Looped In

In a fancy white tent in the parking lot of the former Sears department store in Midtown, officials from the city, county and Rice University hosted a groundbreaking ceremony and press conference for the new Ion innovation hub. Across the street, Rice students held a press conference of their own. Worried about gentrification and a host of other issues, they stood outside with a microphone and a speaker urging Rice to be a force for good in the neighborhood. Nancy and Chronicle technology reporter Andrea Leinfelder recap the events. Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle.com/?offerid=125&origin=newsroom&ipid=podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.