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NRG Park Mixed-Use Development


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Great idea HeightsGuy.  Parking is a much needed feature at the Reliant Stadium.  It would be cool to have a parking garage in there.  I'm just wondering who will put up money to do this.  They'll have to charge for parking to pay for it.  Probably $8 or $10 for large events.

A not-very-practical idea would be to convert it into a Metro Transit Center. It could be done in a sports theme with the train boarding at, say, home plate.

How many cities have something like that?

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A not-very-practical idea would be to convert it into a Metro Transit Center. It could be done in a sports theme with the train boarding at, say, home plate.

How many cities have something like that?

wow! that would be great. kinda like grand central station in a sports theme? i like that idea too. it could serve as the transit hub for the city (instead of downtown).

abundant parking, covered (dome) terminal, access to/from 610, 288 ... nice!

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man ... not sure i like that idea.  once legalized gambling gets ahold of a city, it is hellish.

I totally agree. We already have the reputation as being somewhat wild and sleazy. Another noxious possibility would be someone like turning it into the world's largest strip club.

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I totally agree. We already have the reputation as being somewhat wild and sleazy. Another noxious possibility would be someone like turning it into the world's largest strip club.

Why stop there lets make it the worlds largest indoor nudist colony and apartment complex! You could have privacy and a constant all round controlled weather. A huge swimming pool in the center with lots of indoor plants and stuff. Ah the possibilities.

Now in reality we could turn the place into a new branch of the medical district for children and people with an allergic disorder to the sun. I saw a show about that last weekend. They could have a huge indoor area to go play or work in and they would not have to be exposed to the sun. We could even set up smaller microclimates for other people with different disorders.

No it would not be like a leper colony.

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  • 2 weeks later...
I can see it happening and I really do not think it woudl take much to do. But I do recommend that they find a way to keep noise levels down thought. They could use a sound damping equipment.

I guess you are not aware of landscaping costs. The plan as you see it looks like a tremendous amount of work, money, and time. Blow the sucker up and build more parking. Sorry for the negativety.

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  • 3 weeks later...

If the dome is not going to be used for anything then I say tear it down and make room for a Soccer Specific Stadium. Bring in a MLS franchise and build a 22,000 to 25,000 seat soccer stadium. Maybe they could do something to remember the Astrodome by building a monument or incorporating some of it's aspects in the new stadium. This would put Houston on the map globally and maybe get to host some World Cup Qualifiers or International Matches. No doubt that a SSS would bring more excitement to the city and offer more entertainment and diversity than the dome is offering now!

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If the dome is not going to be used for anything then I say tear it down and make room for a Soccer Specific Stadium.  Bring in a MLS franchise and build a 22,000 to 25,000 seat soccer stadium.  Maybe they could do something to remember the Astrodome by building a monument or incorporating some of it's aspects in the new stadium.  This would put Houston on the map globally and maybe get to host some World Cup Qualifiers or International Matches.  No doubt that a SSS would bring more excitement to the city and offer more entertainment and diversity than the dome is offering now!

yeah, and with houston's diverse population, soccer seems like it would be a major draw. that is a cool idea.

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How would retro-fitting the dome with hotel boxes around the top, and availability for other sporting venues besides MLS be a better option than tearing it down to build an outdoor stadium? :huh:

Heres what we need to do:

1.  Replace all the white painted skylights with new clear panes (like the original).

2.  Replace the astro-turf with natural sod (if you all remember, sod used to work until they painted all the glass panes white so that the baseball players could see the ball when popped-up).

3.  Take the top level, all the way around, and rip out the seats. In their place make hotel-rooms with one way glass.

4.  Excavate around the dome & the colliseum and build parking garages that start a few levels below ground and only stand a few above ground (so that you don't lose the view of the dome from the street).

5.  Contract a MLS team.

6.  Contract high school and maybe even college sports (i.g. football playoffs, baseball playoffs, all-city championship games, etc.).

7.  Continue to use for the Rodeo. (e.g. you can have 50cent or Beyonce playing in one while you have Alan Jackson or Tim Mcgraw playing in the other - trust me, you won't have enough people mad that they can't watch both at the same time to be a real issue.)

8.  Build a museum on the ground level. Hell, build 3: 1 for the oilers, 1 for the astros, and 1 for the dome & houston itself.

9.  Throw a little retail in there like how the Superdome has done. Call it the "Shops at the Dome".

10. You could even build sky-bridge between the too (covered or not) and add a little mono-rail action to connect from the light-rail, extended parking, astroworld, the dome, & the stadium

We don't have to tear it down. We just need to get a plan and stick with it.

all of these great ideas. i wonder if anyone from the company (government entity) that manages the dome is on this list?

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You know what people. I may sound like a turncoat to some people, but I think Atlanta might get this one. All because of the impovements of the Georgia Dome, and the money the owner is putting up. The NFL don't want the Georgia Dome to go to waste, and Atlanta also host the Super Bowl back in 2000.

Furthermore, what might hurt Houston is Dallas building a new stadium that might host the Super Bowl in 2011. Think about it. Super Bowls back to back in Texas, Houston 2009 and Dallas 2011, ummmm I kinda doubt it.

I hate to say it, but Atlanta might pull this one off.

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LOL, yeah they are moving dirt, but I hardly think that a waterpark 50 miles away will sway the voters, esp in Feb. I'll try and post some pics in the Galveston subforum.

Does Houston have any big plans to put on the table for 2009? More downtown retail would be sweet!

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LOL, yeah they are moving dirt, but I hardly think that a waterpark 50 miles away will sway the voters, esp in Feb.  I'll try and post some pics in the Galveston subforum.

Does Houston have any big plans to put on the table for 2009?  More downtown retail would be sweet!

I think Houston got a great reception from the 2004 SuperBowl. The city really showed well. I think if there was a guarantee of another Super Bowl here in 4 more years there would be even more downtown development than already in the works. I am not naive enough to think that people develop new retail and residential for one weekend of activity, but having Downtown be such a focal point of the 2004 experience will only help if Houston gets another game in 2009. I for one thought it was awesome to have all that attention on Houston.

My fear is that the NFL is using the game as a pawn for NFL cities to step up and make the facilities nicer. Atlanta is saying if the NFL chooses the Georgia Dome, they will make $150 worth of changes to the stadium. That seems to be the new criteria for getting a game. Build a new stadium (or at least perform a major renovation) and the game will come to your hometown. I know that is how Houston got the 2004 game everyone knows that is the only reason Detroit is getting the 2006 game. Dallas is going to make the rotation with their new stadium and as 27 mentioned above, Phoenix is building a new stadium too.

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You are exactly correct. New York has already been promised the 2010 Super Bowl if the Jets win the bidding on the land for the proposed west side stadium. It's a nice gesture to make to all the cash-strapped cities that are coughing up billions to build stadia. What a racket.

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Yes. Houston do have a chance, but the NFL is not going to have back 2 back super bowls in texas. Houston in 2009 and Dallas in 2011. The NFL is going to give Atlanta another shoot at it by awarding them the 2009 super bowl so they can make changes to the Dome.

Beleive me. I want Houston to get it as much as y'all do. But the only thing going to hurt Houston for not getting the super bowl back here is Dallas. Tell you the truth, it's nothing really hurting Atlanta, but that ice storm in 2000 super bowl, hell that's been 5 years ago.

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Yes. Houston do have a chance, but the NFL is not going to have back 2 back super bowls in texas. Houston in 2009 and Dallas in 2011. The NFL is going to give Atlanta another shoot at it by awarding them the 2009 super bowl so they can make changes to the Dome.

Beleive me. I want Houston to get it as much as y'all do. But the only thing going to hurt Houston for not getting the super bowl back here is Dallas. Tell you the truth, it's nothing really hurting Atlanta, but that ice storm in 2000 super bowl, hell that's been 5 years ago.

Listen to the John McClain audio presentation at www.chron.com

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Where is Dallas building the new stadium? Is it next to the old one in Irving? Or closer to downtown. I just thinking of the setup Dallas will use to stage the Superbowl events for entire week.

Where would the NFL experience occur. Will there be some type of Main Event like Houston.

Being from Lousisiana, I knew New Orleans hosted the Superbowl many times, but I didn't think it was that many. And the further you go back it seems like it occured more often there.

I think the two biggest things to put you in the running is facilities and weather conditions.

I think northern cities can win the superbowl if all the faciliities and amenities are real close so that potential snowfall is not an issue. Also, they'll need a stadium that can have a closed roof too. San Diego is lucky that weather over there never really gets bad.

In a positive light, Houston getting it again will probably mean some more improvements along the light rail corridor. Hopefully most in the midtown area.

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Where is Dallas building the new stadium?  Is it next to the old one in Irving?  Or closer to downtown.  I just thinking of the setup Dallas will use to stage the  Superbowl events for entire week.

In a positive light,  Houston getting it again will probably mean some more improvements along the light rail corridor.  Hopefully most in the midtown area.

The new Cowboys stadium will be built in Arlington. The city of Arlington stepped up and offered the most for Jerry Jones. With the Rangers playing there as well they should re-name the team to the Arlington Cowboys.

As for Midton getting more improvements, I am all for that. Hopefully it will not be anymore CVS or Walgreens.

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I think northern cities can win the superbowl if all the faciliities and amenities are real close so that potential snowfall is not an issue. Also, they'll need a stadium that can have a closed roof too.

As Trophy pointed out, now it's really more a matter of rewarding cities for spending the moola rather than concerns over weather. Hence, Super Bowls in Detroit and probably NYC in 2010. (The New York one would have a retractable roof I think).

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If Reliant Astrodome was turned into that 1,000 room hotel and entertainment center like they've been proposing, would that help or hurt Houston showcasing the city during the Super Bowl? Hell, would the NFL Headquarters be held there, or at Hilton like last time? How would it effect the Super Bowl experience compared to 2004?

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Is they talking about this on the Dome thread?

Respect to houstonsemipro. Bless your heart, yo. It was I that brought it up in the Dome thread, yo. I thought it'd be easier to create this question into it's own forum. Sorry to you and to all for the mix up. But I AM curious to the city's opinion on this, because I'm not sure if this question has been brought up before by the city officials.

To answer 27's question, I think the only reason why they had NFL Experience at GRB was to display downtown itself. Same reason for Hilton being the headquarters. Same for Main Event being on Main Street instead of Richmond Strip. Don't worry, 'cause I asked the same question at first around that time period. I think they did some other events in the Reliant Arena and Center.

That's where the question comes into play. IF the Dome hotel were made, and we still had the NFL Experience and the NFL headquarters downtown, wouldn't it come off as odd to those visiting us?

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  • 4 weeks later...

I'm going to tell you right now who the NFL Committee going to favor. Atlanta. Just because they rennovating the Georgia Dome, oh wow (sarcastic).

That's wow Jacksonville won the super bowl, cause the owner was losing money, and he wanted to rennovate the staduim. Alot of people said Jacksonville should never landed the super bowl there. It was to small, and really nothing to do there.

Back to 2009 super bowl proposals. Altanta is the most favorite to win the 2009 bowl. I hate to say that, but it's true guys. I guess Houston just have to wait for another decade. Well, some of y'all be going to the Dallas super bowl in 2011 or 2012.

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I'm going to tell you right now who the NFL Committee going to favor. Atlanta. Just because they rennovating the Georgia Dome, oh wow (sarcastic).

That's wow Jacksonville won the super bowl, cause the owner was losing money, and he wanted to rennovate the staduim. Alot of people said Jacksonville should never landed the super bowl there. It was to small, and really nothing to do there.

Back to 2009 super bowl proposals. Altanta is the most favorite to win the 2009 bowl. I hate to say that, but it's true guys. I guess Houston just have to wait for another decade. Well, some of y'all be going to the Dallas super bowl in 2011 or 2012.

The NFL would have to be extra stupud if they'd fall for a proposal of renovating Georgia Dome being the main selling point of being the best hosting city for 2009, but we'll soon find out what they do. Not saying I don't agree, but it'd be a waste for everybody if they take that predictable road instead of the BEST site (H-Town, baby!)

But just in case, I got an idea. Let's add in our proposal to renovate Reliant Stadium. I'll donate three lawn chairs from my garage and only give it to Reliant if the NFL agrees to host the SuperBowl there instead of Atlanta, Tampa, and Miami. What, Georgia Dome would be $100 million worth? Okay, have Harris County pay me $35 million per chair, to make our proposal worth $5 million more than Atlanta's. Who's in, yo?! After all, $100 million ain't gonna by Atlanta a retractable Roof, will it?

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I'm going to tell you right now who the NFL Committee going to favor. Atlanta. Just because they rennovating the Georgia Dome, oh wow (sarcastic).

The GA Dome really does need an update, and I agree that tilts the 2009 vote toward Atlanta.

Most of the owners will recognize the need to reward with a Superbowl cash cow any host city which builds a nicer stadium. It's important to the business relationship between team and host city that municipal financial contrubitions are acknowledged by the League through a weeks worth of wintertime tourism and media exposure.

It's important to the League's business that host cities continue financial contribution to stadium upgrades. Whole lotta back scratching.

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The NFL would have to be extra stupud if they'd fall for a proposal of renovating Georgia Dome being the main selling point of being the best hosting city for 2009, but we'll soon find out what they do. Not saying I don't agree, but it'd be a waste for everybody if they take that predictable road instead of the BEST site (H-Town, baby!) 

But just in case, I got an idea. Let's add in our proposal to renovate Reliant Stadium. I'll donate three lawn chairs from my garage and only give it to Reliant if the NFL agrees to host the SuperBowl there instead of Atlanta, Tampa, and Miami. What, Georgia Dome would be $100 million worth? Okay, have Harris County pay me $35 million per chair, to make our proposal worth $5 million more than Atlanta's. Who's in, yo?! After all, $100 million ain't gonna by Atlanta a retractable Roof, will it?

Yes, I am that generous to sell my lawn chairs for $35 million a piece. That's what I'll do for my community :-)

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi there. It's getting really close to choose the winner of the 2009 Super Bowl. May 24th is the big date to choose one winner out of the four cities.

ATLANTA - Falcons owner Arthur Blank has indicated he would be willing to invest up to $150 million into the Georgia Dome to help Atlanta get Super Bowl XLIII. In return, he's seeking an agreement with the Georgia World Congress Center (which oversees the dome) that the Falcons get a return on that investment through upgrades to the stadium.

Could that factor into the voting?

That might influence some of them and some of them have indicated that that won't influence them because it's basically a local matter. It's not going to help the Super Bowl.

TAMPA BAY & MIAMI - would have to have temporary facilities brought in, which would cost additional money for the league.

HOUSTON - proposed setup is virtually the same as 2004. Why? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Tweek it, yes, but don't fix it.

Houston has a distinct edge in facilities, what with Reliant Stadium being the youngest and best stadium amongst the four in question.

After the four presenters leave the room, the league will provide financial analysis on each bid. Then comes the secret ballot amongst the 32 owners. Cities will be eliminated one by one until one bid gets a majority.

It will be held in Washington D.C.

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I also disagree that the impact is low. I'm not going to say all the development over the past few years was solely for the 2004 Super Bowl, but it did give a timeline and goal for having stuff done to show off the city. Anytime the light rail was mentioned, it was "will be done in time for Super Bowl." Also, a lot of post SB feedback was good on being able to "surprise" people with the restaurants and what not. I know we shouldn't really care what people outside of Houston think if we like it, but at the same time, it would give people another goal to work to, which yes is probably the wrong motivation, but whatever it takes for progress to happen, so be it.

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The Superbowl helps boost the image of the city to the people who live here. In your own head kinda thing.

Didn't help Jacksonville much. Same can be said for Detroit.

Of course, we have to at least bid on this, becuase we wasted so much money bringing the Texans here to begin with.

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I'mma hoppin' and a prayin' Houston get the Superbowl once again, but I think the NFL would really love to see the Georia Dome upgraded. Plus Atlanta will have completed quite a number of major tourist friendly projects in the almost immediate vicinity of the Dome.

I'm pulling for Houston, but I don't know.

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I think the Super Bowl is a great impact on a city. I also think if Houston is awarded the 2009 Super Bowl, they may do something with the Astrodome, turn it into an entertainment revune like they said they would. A 1,000 hotel room, cineplex, eatery, shopping, etc. It would be a great place to host one of the Super Bowl team's there, and across the way they practice at the Texans Facility. Talking about luxury.

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  • The title was changed to What To Do With The Astrodome
  • The title was changed to NRG Park Mixed-Use Development

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