Future of Galveston and Bay Area

Thu Sep 17, 2026

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Future of Galveston and Bay Area

From branded resorts to master-planned communities, what's driving the transformation of the Texas Gulf Coast into one of the state's most dynamic real estate markets

Thursday September 17 2026 @ 8:00 AM CDT

$115.00

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Speakers and Panels

Rising Tide: The Gulf Coast's Next Chapter

How Renewed Capital, Long-Term Vision, and Complexity Are Reshaping the Texas Coast

Rodger Rees

Rodger Rees, Galveston Wharves Port Director and CEO, oversees the fourth busiest U.S. cruise port, located on one of the nation’s top 40 cargo waterways. This self-sustaining city entity generates more than 14,000 jobs and has an estimated annual state economic impact of $2.1 billion. Since Rees took the helm in January 2018, the Port of Galveston has increased revenues 131 percent by following a 20-Year Strategic Master Plan adopted in 2019. Using both debt and public-private partnerships, the port has built two new cruise terminals. A $125 million cruise terminal, in partnership with Royal Caribbean International, opened in 2022. The port completed its fourth cruise terminal at a cost of $156 million in November 2025 to service MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Lines. In 2023 the port was awarded $42.3 million in state grants, the largest grant amount in the port’s history, to fund critical cargo and transportation projects. The port used cash reserves generated from the cruise business and the grant proceeds to fund a $106 million cargo infrastructure improvement project. The project began in 2024 and will be completed this year. In 2023 and 2024, Rees successfully guided the port through over $210 million in municipal bond financings. The Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce honored Rees as its 2022 Galvestonian of the Year for positively contributing to the betterment of the region’s business community. In 2023, the Houston Business Journal named Rees one of the most admired CEOs in the Houston metroplex. Rees has served two terms on the board of directors of the Texas Department of Transportation Port Authority Advisory Committee and was elected vice chairman of the Texas Ports Association as representative for the Upper Texas Region. Rees previously served five years as deputy executive director and chief financial officer for Port Canaveral, the world’s second busiest cruise port. Rees spent his early years in Tennessee and is a graduate of East Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. In addition, he is a Certified Public Accountant, licensed in the state of Georgia. He has more than 25 years of executive management experience in both private and public entities. Rodger and his wife, Luci, have two sons. The oldest son is currently attending Texas A&M University at College Station. His younger son will be a senior at Ball High School in Galveston in the fall.

Galveston

Port Director and CEO

Keynote

Rodger Rees

Port Director and CEO, Galveston

The Bay Area Houston Boom

How NASA, Exploration Park & a New Generation of Developers Are Transforming the Region's Most Overlooked Corridor

The League at League City

Johnny Vasallo

CEO & Founder, Mos R.E.

Lilac Fields

AG Gupt

President, Alexander-Grene Developers

Exploration Park

Vanessa Wyche

Director, Johnson Space Center

The Seawall Effect

How Galveston's Waterfront Is Attracting Institutional Capital and Reshaping the Gulf Coast's Most Iconic Corridor

Sachs on Seawall

Mohamed Eldawy

CEO, Royal Crown Enterprise

Port Houston

Stephanie Sides-Sembra

Director of Real Estate, Port Houston

Why You Should Attend This Galveston and Bay Area Real Estate Event

What We'll Cover:

The hospitality boom driving Gulf Coast investment, such as branded resorts, boutique hotel conversions, and waterfront attractions transforming the region's skyline
How developers are unlocking new submarkets from Galveston to League City to La Porte and everything in between
The mixed-use projects redefining suburban identity along the Bay Area corridor
Why the tourist-to-resident pipeline is the Gulf Coast's most compelling long-term growth story
How public sector leaders are enabling development through infrastructure investment, incentives, and land policy
The capital structures and creative financing strategies behind the region's most ambitious deals
Alternative and special-purpose assets (marinas, attractions, port infrastructure) emerging as the next frontier of Gulf Coast investment
What the next five years look like for one of Texas' fastest-growing coastal markets

How You'll Do More Business: Join Bisnow for an in-depth look at the forces shaping the future of Galveston and the Bay Area. From tourism-driven development and cruise infrastructure expansion to waterfront mixed-use projects, coastal resiliency, and historic hotel redevelopment, this event connects hospitality, real estate investment, and long-term growth strategy. Bisnow brings together leading developers, investors, hotel owners, port officials, city leaders, and institutional stakeholders to uncover where capital is flowing, which projects are moving forward, and how tourism, infrastructure, and coastal investment are driving value across the Texas coast.

Who You'll Meet:

Hotel owners, developers, and operators driving hospitality and waterfront projects
Mixed-use and destination developers shaping Galveston and the Bay Area
Investors and capital partners active in tourism-driven real estate
Port, maritime, and infrastructure leaders tied to cruise expansion
City officials, planners, and economic development leaders
Architects, engineers, and construction teams delivering coastal projects

Why You Should Attend: Bisnow events convene the most influential leaders in commercial real estate, architecture, and design to identify opportunities, build meaningful connections, and drive business growth. With the largest audience of commercial real estate professionals in the world, Bisnow offers unmatched access to the people, projects, and insights shaping Houston’s architecture and design landscape. Join us for a focused look at the trends defining Houston’s next phase of growth.

Questions about your ticket purchase or interested in sponsoring? Reach out to customerservice@bisnow.com for customer support.

For venue/location questions or to request disability-related accommodations, please contact claire.ahrens@bisnow.com no later than 7 business days before the event.

For speaker recommendations or press inquiries please email our Texas event producer Carissa Batson at carissa.batson@bisnow.com.

Venue

To be hosted in the Bay Area - Venue coming soon.

Agenda

Time	Activity
8:00 AM 9:00 AM	Breakfast & Networking
9:00 AM 9:15 AM	Rising Tide: The Gulf Coast's Next Chapter How Renewed Capital, Long-Term Vision, and Complexity Are Reshaping the Texas Coast
9:15 AM 10:00 AM	The Bay Area Houston Boom: How NASA, Exploration Park & a New Generation of Developers Are Transforming the Region's Most Overlooked Corridor From Johnson Space Center to League City, how aerospace-anchored growth is generating mixed-use, residential, and commercial development at a scale the market hasn't seen before.
10:00 AM 10:15 AM	Break & Networking
10:15 AM 11:00 AM	The Seawall Effect: How Galveston's Waterfront Is Attracting Institutional Capital and Reshaping the Gulf Coast's Most Iconic Corridor From luxury residential towers to hospitality pipelines and port-driven investment, how Galveston's seawall is becoming one of the most compelling development stories in Texas.
11:00 AM 11:30 AM	Closing & Networking

Galveston and Bay Area News & Projects

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Call:	202-684-2034
Email:	eventregistration@bisnow.com