The new safety agreement will affect major NRG events including the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

With only a few days left before the start of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, officials say the new inter-local agreement between the county and the city is already having an impact.

“It’s working the way it’s supposed to work, and I’m very happy about that,” said Susan Christian, Director of Special Events for the City of Houston.

The main goal of the agreement for all stakeholders is to better prepare for large-scale events after the deadly tragedy of Astroworld in November 2021.

SEE ALSO: KPRC 2 Investigates Unveils Astroworld: Countdown to Tragedy

“It turned out that we needed this level of collaboration,” said Mike DeMarco, head of show operations for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

When asked if he thinks what happened in November 2021 will affect rodeo and the changes seen today? “Oh, absolutely,” Demarco said.

In the wake of this tragedy, KPRC 2 Investigates has been pushing hard against the county and city for any operational changes made for future developments in the NRG.

It wasn’t until a year after Travis Scott’s deadly concert that a new interlocal deal was revealed.

It gives us a solid foundation, a stronger foundation that allows us to better plan for potential emergencies,” said Ryan Walsh, CEO of Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation.

Officials say they can already see the difference: More meetings and communications are focused on event safety and medical plans, which is exactly what the five-page agreement required.

At the heart of the agreement is a centralized command center to simplify operations in the event of an emergency.

Responsible for signing are HPD and HFD leaders or designated members of management.

“At the end, I will make sure everyone signs it,” Christian told KPRC in NRG.

The tragedy brings benefits to officials, which DeMarco said is “unfortunate,” but the benefits will have a long-term impact on keeping individuals and families safe during events at the NRG going forward.

“I think what really came out of the whole Interlocal Agreement is that now the county and the city really talk about what’s going on in the county and the city so they can allocate resources and get the right people,” DeMarco said.

SEE ALSO: After the Astroworld tragedy, one family pushes for a safer concert

The city of Houston is finalizing planning for mass events following the tragedy at the Astroworld festival.

Astroworld Tragedy: New Deal Details Planning for Massive NRG Park Event After Deadly Festival