Trump’s rally moved to Toyota Center
Campaign event for Cruz is relocated to meet high demand
President Donald Trump’s planned rally Monday in Houston for Sen. Ted Cruz has been moved from the NRG Arena to the larger Toyota Center downtown.
Trump had taken some heat from critics for previously promising the event would be held at the “biggest stadium in Texas we can find” and instead settling for a smallish arena with a capacity of 8,000. The NRG Arena is on the same campus as NRG Stadium, which seats 10 times as many people.
Toyota Center, which opened in October 2003, has a listed capacity of up to 19,000 for concerts and 18,300 for basketball.
One of Trump’s campaign managers, Brad Parscale, announced the change just before noon Thursday, citing “unprecedented” demand. The campaign’s official website also reflected the change.
Trump’s special campaign event has been scheduled to help Cruz in the final days before he and El Paso Rep. Beto O’Rourke meet at the polls on Election Day.
Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick will be among the speakers. The event is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m with doors opening three hours before.
“When I invited President Trump to visit Texas in July, I said that keeping Texas red — from
the top of the ballot to the bottom — is critical,” said Patrick, who was Trump’s Texas campaign chairman in 2016.
Over the past four weeks, Vice President Mike Pence, the president’s son Donald Jr. and his daughter, Ivanka, all have been in Texas for campaign events with Cruz.
Cruz has said he welcomes Trump coming to Texas to help him even though the two had an often rough primary battle in 2016 for the Republican nomination for president.
Cruz said after that election he met with Trump and vowed to help him get his agenda through the U.S. Senate.
Trump is campaigning for a number of Senate candidates in mid-October.
He has rallies planned for Montana, Arizona, Nevada and Wisconsin, in addition to the Houston stop.
Those who want to attend the Trump rally in Houston should register for entry on the official Trump campaign site.
There is street parking and paid lot parking near Toyota Center.
The adjacent Toyota Tundra garage also has 2,500 spaces available.