Rodeo Kicks Off with Rascal Flatts, Boycott Threat

It's rodeo time! Hopefully you've already geared up by getting drunk at the cook-off, or at least wearing a pearl-snap shirt for Go Texan! Day. While Houstonist loves the rodeo, it sounds like Houston-area State Senator Gallegos, owner of the most famous liver in the state, thinks it's pretty shady. Check out what he said to NBC:

They make millions in three weeks -- millions of dollars in three weeks, almost $100 million, and they only pay $16 million out to scholarships, a few million to pay bills and the entertainers. We want to know where the rest of the money is going. Where is the money going? We want to know.

Senator Gallegos is filing a bill that would mandate more minority participation in HLS&R planning as well as force the rodeo's executive board to comply with open records requests, despite the fact that they're not a public entity. He also joined other African-American and Hispanic leaders in encouraging a one-day rodeo boycott at a press conference yesterday. The boycott is planned for March 13, thereby entangling Clint Black (and people who couldn't get their company's tickets for a better show) in this mess as well.

Rodeo officials have countered with statistics on minority scholarship recipients and concerns about the autonomy of nonprofit organizations. Politics aside, we'd still love to see some calf-ropin' and Rascal Flatts tonight -- tickets are still available if you want to invite us!

Photo via Flickr user eschipul.