“WOW” FACTOR FOR SUPER BOWL LIVE FAN FESTIVAL REVEALED

HOUSTON (Nov. 16, 2016) –

The Houston Super Bowl Host Committee has unveiled Future Flight as its “WOW” Factor for the 2017 Super Bowl LIVE fan festival. Featuring an out-of-this world virtual reality experience and numerous hands-on space exhibits, Future Flight will share with the public the incredible journey to Mars and beyond. The unveiling took place at the 2016 Space Commerce Conference and Exposition (SpaceCom).

“The Host Committee has declared Super Bowl LI as the Super Bowl of the future in the City of the Future,” said Sallie Sargent, president and CEO of the Houston Super Bowl Host Committee. “Nothing says future more than deep space travel. The Host Committee is thrilled to partner with NASA and the leading space industry companies to create the Future Flight Experience for people to enjoy during Super Bowl LIVE.”

Future Flight’s key component is a virtual reality ride that takes guests on an excursion through space to the Red Planet and back, using actual footage from Mars. Guests don virtual reality goggles for the 2-minute, 10-second ride. It concludes with a 90-foot drop that transports the rider visually from Mars back to Earth, landing on the 50-yard-line of NRG Stadium, just in time for kickoff of Super Bowl LI. For guests who prefer not to experience the 90-foot drop, there will be a special presentation area outside of the attraction to experience the virtual reality portion of Future Flight.

Orlando FL-based experience design firm IDEAS was selected by the Houston Host Committee as the lead to design and implement the Future Flight experience. “We are very fortunate to be able to work with NASA and our team partners at Global Experience Specialists, ImaginNow and Exline Design and Architecture as well as the great ride team at A.R.M. USA to bring the story of Houston’s important role in human spaceflight-and the adventure of a Mars mission to life for our guests”, noted Bob Allen, IDEAS’ CEO and Chief Storytelling Officer.

The VR enhanced drop-tower is the heart of the Future Flight experience. The area will also include exhibits and hands-on opportunities to get close to the technologies and innovation that will enable future human missions to deep space. IDEAS VP of Experience Design, Duncan Kennedy, explained that “This experience will also feature a number of hands-on guest experiences that showcase the innovative aerospace companies that are working with NASA to make the next wave of deep-space human exploration possible. We want every Future Flight guest to get excited about space and know that Houston is the heart of a mission to Mars and beyond.”

IDEAS’ Producer Charles Moore is responsible for integrating the VR systems. “This is our favorite kind of experience design. It’s green-field territory and we’re fortunate that between our own studio and a network of technical collaboraors, we are designing and producing the entire end-to-end guest experience.”

NASA, leading aerospace companies – Aerojet Rocketdyne, Boeing, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Orbital ATK and Raytheon Company – and the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration are working together to share the exciting story of America’s current efforts in the development of new rockets, engines, crew capsules, astronaut training programs and deep space science that will reveal valuable discoveries and transport humans to other planets.

“The space industry is one of Houston’s vital sectors, featuring some of the country’s brightest professionals in science and engineering,” said Dr. Ellen Ochoa, director of the NASA Johnson Space Center. “This ‘WOW’ Factor allows the public to experience a journey through space that is normally only experienced by select individuals. We are excited to work alongside the Houston Super Bowl Host Committee and our industry partners to showcase some of the best that Houston has to offer.”

Future Flight will be open to the public from Jan. 28, 2017 through Feb. 5, 2017. It will be located at Super Bowl LIVE, the 10-day fan festival held the week of Super Bowl LI. The free event will be held in and around Discovery Green in downtown Houston, and will feature music, games and attractions.

For more information, please visit www.housuperbowl.com or follow the Host Committee on Twitter @HouSuperBowl.

About IDEAS
IDEAS is a Media and Experience Design firm creared in 2001 in a management-buyout of a division of The Walt Disney Company. IDEAS creates, designs and activates experiential brands through media, immersive experiences and training for entertainment, enterprise, government and healthcare clients worldwide. Connect with IDEAS on Facebook and visit us at www.ideas1stg.wpengine.com.

About the Houston Super Bowl Host Committee
The Houston Super Bowl Host Committee is the centralized planning entity for Super Bowl LI, and acts as the liaison between the NFL, City of Houston, Harris County and the local community. The Host Committee is a private, non-profit 501(c)(6) Texas corporation, and is responsible Super Bowl LI festivities and logistics. Connect with the Host Committee on Twitter @HouSuperBowl or on Facebook. For more information, go to www.housuperbowl.com.

Media Contact
Bob Allen, ballen@ideasorlando.com or 407-257-2244