Hayley H.
Yelp
Bye bye, Reliant. Hello NRG! All name change comments aside, this is a great place to attend trade shows, conferences and other large events. I have been here many times for the World Series of Dog Shows; Gem & Jewelry Show; Nutcracker Market; Houston Livestock Show/Rodeo, the auto show, and more.
The space is huge, so come prepared to walk. While you may wish to dress up for the Nutcracker Market (many SAHMs get pretty fancy for the occasion) or for other events, be sure to wear some comfy shoes. Just last weekend I found (via my FitBit) that I walked over 5 miles in less than 2 hours while wandering aimlessly around the dog show.
Parking in the adjacent lot is very easy with the help of parking attendants, who will direct you to the available spots. However, on busier days, you may have to park in the lot as far west as Kirby, which means at least a 5+ minute walk from your car to the door. There are usually pedestrian walkways roped off, and the parking attendants help manage the flow of traffic between walkers and drivers. Don't forget to bring cash to park.
Inside the building is always sparkling clean. I have no idea how they manage to keep every square inch trash-free, but they do a good job. Bathrooms are nice for public, too. There is a full service Starbucks located outside the hall entrance. The line can become extremely long, especially during Rodeo season, but the employees have their routine down to a science, and you probably won't stand in line longer than 10 minutes. Inside the hall, you can purchase food, beer, wine and (sometimes) spirits. You will usually find Chick-Fil-A, personal pizzas, and a salad bar similar to Salata, among other "ballpark" style fast food restaurants.
In general, the building is kept very cold, but it will certainly heat up when you stuff too many bodies in there. For example, I'm always burning up walking around the Nutcracker Market and during the Livestock Show/merchandise booths, but I nearly freeze to death during the auto and dog shows. You may wish to layer up in order to be prepared for any condition. A small umbrella would be handy, too, in case you're forced to walk to/from your car in a downpour.
While NRG Center earns stars for its large size, I also have to detract for its size. The handicapped parking spots, while very close to the entrance, are still very far away from the main hall entrances and ticketing area. For this reason my grandparents, who are elderly but in good shape, would be unable to attend an event here unless I pushed them in a wheelchair. They do have an elevator which will take you to the second floor offices and meeting spaces, but again, this does not make up for the fact that a long walk is required to get just about anywhere in the building. For those who have limited mobility, you may wish to check the NRG Park website to see what kind of assistance NRG can offer.