The Abandoned Astrodome And Its Future

[Simbha]

Why not turn it into an aquarium? I know we've got the 'Downtown Aquarium' and the Moody Gardens in Galveston, but I feel Houston really lacks a true, public aquarium. The Dome would seem to be perfect for it, and it could still be used as part of the Reliant Complex for conventions and such.

Edit: I forgot about the aquarium in the zoo, but that's kind of the point... It's... forgettable.

Edited July 18, 2011 by Simbha

[LTAWACS]

Eversol, and a lack of new air conditioning sealing the deal for both tennents, should answer the question of whether this is real or not.

Forget eversol. he can rot in jail.

[Utinga]

Why not turn it into an aquarium? I know we've got the 'Downtown Aquarium' and the Moody Gardens in Galveston, but I feel Houston really lacks a true, public aquarium. The Dome would seem to be perfect for it, and it could still be used as part of the Reliant Complex for conventions and such.

Edit: I forgot about the aquarium in the zoo, but that's kind of the point... It's... forgettable.

I just ran across this (old) post. I voted historical. I think an Aguarium would be a great idea. The one Downtown is not an Aguarium, that one should be ripped out at once or turned into a full kiddy amusement park, not the wanna' be it is now. The locale would be a great, non local, visitor "draw" as the Dome and World were, once upon a time.

[Ivey66]

A lot of ideas have been thrown around for the Astrodome's Future. From Safari toMovie Studio, all the way down to just tearing it down and make it another parking lot. One of the problems they have now is

- It currently has numerous health and safety code violations, it cost too much money to bring the stadium up to code or pass inspection and those involved just don't have it right now or have plans for it but don't want to pay the fat bill plus other fees.

[largeTEXAS]

The Astrodome needs to house a new, gigantic Art Car Museum. There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of art cars that have been retired and are sitting rusting in fields and garages. Art cars are Houston's folk expression known worldwide. The Astrodome is a bit of a folk icon at this point. Combine the two and you have an outstanding destination.

[Adam79]

I grew up attending Astros games with my dad in the 70s. To my generation, the 'Dome is truly the "8th Wonder of the World"! Now, Houston's beloved Astrodome sits unused and in need of upkeep (sprinkler system, et al) to even qualify for occupancy.

No politician seeking re-election wants to be the guy who tore down the 'Dome!

I've a novel proposal: Spend the millions necessary to recondition the Astrodome and use it as a Baseball stadium! AA Texas leauge or even AAA Pacific Coast league would draw enough fans to presumeably recoup at least some operating expenses. Festivals and events would certainly be a possiblity-in the air conditioning.

Minor league tix are substantially more affordable for working families. Game starting times (M-F 12 noon first pitch?) could be scheduled so as not to compete with the Astros. Houston is now America's 4th largest city and growing still. Minor league day games with $5-$15 tix in an air-conditioned stadium would sell, imho. What about you?

[fatesdisastr]

Would be nice if NASA could bring the space experience closer to the epicenter of Houston and turn it into a real space amusement/ educational park with roller coasters and the like.

[Marksmu]

Minor league day games with $5-$15 tix in an air-conditioned stadium would sell, imho. What about you?

The Astros play in an air-conditioned stadium and cant even sell out a game with $1 tickets. Houston is a bandwagon city...if you want fans you have to be good....I think football is about the only exception to this rule.

[Subdude]

I grew up attending Astros games with my dad in the 70s. To my generation, the 'Dome is truly the "8th Wonder of the World"! Now, Houston's beloved Astrodome sits unused and in need of upkeep (sprinkler system, et al) to even qualify for occupancy.

No politician seeking re-election wants to be the guy who tore down the 'Dome!

I've a novel proposal: Spend the millions necessary to recondition the Astrodome and use it as a Baseball stadium! AA Texas leauge or even AAA Pacific Coast league would draw enough fans to presumeably recoup at least some operating expenses. Festivals and events would certainly be a possiblity-in the air conditioning.

Minor league tix are substantially more affordable for working families. Game starting times (M-F 12 noon first pitch?) could be scheduled so as not to compete with the Astros. Houston is now America's 4th largest city and growing still. Minor league day games with $5-$15 tix in an air-conditioned stadium would sell, imho. What about you?

It's actually not a bad idea, but the Astros would scream bloody murder at the prospect of a local minor league team, since it would no doubt be outselling the Astros in short order.

[Fringe]

Yeah. The Astros refused to have anything to do with the Sugar Land Skeeters. They would surely fight a team located right down the street.

[lockmat]

Texans owner Bob Mcnair was on 610 today. I didn't hear the entire interview but from the hosts comments I think Mcnairs vote is to tear it down and build a hotel to attrtact another super bowl. Imsure the podcast is on their website by now. I'd check but my bb is too slow.

Also, I was thinking. All of our sports teams now have a new stadium. Would it be possible to pass a law that says no more tax dollars for funding stadiums? It seems stadium life spans are about 30 years, so this would give owners the opportunity to start saving now, knowing that tax dollars will not be there. Of course, some might say that will just give them incentive to find a new city that will provide money. Just a thought.

[Simbha]

Texans owner Bob Mcnair was on 610 today. I didn't hear the entire interview but from the hosts comments I think Mcnairs vote is to tear it down and build a hotel to attrtact another super bowl. Imsure the podcast is on their website by now. I'd check but my bb is too slow.

The 2004 Super Bowl was a strong success, but it's not likely that Houston will get another Super Bowl for some time. First, the next three Super Bowls (2013-2015) are already set, so the next available one is 2016. Super Bowls tend (but not always) to go to cities that build new stadiums. There are currently four metros with definite plans to build a new stadium: the Bay Area, Minneapolis, LA and San Diego. Beyond those, four additional teams have stadiums that are over 30 years old today: Green Bay (Lambeau), Kansas City (Arrowhead), Buffalo (Ralph Wilson) and New Orleans (Superdome). New Orleans already has the 2013 Super Bowl, so it won't be in the running again for some time, I think. That essentially leaves seven additional metros (eight teams - Oakland and SF would likely share one stadium) making a strong case to host the big game after 2016. If they all get it (unlikely, but this is all educated speculation anyway)... Houston won't really vie for a spot again until around 2020ish. At that time, Reliant Stadium will be 18+ years old, and clear decisions will have (hopefully) been made about the Dome anyway...

Also, I was thinking. All of our sports teams now have a new stadium. Would it be possible to pass a law that says no more tax dollars for funding stadiums? It seems stadium life spans are about 30 years, so this would give owners the opportunity to start saving now, knowing that tax dollars will not be there. Of course, some might say that will just give them incentive to find a new city that will provide money. Just a thought.

I think this is a wonderful idea! But, it probably won't fly. The standard rhetoric today is that billionaire team owners hold the cards - and those cards spell economic impact for the region. It would take a truly visionary team owner (and city leaders) to make this happen, and I don't think that combination is likely anywhere. And, as you've said, owners have other options.

Regarding the question about what to do with the Dome... I'm not at liberty to disclose too much at this time, but I'll simply state that I am involved in an effort to bring a proposal for the renovation of the Dome to county officials at this time. If our vision is realized, Houston will have something truly unique that - in our opinion and analysis - will benefit the regional population while, at the same time, elevating Houston's status as a global city. We will divulge more once we've hit a couple more milestones (or don't).

Edited March 14, 2012 by Simbha

[chuckdee]

Demolition. Parking lot or gasp, condos.

[lockmat]

The astrodome site seems like a horrible location for residential, hotel and office space. It's right next to Reliant and too far from any streets to create any sense of place. Some sort of museum would fit ok I think because people are just visiting it. It would feel weird to live there or stay in as a hotel. Just imagine seeing lots of parking lot out your window.; not very inviting.

[Simbha]

Demolition. Parking lot or gasp, condos.

The astrodome site seems like a horrible location for residential, hotel and office space. It's right next to Reliant and too far from any streets to create any sense of place. Some sort of museum would fit ok I think because people are just visiting it. It would feel weird to live there or stay in as a hotel. Just imagine seeing lots of parking lot out your window.; not very inviting.

I won't say "impossible," but residential is pretty much out of the question. If the Dome is demolished, it'll largely be because principal stakeholders (in particular, the Rodeo) want to clear out the space to create better flow throughout the entire area. Demolishing it and then building out any sort of residential would fly in the face of this purpose.

A museum is possible, but there are significant challenges to that - one of which I've just stated (stakeholders wanting more flow), but there are others. One of the biggest reasons nothing's been done with the Dome up to now is that there are just so many people/organizations with claims to this space - each of which want to do something different, and all of which wield some political clout.

We'll see how things progress going forward, but any organization hoping to do something with the facility (including demo'ing it) have their work cut out for them.

[Chi-Char-Hou-Dal]

http://swamplot.com/what-i-saw-when-i-snuck-into-the-astrodome/2012-03-23/

Really cool - wonder how much that oiler sign would sell for at auction?

Is it sad or cool that it's still sitting there? Sad because it's not used and millions are spent for nothing, cool because it's not knocked down yet.

There's some saying that escapes me goes something like " You can't f up if you don't do anything"

lol

[Subdude]

That's pretty strange seeing signs with the old Oilers and Astros logos! Bit of a time warp.

[lockmat]

That made me lol to see someone "sneak" in there and take those pictures. Looking down those tunnels and seeing parts of the massivness brings back really good memories and reminds me of the awe feeling when being in there. Reliant might be bigger, but it's never really given me that feeling.

Someone in the swamplot had this comment, and I actually thing it sounds like a cool idea. Maybe not, but sorta ;p

The structure needs to be stripped down to the iron work, it will be the Eiffel tower of Houston. Plant grass and make amazing gardens underneath it all. What a great change it would be from the acres of concrete that surronds Reliant Park. Look at what discovery green has done for the GRB, just think what we could do with all that park space next to the Reliant Convetion Center.

http://swamplot.com/what-i-saw-when-i-snuck-into-the-astrodome/2012-03-23/#comment-218790

[samagon]

I saw that too, I had mentioned it a few pages back on here, I'm sure that person and I aren't the only ones wishing for something like that.

I'd go a step farther though and say build a topiary dedicated to Houston sports history, a shrub that is cut to look like Earl Cambell tiptoeing down the sideline would be inspiring.

Put in hanging baskets off the structure, and build vines throughout the entire structure to make it a completely green structure!

[lockmat]

An Earl Cambell shrub cut to look like he is tip toeing down the sideline?! That'd be awesome! lol

[Pleak]

I really, really, really like the idea of the dome framework around a garden/park area.

But the centerpiece should be the sculpture of the oil derrick/space shuttle/Jeff Bagwell that was floating around here a while back.

[citykid09]

The Astrodome should have been given to the movie/tv studio developers a long time ago. From what the dome has turned into, there was nothing to lose buy letting them take it over.

[crunchtastic]

Movie studio.. yawn. So we can be like Shreveport? Small minds.

Should have done the vertical farming thing like I suggested, and we would have been actually innovating. New frontiers and all that.

Now I think the best idea is from one of the swamplot posters-- raffle off the demo plunger.

[TheNiche]

Since we're back to talking the politically impossible and the vacancy rate at nearby motels is so extraordinarily high 10 months out of the year, I'm going to suggest making it a land-based 'Freedom Ship'. The federal government would de-annex Reliant Park from the jurisdiction of the United States and allow special permits for the trafficking of drugs, humans, firearms, and Lindsey Lohan...just to be thorough.

Edited March 30, 2012 by TheNiche

[TheNiche]

I'd like to add, there are lots of places that can be a grow house, like our national parks. There aren't so many places that would serve well as a facsimile of Bangkok. Reliant Park is one such place, and we should endeavor to make it so.

Edited March 30, 2012 by TheNiche

[blue92]

I would like it to turn into a Houston Sports Museum. While one tours the dome the concession stands could be open or have a food court with restaurants. They should install a huge hd tv like the one in the new Cowboy Stadium and it could be used for Texas baseball history films and the times Reliant is a sellout they can sell tickets for people to sit in the Dome and watch the games on the big screen tv.. Or sell tickets for Astro games, some people might like this so they don't have to go to downtown Houston, find parking and have all the walking to get to the downtown stadium. Actually Houston always likes to outdo Dallas so their big screen could build the largest 4 screen big screen in the world.

Edited March 30, 2012 by blue92

[Simbha]

I would like it to turn into a Houston Sports Museum.

As much as I'd like to see this happen, sports museums are virtually impossible to sustain - and that certainly goes for one of this size. In recent years, eleven proposals for sports museums across the country have come forth. Nearly all have either found little support or - if they've actually begun operations - are financial pits. This is the case even in cities with much more storied sports histories than Houston. The SportsMuseum of LA closed its doors to the public (still open for invitation-only guests) after only three months of operation.

The two only moderately-successful examples of a city-based sports museums of which I'm aware are the Sports Museum of New England in Boston and the San Diego Hall of Champions. The SportsMuseum of New England gets a HUGE break on their rental in the TD Garden -- only USD 40k per year for their 20k square feet of space. If they were paying, say, a nominal rate of USD 25 per square foot, their rent alone would basically eat up their entire revenue stream. And, let's not forget that the TD Garden is the home of both the Bruins (6 Stanley Cups) and the Celtics (17 national championships), and the museum also contains memorabilia relating to the Red Sox (7 World Series titles), Patriots (3 national championships) and the Boston Marathon... and even with ALL THAT - the museum barely squeaks by, financially. I don't know financials for the SDHoC, but that's the oldest multi-sport museum in the country. It's 70k square feet in Balboa Park. I believe that it's 80% supported by the city itself - something Houston likely would not do - and Houston has nowhere near the championships of these other cities (the Rockets and Dynamo being the only top-tier sports teams that have won national championships).

So, now compare the 20k and 70k square feet of the Boston and San Diego museums with the nearly one million (total) square feet of the Dome. I don't think the issue with these other museums is that they're too small, so building the Dome out as a sports museum would appear to be an unsustainable endeavor.

Edited March 30, 2012 by Simbha

[Fringe]

http://www.khou.com/video/featured-videos/KHOU-11-News-looks-inside-the-Astrodome-144994555.html

[JJVilla]

Why don't they make the former tenants pay for the upkeep? That would probably make the decision a bit easier.

[Pleak]

OK - the Sports Authority should spend $1 and play Mega Millions. $640 million would turn the Dome into something nice.