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Proposed Astrodome Hotel


Subdude

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Yeah, but NASA is in Bay Area Houston. Plenty of attractions near there (not too far from Galveston either...makes for a nice day trip for island tourists). Hobby Airport also isn't too far away. NASA has failed because they don't have any real worthy attractions. That space flight simulator at Epcot would have been great at Space Center Houston.

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Excellent idea about a NASA related museum, IMAX theatre, fight similation etc! That is the best idea I've heard for the dome ever. I've lived here all my life, worked for 4 yrs acoss the street from NASA and I can say that its not a place (NASA) that I have visited since elementary school however I know that its all about the tourist(s). I would hope that someone of significance pick up this idea and run with it. GREAT IDEA!

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I think a sound stage is a bad idea. Why would a Hollywood director come to Houston to film a movie? I can see maybe 1 movie a year coming to the Astrodome if it was converted. That isn't nearly enough ROI for the citizens of Houston. Bring the hotel and let's have a place that can bring in out of towners and convention goers and their mighty dollars.

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I think a sound stage is a bad idea. Why would a Hollywood director come to Houston to film a movie? I can see maybe 1 movie a year coming to the Astrodome if it was converted. That isn't nearly enough ROI for the citizens of Houston. Bring the hotel and let's have a place that can bring in out of towners and convention goers and their mighty dollars.

Well Hollywood, NYC, and Chicago are all becoming very expensive to film in. Film producers are looking anywhere and everywhere to cut costs, including filming location. Brad Pitt and Sean Penn were in town a month ago filming here instead of NYC because of costs. Austin has become a cheaper alternative and gets more and more films every year. Even Albuquerque, NM is having a filming boom unheard of in the area.....all because of costs.

The hotel would be tacky, and just a knock off of the Gaylord. Trying to dress up the dome to make it somewhat attractive is nearly impossible now, especially to make it some upscale "Texan" hotel.

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I found the NASA tour depressing. There wasn't that much to see, and even less to do. I can't imagine going there more than once. A new huge venue could give an opportunity to do something much more interactive. They could even have space camp there or something for kids, with different exhibits and demos and exercises, who knows. They call it space city, but last I checked I have to drive 45 minutes to get there, and I can see downtown from my roof.

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I found the NASA tour depressing. There wasn't that much to see, and even less to do. I can't imagine going there more than once. A new huge venue could give an opportunity to do something much more interactive. They could even have space camp there or something for kids, with different exhibits and demos and exercises, who knows. They call it space city, but last I checked I have to drive 45 minutes to get there, and I can see downtown from my roof.

You're still in Houston down around NASA though. ;)

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I found the NASA tour depressing. There wasn't that much to see, and even less to do. I can't imagine going there more than once. A new huge venue could give an opportunity to do something much more interactive. They could even have space camp there or something for kids, with different exhibits and demos and exercises, who knows. They call it space city, but last I checked I have to drive 45 minutes to get there, and I can see downtown from my roof.

I agree that the city should work with NASA to create some sort of museum or exhibit space closer to the city center. Maybe the south end of downtown, or some of the empty blocks surrounding 59 in Midtown and the Museum District.

However, I think throwing all of that stuff in the Dome isn't a good idea, either. I'd rather the city take full advantage of these assets and go all out with something rather than try and kill two birds with one stone and rehab the Dome as some cost-effective solution. I would also prefer more infill between the Med Center and Downtown as opposed to more sprawl around Reliant Park. All dreams, of course.

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I agree that the city should work with NASA to create some sort of museum or exhibit space closer to the city center. Maybe the south end of downtown, or some of the empty blocks surrounding 59 in Midtown and the Museum District.

However, I think throwing all of that stuff in the Dome isn't a good idea, either. I'd rather the city take full advantage of these assets and go all out with something rather than try and kill two birds with one stone and rehab the Dome as some cost-effective solution. I would also prefer more infill between the Med Center and Downtown as opposed to more sprawl around Reliant Park. All dreams, of course.

Thats a good idea. Maybe put all the Rockets in a new park, (Discovery), and build a museum so the Space Center could be left for just working.

But what to do with the Dome? I think the Hotel thing is stupid, but it could work.

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I agree that the city should work with NASA to create some sort of museum or exhibit space closer to the city center. Maybe the south end of downtown, or some of the empty blocks surrounding 59 in Midtown and the Museum District.

This is totally off topic, but yeah that's a great idea. There could still be a JSC tour that would let you see the astronaut training in action or whatever, but a space museum in the Museum District would be a great idea. The more museums tourists can walk between the better, and having the rockets where more Houstonians and visitors would see them on a daily basis would be a great thing for the city.

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Louisiana is booming with filming right now. My brother-in-law in Baton Rouge has been working as location manager for more than one movie at a time for over a year now, and things aren't slowing down. Most of it is due to the cheapness of filming there, and double bonus that it is bringing a lot of business to the S LA economy.

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Louisiana is booming with filming right now. My brother-in-law in Baton Rouge has been working as location manager for more than one movie at a time for over a year now, and things aren't slowing down. Most of it is due to the cheapness of filming there, and double bonus that it is bringing a lot of business to the S LA economy.

Yea, LA has been doing crazy incentives for film makers the last few years. I believe they sunset at the end of 2008. I know Shreveport does a lot of movie work.

I'd imagine a soundstage is a very tough ROI and the only way you could get it to work would be to combine it with very sweet incentives.

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Yea, LA has been doing crazy incentives for film makers the last few years. I believe they sunset at the end of 2008. I know Shreveport does a lot of movie work.

I'd imagine a soundstage is a very tough ROI and the only way you could get it to work would be to combine it with very sweet incentives.

Hmmm....so, the only way to get overpaid people to come work in your town is to give them a bunch of free stuff? Guess it's a good fit with the structure next door.

If they are underpaid people getting free stuff, we call it welfare. What's it called when they are rich people?

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perspective of the Saturn V would be lost.

I know Saturn V has to be inside to perserve it, but could they stand it upright somewhere in Houston, and then incase it in a giant clear glass box, kinda like the glass pyramid in Galveston, but a box instead of a pyramid? I'm trying to switch from night shift back to day shift, so I might not be making any sense. But it could be like Houston's Eiffel Tower or Statue of Liberty, or something.

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Let's not be short sighted...A sound stage would create an entirely new industry to the city. You would need location managers, producers, custom designers, etc...to support the films being made in Houston and create a new economy that would contribute to the overall wealth of the city. It would change the city in a positive way and add a brand new industry to the city. Houston is known for "creating it's own breaks" and thinking out of the box and revolutionizing business. This would be one more way to do it and save the Eighth Wonder of the World.

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  • 1 month later...
I am impressed with the website. It is really well done and give a lot of information around the plan. I hope they can execute this.

This could be an amazing opportunity for the Houston art community.

Albuqerque already has studios....used for low-budget films, up to major motion pictures.

http://www.abqstudios.com/

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