Future Of Astrodome Unclear
Photo courtesy of B&M Photography
The after-game celebration of the last Astros game held at the Astrodome, Oct. 3, 1999.
RACHAEL DEVINNEY
THE SIGNAL
Harris County voters rejected Proposition 2 Nov. 5, which would have repurposed the Astrodome into a multipurpose event center.
The proposal in Proposition 2 would have allowed the county to issue upward of $217 million in bonds and a tax increase of $8 a year for houses worth $200,000 and above to repurpose the Astrodome.
With a vote of 53 percent to 47 percent, the proposition was shot down. The Astrodome’s future is now unclear.
Once known as “The Eighth Wonder of the World,” the Astrodome has had its doors closed since 2009.
The failed proposal, also known as “The New Dome Experience,” was for a multipurpose facility, which would turn the Astrodome into a new convention center that could host sporting events, festivals and conferences.
The Astrodome has been standing, unused, for four years. Right now the Astrodome costs $2 million to $3 million a year to keep the building structurally sound and standing safe. This cost does not include repairs.
When voters rejected the proposal, they did not automatically vote for a demolition. The vote has left the Astrodome exactly where it was, collecting dust next to Reliant Stadium.
“We’re back to where we were. Square One,” said Steve Radack, Harris County Commissioner.
Demolishing the Astrodome could cost the county between $78 million and $120 million. Then more proposals would have to be reviewed as to what to do with the new space.
The Astrodome was considered a wonder of modern architecture because it was America’s first domed stadium. The Astrodome housed both the MLB’s Houston Astros and the NFL’s Houston Oilers, was home to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, as well as countless concerts and performers.
The Astros now play at Minute Maid Park, Houston’s first retractable-roofed stadium, which opened in 2000.
The Houston Oilers moved to Tennessee in 1998 and became the Tennessee Titans. In 2002, Houston gained a new football team, the Houston Texans, who play in the new Reliant Stadium.
The year 2002 marked the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s last concert in the Astrodome with performer George Strait breaking all records with 68,266 in attendance. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo moved to Reliant Stadium in 2003.
The Astrodome now sits in shambles next to Reliant Stadium, waiting for the next decision to be made. At the next Harris County Commissioner’s meeting, the future of the Astrodome will be discussed, though it is unlikely any decision will be made.
No one has made a move to demolish the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” but neither have they made a move to refurbish it.
“There’s no formal plan or authorization to demolish the building,” said Willie Loston, executive director of the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation, which takes care of the entire Reliant Park, including Reliant Stadium, the Astrodome and Reliant Arena.
There is another option for the Astrodome. The city of Houston can give landmark status to the Astrodome. However, this would only put a hold on demolition for 90 days, not indefinitely.
“There is an immediate need to protect the Dome from the wrecking ball,” said Chris Alexander, founder and CEO of ASTRODOMETOMORROW, a nonprofit corporation trying to ensure the redevelopment of the Astrodome. “All of us should be working to ensure that the Astrodome is protected.”
