NRG Park Mixed-Use Development

[h-townrep]

How come all but 2 have been held in the sunbelt region?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Because of weather. Since when is San Diego in the Sunbelt region.

[Talbot]

Well I was just using califonia in general for sunbelt, but you're right, its not all sunbelt.

[Lowbrow]

Sun Belt =

southern tier of the United States, focused on Florida, Texas, Arizona, and California, and extending as far north as Virginia. The term gained wide use in the 1970s, when the economic and political impact of the nation's overall shift in population to the south and west became conspicuous. Areas near the Mexican border have received millions of immigrants since the 1960s. Economic growth in many Sun Belt cities since World War II has stimulated interregional migration from the NE United States and the Rust Belt ; by 1990, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio were among the ten largest cities in the United States. During the 1990s the fastest growing cities in the United States were in the Sun Belt. The warm climate has attracted large retirement communities, especially in Florida and Arizona. In addition, the birth rate in the Sun Belt is about 10% greater than that in the rest of the country. Attracted by the relative lack of labor unions and the prospect of cheaper labor than was generally available in the north, manufacturers began to locate in the Southeast in significant numbers after World War II; aerospace firms and defense contractors were drawn to the vicinity of military bases in S California and throughout the Southwest. Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma benefited from the oil booms of the 1970s. In addition, the enormous tourist industries of the Sun Belt (especially Florida and S California) have brought the region considerable wealth. Although overall the expansion of the Sun Belt's economy in recent decades has been dramatic, the distribution of the region's prosperity has been uneven; of the 25 metropolitan areas with the lowest per capita income in 1990, 23 were in the Sun Belt. The rapid fall of oil prices in the 1980s hurt the economies of the energy-producing areas of the Sun Belt; Houston was especially hard hit. By the 1980s, the Los Angeles area, beset by problems ranging from air pollution to a growing population of unskilled immigrants, came increasingly to resemble some of the troubled metropolitan areas of the North. Politically, the rise of the Sun Belt has generally been viewed as advantageous to the Republican party, especially in presidential elections. Since 1970, the Sun Belt has gained more than 25 electoral votes, mostly at the expense of the Northeast and Midwest.

[tamtagon]

I think that Houston's a lock for 2009.

[ricco67]

I think one of the main reasons that they want to hold the SB's in warmer climes is because they can turn it into a high profile event where people can go to venue to venue without having to worry about the weather TOO much.

It's easier to go around in rain in about 40-50F as opposed to Snow @ 10-20F!

I think one of us discussed this fact in another thread in old HAIF and whoever said it had a very good point. (God, I hope it wasn't HJ!)

Ricco

[Talbot]

That's true.

[houstonsemipro]

I think Houston has the edge too, but Atlanta is a pretty strong contender and the NFL folks will be courted by Atlanta organizers wanting to showcase their city with as much vigor as those wanting the game in Houston.  The downtown Atlanta area near the Georgia Dome and Centinneal Olympic Park has received a constant stream of some pretty serious development since the Superbowl XXXIV was hosted by the city in 2000.  By 2009, this part of Atlanta will house at least two new tourist attractions: a gigantic Aquarium, and a new Coca Cola Museum.  Just like Houston and Dallas, Atlanta is receiving a new coat of mid & high rise residential buildings, many of which are being built in that part of town.  Atlanta also has the benefit of train service from the airport to the downtown(s) with major hotels, as well as train service to the Georgia Dome.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't forget about the new $30 million Museum Asia House by Yoshio Taniguchi will breakground in 2006 in downtown houston, and be well ready for the 2009 superbowl for the tourrist.

Plans for the Houston project call for a 28,000- to 30,000-square-foot museum with two galleries

[CincoRanch-HoustonResident]

Houston will host it in 2009, no doubt.

[The Great Hizzy!]

The fact that it is a finalist is a good thing, regardless. Say that Tampa or Atlanta were to be chosen, that would give Houston a stronger stake in the 2010 or 2011 game.

However, 2009 has been stated as a likely date for the game to return to Houston. The Chronicle's John McClain (the Chron's lead NFL journalist) has stated this repeatedly since the SB ended earlier this year.

[111486]

All cities are great choices, but I say Atlanta is out of the question. They have the most populated downtown out of all cities listed, but it is still dead. I think it will go to Houston, just because of the venue and we offer just as much as the other cities. It would have helped if Reliant was built in downtown though.

[tamtagon]

Another thing favoring Atlanta is that the owner of the Falcons made possible the new Aquarium by a $250 million donation. [Atlanta's High Museum of Art, also nearby, is currently undergoing a larger expansion than Museum Asia House adds in Houston (however the High Museum pales in comparison); and a state of the art "world class" symphony Hall is under progress too.

Probably in any blow by blow comparison of civic improvements between Atlanta and Houston would find the cities relatively "equal", but the Falcons owner may have a stronger hand within the league - I dont know.... I just hope Houston hosts superbowls enough to pay back the public investment.

[Subdude]

It would be difficult to have a park sitting in the middle of a fenced-in parking lot that you have to pay to enter.

[HOUCAJUN]

It would be difficult to have a park sitting in the middle of a fenced-in parking lot that you have to pay to enter.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

an extra patch of greenery for tailgators, rodeo ,and festival goers wouldn't hurt.what is your suggestion ,sunshine? there are other events that go on at reliant park than football you know. isn't that what you favor? more greenery?less concrete?make up your mind.

[Guest danax]

The Dome is probably the number 1 piece of architecture that people around the world associate with Houston. We need to keep maintaining it until some private party can do something with it. Its at that dangerous age for buildings, 40-50, where they are not quite old enough to be appreciated as historic but old enough to need lots of work. The area surrounding it is currently kind of a dead-zone but that seems to be changing for the better.

I think generations of future Houstonians will be cursing (crusing?) us if we bring it down.

[HOUCAJUN]

yeah, you're right. my bad.

[DaTrain]

The Dome is probably the number 1 piece of architecture that people around the world associate with Houston. We need to keep maintaining it until some private party can do something with it. Its at that dangerous age for buildings, 40-50, where they are not quite old enough to be appreciated as historic but old enough to need lots of work. The area surrounding it is currently kind of a dead-zone but that seems to be changing for the better.

I think generations of future Houstonians will be cursing (crusing?) us if we bring it down.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is pretty nasty for taxes to be high for maintaining the Astrodome years after falling into disuse. IMO the Astrodome should not be torn down, but it is time the Dome goes back into use as something else other than just being fenced off, being owned by Reliant Energy [Park] and just being a tourist attraction. What would Houston be without it? It would be nothing; the Dome should at least become a historic landmark for these reasons: (1) It is the very first air-conditioned sports stadium; (2) Eighth wonder of the world. All the other domed stadiums after it got torn down, like the Kingdome for example; the Dome should not meet the same fate as all the other torn down stadiums of the past. You can say it's just a stadium, but this Dome is deserves special treatment.

[houstonsemipro]

Wow. Alot of people really posting about the Dome, and there's no news about this famous architecture. I'll wait until some news about the Dome get's out first, then I post.

[jmancuso]

Those landmarks are (well not nyc) hundreds of years old... and serve a major purpose...

Why pay for such a huge structure that isn't being used, and throwing money out the window? If the Empire State building's leases ever got emptied (back then) I'm sure it would have been empolded... or if the Capitol moved from DC, what purpose would they serve? nothing... but they did, and thats why there still here today.

he's talking figuratively of course and i agree with him. the dome represents houston

[CincoRanch-HoustonResident]

Just a thought, maybe a museum could be made in the Dome. I don't know how they could do it, but like from its beginning, to the end of its life.

[tw2ntyse7en]

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[ricco67]

Look, the Dome is so large, it could fill a variety of uses at the same time. It could be a storage spot, a sports venue, a parking section, or even a hotel!

If done correctly, this building can be used heavily for a number of years. There simply too many options that this building could be used for.

Ricco

[tw2ntyse7en]

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[Lowbrow]

I'd like to see a bio-dome like project. Maybe the Houstonian could buy it, put in some mountain bike trails, climbing walls, jungle scape...

[Duce]

I'd like to see a bio-dome like project. Maybe the Houstonian could buy it, put in some mountain bike trails, climbing walls, jungle scape...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What about a homeless shelter?

[tw2ntyse7en]

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[Subdude]

What about a homeless shelter?

That's the most original idea I've heard for the Dome. I wonder if existing charities could pool resources to fund it.

[tw2ntyse7en]

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[danes75]

personally i think a homeless shelter is the worst idea in the world. the most trashy, ghetto, crime-ridden parts of Houston, or for that matter, any metro area, are the ones with homeless shelters and food pantries. its not because the charities get better rent there, it is because the clientelle that the places attract.

being homeless is a mindset and just plain laziness. i've often thought it was ironic that, with houston having such a large hispanic population, there are still more white and black homeless than any other race. why is that? because they've come to expect things to be given to them instead of working. why work when you can get food and clothes for free?

when someone pisses in their clothes because its easier than getting up off the ground, they don't deserve charity -- they deserve an all expense paid trip to Army boot camp.

oh, and i'm a democrat.

[Guest danax]

being homeless is a mindset and just plain laziness.  i've often thought it was ironic that, with houston having such a large hispanic population, there are still more white and black homeless than any other race.  why is that?  because they've come to expect things to be given to them instead of working. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have a feeling the restaurants, landscapers, contractors etc. would all hate to see the illegals get booted out and have to hire native-born Americans, as we might be a little more demanding and perhaps a little less eager to work hard for low pay without whining, and yes, might be, in general, a bit "lazier" too.

[tw2ntyse7en]

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