DJ V Lawrence Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Helicopters to the Gulf, then bam, an instant reef! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Agree too. Don't think they'll make a decision b4 my birthday But if it were temporarily a soccer place, wouldn't that just lose money? Why not just make it permanent? I think a convention hotel is the best idea for this instance. If Harris County pushes Six Flags to remodel Astroworld completely and make it would-class, AND if they push to revitalize the area AROUND Reliant Park, it could be a cash cow for everyone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 I wonder if ours would make a smoke ring like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Well, I'll be damned!http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/3315431 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Another Harris Co. vs. COH fiasco.Think about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UrbaNerd Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Yep. Say hello to even higher hotel vacancy rates. Well, at least that will match up with our 6 million sq ft of empty office space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ V Lawrence Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/3315431<{POST_SNAPBACK}>YES!!! This actually may work! And it doesn't have to become another KingDome either!! We actually have 1,200 hotel room IN the Reliant Complex!! Should be a HUGE plus for Reliant Center and Reliant Arena!If they ever do redevlop Astroworld, I think AstroHotel could be a boom waiting to happen (but it won't help them if Astroworld stays in it's current condition.)Finally, Bob McNair has talked about possibly selling the land where the Texans hold practice. Wouldn't it be cool if the new MLS stadium were located there instead of the East End? It'd be the ULTIMATE Convention Complex! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ V Lawrence Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 by the way, here's a rendering of the NEW Astrodome Hotel...http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/m...politan/3315636 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Hizzy! Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Does this bolster potentially bolster Reliant's bid to host SB 2010 (or any SB shortly thereafter)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 I would think that if it is a solid 'go', that the SB boosters would work it into their presentation, as a sort of 'if you thought we were great last time, wait till you see this' thing. It would have some usefulness in that regard.At $450 million, it's going to be one pricey hotel room, though. That's four times the cost of the Hilton Americas, for the same number of rooms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Which makes me think it would be amazing if they can get the economics to work here. How much convention capacity do we realistically need? If this were actually built it would just be cannibalizing the (tax-supported) Hilton Americas and George R. Brown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Hizzy! Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 It would seem...I like the idea of the shops and restaurants, though. Don't like the all glass enclosure. I could see a canopy-type thing to help seal in ventilation but all glass kind of seems to ruin the outdoorsie affect that they are somewhat trying to establish with the landscaping and the water features. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UrbaNerd Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 The glass/clear panels are already there on the dome. They just need to take the black paint offAs wikipedia says "The dome's ceiling was made of clear plastic panes. Players quickly complained that glare coming off of the panes made it impossible for them to track fly balls, so all of the panes were painted over, which solved the glare problem but caused the grass to die from lack of sunlight."http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AstrodomeBut..yeah, interesting concept. It's too touristy, though, and the sub-par quality of Astroworld nearby needs to be addressed as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saddleman Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 But tourist generally are the people who stay at hotels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonsemipro Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Inside the new Astrodome rendering... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Yep. Say hello to even higher hotel vacancy rates. Well, at least that will match up with our 6 million sq ft of empty office space.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Not necessarily. At least in theory, these types of places generate their own business, "new" business, if you will, that would not otherwise be in Houston at all. This is very similar in concept to (but smaller than) the giant Gaylord Resort in Grapevine, Texas. It just opened a year or two ago. It does not seem to have hurt the D-FW hotel market, but I'd be interested in knowing... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banking214 Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Not necessarily. At least in theory, these types of places generate their own business, "new" business, if you will, that would not otherwise be in Houston at all. This is very similar in concept to (but smaller than) the giant Gaylord Resort in Grapevine, Texas. It just opened a year or two ago. It does not seem to have hurt the D-FW hotel market, but I'd be interested in knowing...<{POST_SNAPBACK}>I think this is a great idea personally. I don't want to see the Dome taken down, but I don't want it mothballed either. There was a study in the Dallas Morning News that showed the Gaylord Resort was not taking rooms for Dallas. Where Dallas seems to be more convention and business travel, Gaylord is drawing many families. Not to say Gaylord is not getting convention business, which it getting a lot of. This type of resort was something I personally never envisoned myself visiting, but I went a few weeks ago. I must say, I was really impressed. They had a huge sports bar with flat screen tvs and you got to sit in these awsome Lazy Boy type chairs. I think something of this caliber would work well in Houston. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasboy Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 I would think that if it is a solid 'go', that the SB boosters would work it into their presentation, as a sort of 'if you thought we were great last time, wait till you see this' thing. It would have some usefulness in that regard.At $450 million, it's going to be one pricey hotel room, though. That's four times the cost of the Hilton Americas, for the same number of rooms.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>The Hilton Americas was around $300 million. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 I suppose...But when they sell it as to "transform the Astrodome into a 1,200-room convention hotel" it does not sit well with me.We (the City of Houston) just built a convention hotel downtown.Now the county wants to play, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texas911 Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 We should sell it to Disney, they can figure out something to do with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.A.S.O.N. Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Inside the new Astrodome rendering... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Wow, I've stayed at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine for my wedding anniversary, and that rendering of the Astrodome looks astonishingly similar to the Gaylord's atrium. I hope they can make it happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bachanon Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 now can we have a monorail?a monorail going right in between reliant stadium and the astrodome with stops there, at the other reliant area locations, then six flags/astroworld, parking, and back around to the stadium/hotel complex. it could tie it all together nicely, especially if one stop was near the light rail line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoAtomic Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Wow, I've stayed at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine for my wedding anniversary, and that rendering of the Astrodome looks astonishingly similar to the Gaylord's atrium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonfella Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 With the rodeo and football season and hopefully a superbowl every now and again, I can't imagine the hotel suffering. Also, OTC is in town every year. I think this project (if it comes to fruition) would do quite well. Astroworld could benefit by adding new attractions and cleaning up the place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 With the rodeo and football season and hopefully a superbowl every now and again, I can't imagine the hotel suffering. Also, OTC is in town every year. I think this project (if it comes to fruition) would do quite well. Astroworld could benefit by adding new attractions and cleaning up the place.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Well, you named off 37 days. I'd like a little better than 10% occupancy if I was blowing $450 million. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmainguy Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 I wonder if the Romans had this kind of debate about the Colosseum in 900 AD. "I say Et tu Colosseum! I thrust my sword of fire in thine side!""Domitian has left us with an elephant of whitness!!! Death to Domitian!!"Or maybe some joe blow said, "Aw shut your pie-hole, this place is going to be a HUGE tourist attraction one day! Imagine the income from shops, hotels, restaurants, bars! It's a genuine relic, dudes! I'm talkin future cash cow!Just a cautionary tale from the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texas911 Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 How humid will it become in the dome with a river walk in it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saddleman Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 air-conditioning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ V Lawrence Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Can you imagine the Rodeo doing something in the new Dome-Hotel to corrdinate with the events in Reliant Stadium?!I think Reliant Park would be an ultimate convention powerhouse. There's nothing the Park couldn't offer.Do you really think the county will push for an Astroworld improvement if this plan goes through? I'm also curious if the County or City of Houston would ever put in money for a revitalization of the area around Reliant like they're doing downtown or Uptown, 'cause if they really do go through with this plan, that area will desperately need it. Desperately. Astroworld, Old Spanish Trail, Kirby Road, the strip centers, the whole shibangabang. Personally, I think they should push for a Midtown-type urban development located by Reliant Park on the same side as the Radison Hotel and Texans Practice facility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Hizzy! Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Personally, I think they should push for a Midtown-type urban development located by Reliant Park on the same side as the Radison Hotel and Texans Practice facility.Seems your best bet in the immediate future is the empty(ish) parcel(s) of land to the east of Fannin. You could add an urban-style village but you would also have to buy out some already occupied parcels, like the BK at the intersection with the South Loop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.A.S.O.N. Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 I think this type of development would be great for entertaining super bowl guests. The Texas Rangers and Dallas Cowboys are working on financing some sort of town centre with entertainment and shopping around the perimeter of the new Cowboys stadium, Ameriquest Field, and Six Flags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 "I think Reliant Park would be an ultimate convention powerhouse. There's nothing the Park couldn't offer."Except anything else, besides asphalt parking lots, within a half a mile. And we all know how much conventioneers and tourists LOVE those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewMND Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 "I think Reliant Park would be an ultimate convention powerhouse. There's nothing the Park couldn't offer."Except anything else, besides asphalt parking lots, within a half a mile. And we all know how much conventioneers and tourists LOVE those.Well they could always take the lightrail to the musuem district and get cultured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigereye Posted August 20, 2005 Share Posted August 20, 2005 There are a few reason why I love this plan....On game day for the Texans, I can easily envision this place with retail and eatery's being a hub for pregame and postgame activities. Furthermore, look past Texans games. Broaden the scope if you will. Reliant Stadium is A facility that can attract Super Bowl's and Final Four's to town easily by itself. With this plan, Reliant Stadium now has an entertainment attraction with over 1000 hotel rooms next door to it. Talk about sweetening the pot....this makes any future Super Bowl bid near unbeatable as this is what owners look for in bids, hotel rooms and entertainment close by. Nothing gets closer then this. This is what Jerry Jones dreamed of for the Cowboys in his failed JerryWorld proposal to Dallas, and he's NOT getting it in Arlington, only a stadium. This is what Eddie Debartolo tried to build, a mall-stadium for the 49ers at Candlestick Pointe, what Bidwell tried to build, a mall-stadium for the Cardinals at Rio Salado Crossing....i.e. sports and entertainment complex. All have failed in there attempts due to financing. It appears Houston will be the first in sports history to build a true dream sports and entertainment complex. Even better, unlike the Cowboys, Cardinals, and 49ers unsuccessful plans of adding mall-like development to the stadium complex, the Astrodome/Hotel/Riverwalk project would be a totally different concept. It would be likened to being a "city inside of a bubble" that would evoke memories of the "Jetsons." A bizarre project like this is sure to pique the curiousity of many around the world, making the Astrodome an attraction once again. And if cities in the future try to copy Houston's successful plan of adding enterteinment around the sports venues to sweeten their Super Bowl bid, no city's Super Bowl bid will ever offer a city inside of a bubble next door as part of there package. Its an attraction that will make any future Super Bowl bid by Houston unbeatable. Its not just about having conventions people....its about making Reliant Park a premier cant-be-passed-up destination for major events like the Super Bowl and the Final Four. If this plan succeeds, which I believe it will now that they have a solid financing plan, Houston can punch its ticket to the Super Bowl rotation. Guaranteed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted August 20, 2005 Share Posted August 20, 2005 On game day for the TexansYea, what is that? 10 days out of a year?Not good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigereye Posted August 20, 2005 Share Posted August 20, 2005 Yea, what is that? 10 days out of a year?Not good.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Imagine the Super Bowl and Final Four coming here every six years. That's good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted August 20, 2005 Share Posted August 20, 2005 How humid will it become in the dome with a river walk in it? Imagine the Super Bowl and Final Four coming here every six years. i am thinking the largest air conditioning system in the world! heh or else, we'll have a new natural science museum...ick and would a potentially kitschy dome attract the superbowl and final four every six years? (hell, it might - i definitely wouldn't know...). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewMND Posted August 20, 2005 Share Posted August 20, 2005 What all is this thing suppose to have anyways? I know the article compared it to some other places around the country, like Grapevine, but I don't know what those places have. Would there be movie theaters, IMAX, IMAX rides, roller coasters, etc..? I think it said there would also be retail, but what kind do you think would work there, it would have to be able to survive when no game or convention is going on. I know London has their big dome, the Millennium Dome, what's all in that? I think if they're going to do this, they should just go all out, balls to the walls. And as for that river, I think it should start at Reliant Stadium, and flow to the Astrodome, with a scenic walkway along it, then when it gets to the Astrodome have it flow inside, then a waterfall (the Astrodome does go below the surface, right?), then at the waterfall is the start of the river in the Astrodome, with the San Antonio river walk stuff. This thing probably isn't going to turn out like I have it in my head, but instead some kind of kitschy nightmare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjb434 Posted August 22, 2005 Share Posted August 22, 2005 So they're planning to build the Opryland Hotel in a Dome. Or a glorified Holidome?Are they going to put meeting space in the Hotel? Or will conventions just use the Reliant Center?Also, the Final Four? Why would the Final Four be at Reliant. Wouldn't it be at Toyota? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brijonmang Posted August 22, 2005 Share Posted August 22, 2005 final four is usually played in a big indoor football stadium...more capacity than a regular basketball arena 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Hizzy! Posted August 22, 2005 Share Posted August 22, 2005 Exactly. Indianapolis and San Antonio are consistent draws for the Final Four (as is/was the Superdome) for that very reason. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldogg Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 not only would there be the potential for a Super Bowl every 6 years or so, but yes the Final 4 would be another HUGE draw.... and on the off years the facility could host one bracket of the Sweet 16/Elite 8 like San Antonio often does... you also can expect the Big 12 Championship every couple of years as well... with soccer becoming more popular on a large scale in Houston you would also have the ability to pursue more international frendlies... think of the big matches like Argentina/Columbia, Mexico/Brazil etc that currently are played in NYC, LA and Miami... perhaps an upgraded college football bowl game... all of those events coupled with the 10 guaranteed Texans dates, the rodeo and the current soccer events could be huge... I think the dream scenario for Houston is to have this project go forward as well as the downtown Pavilions.... then find a way to connect these two areas with the Galleria via mass transit.... we've got one leg done, lets make this a golden triangle of tourism and life in Houston.... tourists could take the rail to nightlife and shops downtown, high end shopping and dining in the Galleria, family fun theme park stuff at Reliant and in between there are the stops at the Zoo and museums and perhaps around Highland Village? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 They already are working on a way to connect the Galleria. The East-West rail line.A little hotel math might be helpful here. A rule of thumb in the hotel industry is that the daily room rate is 1/100,000th of the total cost of building the hotel complex. Since this one is proposed at $450 million, the average nightly room rate would be $450...almost TWICE the most expensive room in Houston. Do you really think that they will fill up a hotel in the middle of a 25,000 space parking lot, that is not near any of the cultural offerings of the city, at that price? Will the FFA familys pay those rates to stay during the rodeo? How about the Mexicans and the Columbians?I only have this to say. If they want to build it, great. But, something that is so skewed by the numbers like this one, better not cost the taxpayers a penny...because it doesn't add up....not even close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 Since the Hotel thing might night be a good idea, I would like to see some kind of ski mountian place inside. Or some other thing like that like lets take the new title that Atlanta is about to get and build the worlds largest aquarium. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Hizzy! Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 Red Scare,Are you sure the $450 million doesn't include the construction of the shops and restaurants as well? If so, we may be looking at the hotel costing maybe half or less of that. Still, $200 - $250 a night is expensive but not quite as galling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 Yep, I think we are getting the cost of the hotel confused with the cost of the other junk.And Y'all need to stop listening to Chris Baker. He's full of bad information.Damn fool quoted "BlogHouston" yesterday as a credible news source. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 Red Scare,Are you sure the $450 million doesn't include the construction of the shops and restaurants as well? If so, we may be looking at the hotel costing maybe half or less of that. Still, $200 - $250 a night is expensive but not quite as galling. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Do I look like an expert on that damn thing? The number I saw was $450 million, which I would assume includes every hokey, disney, san antonio, gaylord, fertitta tourist attraction under the dome. If the assumption is that the other kitschy things will pay for themselves, then the room rate would be lower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original Timmy Chan's Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 Also, the Final Four? Why would the Final Four be at Reliant. Wouldn't it be at Toyota?<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Houston has already been awarded the 2011 NCAA Final Four. It will be played at Reliant Stadium (and the game is "hosted" by UH and Rice, whatever that means). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashikaga Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 On radio station KTRH, they were discussing the proposal to remodel the Astrodome into a hotel. The host said that if that did happen, the nightly rate for a room would be about $375. Would any of you out there be able and/or willing to pay that amount for only one night? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trophy Property Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 On radio station KTRH, they were discussing the proposal to remodel the Astrodome into a hotel. The host said that if that did happen, the nightly rate for a room would be about $375. Would any of you out there be able and/or willing to pay that amount for only one night?<{POST_SNAPBACK}>I think that would be the highest in Houston. I am not sure the nightly rate on the Four Season, Hillton Americas, Houstonian, or St. Regis, but I would be pretty suprised if you told me they were north of $225 (special engagements aside).I was married at the Houstonian and we got a group rate of $129 a night. Of course that was also weekend rates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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