricane.
The sheltering plans arrive despite NRG Stadium losing several panels from its retractable roof during the storm. At least three sections of roofing were already missing when the Associated Press shared aerial video of the stadium Tuesday, and NRG Park CEO Ryan Walsh has since confirmed the damage in a statement.
"Like many of our neighbors in the Gulf Coast region, NRG Park sustained damage from Hurricane Beryl, including to the roof of NRG Stadium," Walsh said, via ESPN. "HCSCC [Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation] officials are collaborating with state, county and city officials to assist with recovery efforts throughout the region. ... We look forward to seeing our neighbors at NRG Park soon as we return to normal operations."
As ESPN notes, NRG Stadium was previously damaged by Hurricane Ike in 2008, when the complex was known as Reliant Stadium. That storm, a Category 2 hurricane, ultimately resulted in the postponement of a Texans home game in September.
