Current:Home > NewsA $1 billion proposal is the latest plan to refurbish and save the iconic Houston Astrodome -FundSphere
A $1 billion proposal is the latest plan to refurbish and save the iconic Houston Astrodome
View
Date:2025-04-17 18:25:54
HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Astrodome has been in limbo, waiting for its chance at a second life since being shuttered more than 15 years ago.
It was a technological marvel when it opened in 1965. But its heyday has long passed and it hasn’t been home to a sports team since the Astros left in 1999 and it was closed to all events a decade later.
Over the years, ideas for its redevelopment and rebirth have been plentiful, everything from turning it into an indoor water park to flooding its sunken floor in order to reenact naval battle scenes. But none of these plans garnered enough public support or financing.
The latest proposal to refurbish the Astrodome was unveiled on Wednesday by a nonprofit focused on saving the beloved domed stadium. The group, the Astrodome Conservancy, proposes redeveloping the inside of the structure to create new areas for restaurants, retail, office and cultural spaces. But like the others before it, this plan could face a similar fate, with a $1 billion price tag and an initial lack of support from local entities that would need to give their OK for the project to go forward.
Beth Wiedower Jackson, the conservancy’s executive director, said that unlike previous proposals, her organization believes theirs is backed by data and would be economically viable in part because there would be enough private investment to support it.
“This is a big, big, bold vision. And those previous plans, even admitted by Harris County officials, were a first step towards a future Astrodome. And this is the full swing of the bat. And this gives people something to be excited about,” Jackson said.
The plan, Vision: Astrodome, proposes the construction of four state-of-the-art buildings inside the stadium that would offer spaces for restaurants, stores and offices. Similar spaces for shopping and eating would also be located around the Astrodome and connected to other facilities around the stadium. The Astrodome is at NRG Park, a 350-acre complex that includes NRG Stadium, located right next to the Astrodome and home to the NFL’s Houston Texans, as well as an arena and exhibition halls.
“The Astrodome is ready now for its next chapter, redevelopment,” said Phoebe Tudor, the conservancy’s chairman. “It is time for all of us in Houston to come together and do something hard, working together to repurpose the Astrodome.”
Nicknamed “the Eighth Wonder of the World,” the Astrodome ushered in a change in how people attended sporting events. It also hosted various cultural events, including concerts by Elvis and Tejano music star Selena as well as the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match between Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King in 1973.
Some people have called for its demolition. But a 2017 designation by the Texas Historical Commission as a state antiquities landmark essentially protects it from wholesale destruction. The stadium also maintains a strong foothold in the memories of many people both in and outside of Houston.
Rafi Kohan, whose 2017 book “The Arena” explores the place sports stadiums hold in American culture, said the Astrodome’s construction came at a time of incredible technological innovation in the United States, and it helped transform Houston from what some saw as a “backwoods cow town” into a leader in technology. Houston became the home of the space program with the opening of Johnson Space Center in 1964.
“There was and continues to be a lot of civic pride around the Astrodome, what it represented, the sort of space age feat, you know, in stadium form,” Kohan said.
Douglas Brinkley, a historian and professor at Houston’s Rice University, said the Astrodome has tremendous historical relevance and is worth saving.
“It’s been our fault that we’ve neglected it or not invested in it. But a turnaround is upon us right now. We’re going to get this done,” Brinkley said.
But whether there continues to be enough support in Houston to refurbish and save the Astrodome remains to be seen. It costs between $100,000 and $200,000 a year to maintain the stadium.
The Astrodome is owned by Harris County and managed by the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation.
The office of Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the county’s top elected official, declined to comment on the conservancy’s proposal.
James Dixon, the sports and convention corporation’s chairman, said in a statement that he respects the conservancy’s efforts but “over the last few years, we have seen several concepts that, while thought-provoking, haven’t resulted in viable funding and maintenance solutions.”
Dixon said his organization and the county are working with other stakeholders on a plan for the future of NRG Park and “the solution for the Astrodome must be decided within that context.”
One of those stakeholders, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which holds its annual event at NRG Park and would have a say on what to do with the Astrodome, was not on board with the conservancy’s proposal.
“The proposed plan by the Astrodome Conservancy does not align with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s strategic vision and operational requirements,” Chris Boleman, the group’s president and CEO, said in a statement.
___
Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at https://x.com/juanlozano70
veryGood! (7)
Related
- Meta donates $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund
- California man sentenced to 40 years to life for fatal freeway shooting of 6-year-old boy
- Houston area teacher, son charged with recruiting teenage students for prostitution
- Who's hosting 'SNL' tonight? Cast, musical guest, where to watch April 13 episode
- Rams vs. 49ers highlights: LA wins rainy defensive struggle in key divisional game
- Does drinking your breast milk boost immunity? Kourtney Kardashian thinks so.
- Tennessee governor signs bill requiring local officers to aid US immigration authorities
- Urgent care worker accused of sexual assaults while claiming falsely to be a nurse in Philly suburbs
- Friday the 13th luck? 13 past Mega Millions jackpot wins in December. See top 10 lottery prizes
- Memphis police officer shot and killed while responding to suspicious vehicle report; 1 suspect dead
Ranking
- Taylor Swift Eras Archive site launches on singer's 35th birthday. What is it?
- Biden’s ballot access in Ohio and Alabama is in the hands of Republican election chiefs, lawmakers
- Judge rejects defense efforts to dismiss Hunter Biden’s federal gun case
- Jury visits a ranch near US-Mexico border where an Arizona man is charged with killing a migrant
- Meta releases AI model to enhance Metaverse experience
- Mother of Nevada prisoner claims in lawsuit that prison staff covered up her son’s fatal beating
- Swimming portion of Olympic triathlon might be impacted by alarming levels of bacteria like E. coli in Seine river
- Homicide suspect kills himself after fleeing through 3 states, authorities say
Recommendation
FACT FOCUS: Inspector general’s Jan. 6 report misrepresented as proof of FBI setup
Woman with history of DUIs sentenced to 15 years to life for California crash that killed mom-to-be
No, you aren't likely to get abs in 30 days. Here's how long it actually takes.
Guilty plea by leader of polygamous sect near the Arizona-Utah border is at risk of being thrown out
Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people
Progressive candidates are increasingly sharing their own abortion stories after Roe’s demise
Braves ace Spencer Strider has UCL repaired, out for season
Jessica Alba says she's departing role as chief creative officer at Honest to pursue new endeavors