Whitmire wants to implement a hiring freeze in the city government. As of September, the city had nearly 5,000 vacant positions.

Houston Mayor John Whitmire on Wednesday announced the city is implementing a citywide hiring freeze beginning this week, as first reported by ABC 13's Shannon Ryan. The mayor's office said the decision stems from an Ernst & Young report that the City of Houston commissioned to figure out how to eliminate waste amid a budget shortfall of about $350 million.

Mayor John Whitmire and Houston First Corporation today unveiled a transformational master plan to reconnect the city's East End with downtown, creating a vibrant, walkable convention and entertainment district unlike anyplace else in the nation.

Phase one of a downtown project includes a 700,000-square foot expansion of the George R. Brown Convention Center in the form of the GRB Houston South building, which will feature two exhibition halls,

Here's a look at Mayor John Whitmire's plan to upgrade the George R. Brown Convention Center. He unveiled the plan on Thursday.

Houston First Corporation unveiled a massive expansion and transformation of the area around the George R. Brown Convention Center. At the ceremony, Houston Mayor John Whitmire and other officials spoke about the need for improvements to the facility,