The Abandoned Astrodome And Its Future

[Subdude]

 

 

The "world's largest gazebo"

 

I love it.  The answer has been there all along.

 

 

That said, per the above if the indoor park goes through an alpine biodome would be perfect.  Rain forests have been done to death.

 

 

 

[Specwriter]

^Right.  However, *IF* the Dome is air conditioned and built as an indoor park - why not then build the thing to a different climate alltogether?  (which is what I would rather see -- go ahead and make it an alpine biodome if you're going to spend the money!)

 

If not, then I agree about the passive cooling.  There are ways to accomplish that without going to extremes.

 

Portions could be air conditioned if needed without the entire space being air conditioned.

 

"Alpine bio-dome?" Would that include a ski slope then? Heck, this is Houston. If we didn't invent air conditioning we perfected it.  Make it snow in there! (I hope everyone knows I'm joking. I agree with the notion that whatever it becomes it is not over-thought.

[arche_757]

Why not?  It could be a seasonal thing.  Why limit it?   Its open to any possibilities.  Snow is brought into to Discovery Green during the Holidays.

[Specwriter]

Why not?  It could be a seasonal thing.  Why limit it?   Its open to any possibilities.  Snow is brought into to Discovery Green during the Holidays.

 

I'm in agreement with bringing in man-made snow. What my joke implied was to literally make it snow by REALLY cranking down the AC (as if it could be done) and spray a water mist in the air so it would fall as "snow."

[arche_757]

^Well.... that would be cool!  But that would also be really crazy to crank down the air that much.

 

Personally I'd be happy with a perpetual Alpine-esque environment where the temps ranged between 32-65 year round.

 

In reality we'll get some live oaks and native plants in a perpetual 78-80 degree environment (if its a/c'd) - which also won't be too bad.

[Subdude]

"Alpine bio-dome?" Would that include a ski slope then? Heck, this is Houston. If we didn't invent air conditioning we perfected it.  Make it snow in there! (I hope everyone knows I'm joking. I agree with the notion that whatever it becomes it is not over-thought.

 

Arche, indoor ski slopes have been built before.  I don't see why Houston couldn't have one!

 

[arche_757]

Yes I know.  I don't want a ski-dome.  I want an Alpine dome.  Go ahead and project a 360 degree view of the Rocky Mountains all around while at it!

 

Seriously though, why not?  Houstonians love to ski.  I think this sort of thing would go over like gangbusters.

 

Of course there would likely need to be a cost for entering said facility - county owned or not.

Edited August 28, 2014 by arche_757

[Metro West]

Another reason I love this idea is that IF they can make the Astrodome Indoor Park work, we would have a plan of what to do with NRG Stadium and Minute Maid Park when they become obsolete. Imagine another indoor park with a retractable roof in downtown. East downtown would have the coolest neighborhood park in Texas. Our convention district would rule the planet.

 

[Montrose1100]

I know an indoor ski resort sounds cheesy, and the folks at reliant/rodeo wouldn't have use for it if it were... But it would be great to have the option to go skiing on a weekend in Houston without traveling. In July.

[Specwriter]

^Well.... that would be cool!  But that would also be really crazy to crank down the air that much.

 

Personally I'd be happy with a perpetual Alpine-esque environment where the temps ranged between 32-65 year round.

 

In reality we'll get some live oaks and native plants in a perpetual 78-80 degree environment (if its a/c'd) - which also won't be too bad.

 

Arche, you do realize I am joking about making snow inside the dome. I'm not sure how low the temperature in the Dome could go with the present set up. Does anyone remember the (awful) movie from the mid-70's "KIller Bees?" It starred Gloria Swanson and Kate Jackson!

 

An indoor park (air conditioned of course) does present all types of possibilities for recreation - especially for people for whom our elevated summer temperatures and humidity pose a potential health risk. It is also a great opportunity to grow some flora that may, or may not, be native to the area. Now we are talking about a giant conservatory or green house as part of the attraction.

 

Could we also include an aviary or would that present too many sanitary problems?  ​ To some extent there have always been, and will always bee be, flying creatures in the Dome though. Does anyone remember the not awful movie from 1970 "Brewster McCloud" starring a young Stacy Keach and Sally Kellerman (who also played Hot Lips Hoolihan in the movie "M.A.S.H." released the same year.)?

[samagon]

 

Could we also include an aviary or would that present too many sanitary problems?  ​ To some extent there have always been, and will always bee be, flying creatures in the Dome though. Does anyone remember the not awful movie from 1970 "Brewster McCloud" starring a young Stacy Keach and Sally Kellerman (who also played Hot Lips Hoolihan in the movie "M.A.S.H." released the same year.)?

 

I was about to say, there's no way that they'd keep birds out of this place. maybe there wouldn't be grackles, pigeons, or bigger birds, but those little finch like brown things, I imagine they'd colonize that place immediately. If they put plants and trees as well as natural grass in there then it would be it's own little mini ecosystem with other insects and tiny creatures living there.

[IronTiger]

A/C isn't just to keep you in comfort, it does keep down mold that likes warm, humid climates, which is why when you leave for a week to turn the A/C to 81° or so, not off.

 

I don't think a park is that out of the question, you could still add stuff like fields, a playground, and all that even without natural grass. Since the lighting panels won't provide enough energy for real grass to grow, we could develop some sort of artificial turf to go in there. We would name it after the dome, and call it: astroturf.

 

 

Oh wait, I got it! An indoor park might not be the most cost-efficient way of doing it, and that it's realistic to have an admission price then. We could fill it with theme park rides, shows, and snack booths! It has to pay homage to the 'dome, of course, so let's call it: Astroworld!

...too much?

[samagon]

There better be a Texas cyclone and greezed lightnin or I'm not going. Ever.

[lockmat]

Check out audio of Ed Emmett's interview. Makes me more excited

 

http://news92fm.com/471702/judge-emmett-touts-latest-plan-to-save-astrodome/

[Luminare]

This was posted this morning on swamplot! I never knew about this place o.o Good find by Emmett. He really is serious about this whole idea and finding a plausible example is a fantastic first step!

 

http://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/news/can-astrodome-be-like-germanys-top-domed-attraction/

[Subdude]

This was posted this morning on swamplot! I never knew about this place o.o Good find by Emmett. He really is serious about this whole idea and finding a plausible example is a fantastic first step!

 

http://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/news/can-astrodome-be-like-germanys-top-domed-attraction/

 

Why on earth does Houston need an indoor rainforest?  The climate outdoors is already close enough, thank you very much.  Do these guys even stop for a minute to think about these things?  Besides, there's already one at Moody Gardens I believe.

 

If the county is still stuck on the idea of some kind of indoor climate replica, I say go for Alpine meadows. 

[cloud713]

Doood... I love the indoor ski-slope idea. I could go snowboarding year round! Is there one in the states yet? I know there is one on some garbage incinerator or something in Europe, and obviously the one in Dubai. I wonder how many feet it is from the roof to the field level/if it's adequate enough for enough of an elevation change.

Edit. I took the liberty of sketching out a slope. Since it's a dome, the obvious choice would be a mound, vs all the straight downhill slopes the foreign countries have. Spiral a green slope around the hill almost the full 360*. Run a chairlift up that little space in between the spiral of the green slope. Put a blue slope slalom track between the chairlift poles. And finally a black slope terrain park with a few banked turns, a quarter pipe, and a big ramp. A little bit of variety for everyone. Obviously the seats around the bottom of the dome at field level would have to be ripped out to make it as wide as possible, as close to "field level" as possible, for the maximum height for decent elevation change while keeping a large width on the slopes for when it gets busy. The real question is what to do with that mezzanine/concourse deck/balcony that surrounds the inside. There is so much space up there that could be utilized but idk what for in relation to a ski park. Maybe a place for giant snowball fights? Wake board cable park style tow system (since it's flat) pulling tubers around the loop? I guess they could put some hotel rooms up there since the ski park would be an attraction in and of itself.

Edited October 8, 2014 by cloud713

[arche_757]

I think the indoor ski-slope idea would be huge.  Houston has a large contingent of avid skiers who make the seasonal planes from Houston to ski-towns in Colorado worth it.

 

If we save the Astrodome, why not go big?  I'm of the inclination the more I think of it that if it is saved from the wrecking ball, then we need to either A) use if for a pure sports related purpose (such as indoor track and field, or lease it to the US Olympic Committee for a southern training facility), or "B" ) do something really grand like an indoor ski-slope, or indoor alpine biodome?  Why the heck not?  If we're going to spend money on it, lets spend money to really make it worthwhile.

Edited October 8, 2014 by arche_757

[cloud713]

I completely agree.. Now how do we make this happen? Everyone start bombarding Ed Emmett with emails demanding an indoor ski slope?

[Montrose1100]

Why on earth does Houston need an indoor rainforest?  The climate outdoors is already close enough, thank you very much.  Do these guys even stop for a minute to think about these things?  Besides, there's already one at Moody Gardens I believe.

 

If the county is still stuck on the idea of some kind of indoor climate replica, I say go for Alpine meadows. 

Seriously. Indoor water parks make sense in Europe and northern climates. So by that logic, we should get something chilly!

 

Edit: Doesn't the Schlitterbahn in Galveston stay open year round? Last time I went I noticed how they had clear plastic tarps rolled up over the ceilings of ride lines, so I could see how it would be possible. 

Edited October 8, 2014 by Montrose1100

[arche_757]

Edit: Doesn't the Schlitterbahn in Galveston stay open year round? Last time I went I noticed how they had clear plastic tarps rolled up over the ceilings of ride lines, so I could see how it would be possible. 

 

Nope.  They close after Labor Day.

[Houston19514]

Nope.  They close after Labor Day.

 

Not true.They are open on weekends and assorted holiday weeks.  The only month they are completely closed is February.

 

[arche_757]

They are primarily closed.  I wouldn't call it "open year around"

Besides, they're a client of ours and that's how they refer to it, so I was only repeating what we've been told from the client.  Sections of the park are open, but most of it closes for maintenance and construction work.  Take out the Christmas Holidays and a weekend or two in October and only the waterpark that is indoors remains open.

[cloud713]

The point remains.. We don't need some silly indoor water park. We NEED an indoor ski slope. Heh

[tigereye]

The point remains.. We don't need some silly indoor water park. We NEED an indoor ski slope. Heh

Why stop with just a ski slope? How about a year-round "Igloo Hotel" made completely of ice, complete with an ice bar. Or maybe a frozen distant outer space-themed futuristic Ski Lodge to accompany the ski slope.

Either hotel concept could be cross-marketed as an NRG Park Convention Center hotel to benefit the complex and all tenants.

[citykid09]

I like this indoor ski resort idea. Can you imagine the amount of tourist this would bring to the city! How can we get word to the city that this is a much better idea then an indoor park. Like tigereye said you could also have a Hotel their as well. Also could have an animal exibit like polar bears, penguins, ice fishing etc.

[cloud713]

well.. looks like ****ing Dallas will beat us to the punch.. :/

http://bizbeatblog.dallasnews.com/2014/10/grand-prairie-announces-plans-for-a-215-million-indoor-ski-resort-with-a-hard-rock-hotel.html/

"The hotel will contain 300 rooms, 28,000 square feet of open meeting space, 20,000 square feet of divisible meeting space, at least two restaurants, an exercise facility, luxury spa facilities, resort style rooftop pool complex, and structured parking. The developer will build a second hotel of comparable quality or expand the existing hotel by 300 rooms within two years of initial opening of first hotel.

The indoor ski resort will be a year-round, world-class fourth generation indoor facility with restaurants and specialty retail, and will be integrated with the Hard Rock hotel. The snow dome will offer indoor ski slope measuring nearly 300 feet tall and 1200 feet long, an indoor ice climbing wall, luge track and winter wonderland play area.

The city’s investment includes the land, three-year Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds for infrastructure, 100% real estate tax abatement for seven years, and a 75% rebate of hotel motel tax for ten years after opening.

The developer anticipates ground breaking in first quarter 2015, contingent upon full financing. The project will take 34 months to construct and is scheduled to open in early 2018. The resort will create over 1,900 jobs upon full operation. The total multi-phase project is estimated to be $400 million at completion."

[Luminare]

If that's whats going to get built they can freakin keep it! That looks so kitschy @_@ They don't live in the freakin mountains!!!! Is this the swiss alps? Transylvania? What's wrong with people???

Edited October 14, 2014 by Luminare

[cloud713]

I agree the architectural style is ridiculous, but apparently they've been trying to get this to work for over 5 years. How come in all that time Houston hasn't seen a proposal of the likes?

[brian0123]

I'm confused by the ski idea. How long of a run will you have before it's over and you have to go back to the top? If it's 30 seconds downhill, then wait 15 minutes in a line to get back to the top... that's dumb and people will get tired of it.