Houston to host NCA All-Star nationals, drawing roughly 65,000 visitors

Houston will host the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) All-Star National Championship Feb. 27-Mar. 1 at the George R. Brown Convention Center, with ancillary events at Discovery Green and the Toyota Center, organizers announced. The multi-day meet is expected to attract roughly 65,000 competitors and spectators and will remain in Houston through at least 2028 under a new multi-year agreement with Houston First.

Officials estimate the three-year commitment could generate about $150 million in regional spending, an average of roughly $50 million per year. More than 150 local hotels stand to benefit from the influx of teams, families and spectators, with downtown properties likely to see elevated occupancy and rate gains during the competition window.

The size and scope of the event underline Houston’s capacity to stage large national competitions, leveraging the George R. Brown’s 1.8 million square feet of contiguous exhibit and meeting space and nearby venues that can host overflow events and entertainment. Ancillary programming at Discovery Green and Toyota Center will push foot traffic into public spaces, restaurants and retail corridors across the downtown and Midtown districts, concentrating economic activity where hotel, transit and dining capacity are greatest.

For Harris County residents and small-business owners, the championship promises immediate financial upside along with logistical challenges. Restaurants, parking operators, vendors and short-term staffing agencies can anticipate higher demand; ride-hailing, public transit and street-level traffic will likely see surges during event days. Downtown commuters should expect increased congestion and heavier use of METRORail and bus lines serving the convention center district.

The multi-year agreement with Houston First signals a continuing strategy to court national youth and amateur sports events as a tourism engine. Over three years, the $150 million estimate implies substantial room-night generation and secondary spending on food, retail and local attractions. For local hoteliers the competition offers weeks of concentrated bookings that help smooth seasonality in group business.

City and hospitality stakeholders will need to coordinate traffic management, transit schedules and public safety resources to handle spikes in attendees while preserving everyday access for residents and workers. The event’s presence through at least 2028 also creates a predictable calendar item for area businesses to plan staffing, inventory and promotions around.

For Harris County residents, the immediate effect will be a boost to downtown activity, more crowded streets and higher hotel and dining prices during late February. Over the longer term, the championship’s multiyear run signals steady tourism dollars and a continued push to market Houston as a national hub for large-scale amateur sporting events.