Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation
If you have not yet seen the news, check out the front page headline in today’s June 20, 2013 Houston Chronicle for the story by Kiah Collier entitled “A conventional idea for Dome”. The Harris County Sports and Convention Center Corporation is recommending a $194 million dollar proposal that would convert the old Astrodome into a world class major exhibit and activity space that would simply fit right in with how it was intended in the first place. They could even play football there again and also become a major help to the needs of events like Houston’s annual OTC convention.
Three aspects of the plan are emphasized:
(1) They would remove the 60,000 seats now in place and fill in the one-story underground space to create a street-level exhibit and meeting space. The exterior would be landscaped in attractive greenery.
(2) Potential uses would include swim meets, graduations, community events, football and soccer games, and as a central space for use by the growing Offshore Technology Conference. A 350,000 square foot meeting space leaves the door open for an infinite number of convention uses by groups from all over the country, including the major political parties.
(3) The “transformation” is expected to take 30 months for completion. If the plan gets on the ballot in November 2013 with a funding plan showing the public/private plan for making payment on the project, and this plan is approved, then work could actually be put in place to start by August 2014 and be finished and put into use by the 2017 Super Bowl that Houston will be hosting.
The Astrodome in 2013 (Bill McCurdy)
~ with no help ~
The Astrodome in 2017 (Harris Co. Sports, et al)
~ with planned renovation ~
They say that this plan is about $80 million dollars cheaper than a similar proposal the same group made last year because of the agreement to bypass restoring the underground level in favor of filling it in.
Let’s see what happens next. At least, we seem to have moved an inch from doing nothing and paying for it to finding an actual cost on a serious good plan for action.
Tags: Future of the Astrodome
The Pecan Park Eagle 
June 20, 2013 at 1:35 pm |
It will be interesting to see if the C&VB supports this venture along with the other major hotels near the George R. Brown Convention Center.
June 20, 2013 at 1:52 pm |
This is probably the best that could happen to the Dome, after all it is a listed wonder of the world! Maybe it will be here 50 years from now. Just think what that would look like with the surroundings that will surely change again. It only took less than 30 years for the entire Houston skyline to completely change. In another 30 years those buildings will also change once again. I live in my own time capsule, to me sitting on a corner on Main street 1953 with my Grandmother waiting for a nasty old smoking diesel bus with all the windows pushed up, well that’s my Houston.
June 20, 2013 at 2:12 pm |
It sounds promising but I don’t know how they will be able to keep it filled. It becomes direct competition for GYB Convention Center and, to some extent, Reliant Stadium. Yet, it could also be an adjunct to major events such as the rodeo, the OTC, political conventions and the Super Bowl. Sounds better than turning it into a parking lot.
June 20, 2013 at 3:47 pm |
Gentlemen, Reliant Center has already been direct competition to the GRB for years. That county v city rivalry is nothing new. Nor is the fact that the largest conventions still find the GRB too small. OTC has been using big tents in the parking lot, so they will love this development.
June 20, 2013 at 3:58 pm |
this is what the Hon. Judge Emmett had to say to my proposal:
Dear Mr. Richie,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about the future if the Astrodome. To date, there have been many good suggestions floated but no one has been able to generate a viable revenue stream, if no financially viable option is found, the Commissioners Court will have to decide the best course of action using Harris County tax dollars.
As this process moves forward, please continue to share your thoughts with me.
Sincerely,
Ed Emmett
County Judge
From: Arnold Richie
Sent: Friday, April 05, 2013 11:40 AM
To: Judge Emmett (County Judge’s Office)
Subject: Astrodome
Honorable Judge Emmett,
It is extremely unusual for me to send anything like this, but having been born in Houston and living here all of my life I have watched as each landmark has fallen. Almost all world famous cities have historical sites that bring tourists and revenue each year. The Houston Astrodome is certainly one of the most iconic sites Houston has ever enjoyed. What a shame that it has fallen into disrepair to the point of discussion of tearing it down in favor of a parking lot! Just what we need – – more lovely concrete.
I propose that a coalition be assembled to create The Texas Museum at the Astrodome. To my knowledge, there is not a museum in the state that acknowledges and captures the rich history of Texas. With six flags flying over, pirates adventuring, oil fields sprouting, several Indian tribes roaming and the largest land mass state in the Union, we certainly have more than our fair share of a history to entice visitors from all over the world. The Astrodome is large and grand enough to have multiple floors of exhibits and even a Wild West show.
Why not make the Astrodome something that brings pride to our city and our state and bring in tourists and revenue at the same time.
I hope that you will send this on to whomever is responsible for making the final decision. Thank you for reading this and for the consideration.
Arnold Richie
June 20, 2013 at 4:11 pm |
This is very good news, Bill. Just last night, NBC reported that the National Trust for Historic Preservation has included the Astrodome on its annual list of “America’s Most Endangered Historic Places.”
On its website, http://www.preservationnation.org, the National Trust has this to say about the ‘Dome:
“As the world’s first domed, indoor, air-conditioned stadium, the 18-story multi-purpose Houston Astrodome was deemed the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’ when it opened in 1965. It is a marvel of modern engineering, and was designed to embody Houston’s innovative, entrepreneurial and space-age development as a major U.S. city. The Astrodome was home to Major League Baseball’s Houston Astros and the National Football League’s Houston Oilers for many years, and also played host to numerous other notable events, from the ‘Battle of the Sexes’ tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in 1973, to the Republican National Convention in 1992. Without a viable reuse plan, the Astrodome will likely succumb to calls for demolition.’
June 21, 2013 at 7:39 am |
I like the convention center proposal, and I also like the museum idea, an idea I put forward in this space last week. The re-make likely should incorporate both concepts. There should be attractions that would draw paying customers every day of the week, convention or no convention. For that reason, I believe the basement space should not be filled in. Preserving that space or space elsewhere in the facility for a first rate museum will guarantee a daily revenue stream even when there is no convention activity going on, and such lulls probably will happen. The museum could attract conventions. It could have multiple themes, including the Texas Heritage proposed by Arnold, along with Houston and Texas sports themes and with an emphasis on the Astros and Oilers history there, and the Colt .45s and Houston Buffs. It could have an Imax theater featuring museum-oriented films like at the MNS. It could celebrate ethnic cultures that pioneered Texas communities, a theme I haven’t seen in any other museums in Texas. There also could be a promenade with a small number of thrill rides like at the Kemah Boardwalk, a park-style recreation area with swings and a swimming pool, surrounded by restaurants. The conventioneers could gaze upon all this from their suites and gathering rooms in the upper levels. I feel in my bones this can be done.