HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Astrodome has been in limbo, waiting for its chance at a second life since it closed more than 15 years ago.
It was a technological marvel when it opened in 1965. But its heyday is long gone and it hasn’t hosted a sports team since the Astros left in 1999 and it was closed to all events a decade later. late.
Over the years, there have been many ideas for its redevelopment and revival, from transforming it into an indoor water park to flooding its sunken ground to recreate naval battle scenes. But none of these projects have garnered enough public support or funding.
The latest proposal to renovate the Astrodome was unveiled Wednesday by a nonprofit organization focused on saving the beloved domed stadium. The Astrodome Conservancy Group is proposing to redevelop the interior of the structure to create new spaces for restaurants, retail, offices and cultural spaces. But like other previous projects, this project could face a similar fate, with a cost of $1 billion and an initial lack of support from local entities who would have to agree for the project to move forward.
Beth Wiedower Jackson, executive director of the conservancy, said that unlike previous proposals, her organization believes theirs is supported by data and would be economically viable in part because there would be enough private investment to support it.
“It’s a big, big, bold vision. And those earlier plans, even admitted by Harris County officials, were a first step toward a future Astrodome. And that’s the full swing of the bat. And it 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 provide space for restaurants, stores and offices. Similar spaces for shopping and dining would also be located around the Astrodome and connected to other facilities around the stadium. The Astrodome is located at NRG Park, a 350-acre complex that includes NRG Stadium, located directly adjacent to the Astrodome and home to the NFL’s Houston Texans, as well as an arena and exhibition halls .
“The Astrodome is now ready for its next chapter, redevelopment,” said Phoebe Tudor, curatorial chair. “It’s time for all of us in Houston to come together and do something hard, to work together to reuse the Astrodome.”
Nicknamed “the eighth wonder of the world,” the Astrodome marked the beginning of a change in the way people attended sporting events. It has 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 have called for its demolition. But a 2017 designation by the Texas Historical Commission as a state antiquities landmark essentially protects it from mass destruction. The stadium also remains strongly ingrained in the memories of many people in and outside of Houston.
Rafi Kohan, whose 2017 book “The Arena” explores the place sports stadiums hold in American culture, said the construction of the Astrodome took place during a time of incredible technological innovation in the United States and that she helped transform Houston from what some considered a “backwater area.” Cow Town” to become a leader in technology. Houston became the home of the space program with the opening of the Johnson Space Center in 1964.
“There was and still is a lot of civic pride around the Astrodome, what it represented, the kind of space age feat, you know, in the form of a stadium,” he said. Kohan said.
Douglas Brinkley, a historian and professor at Rice University in Houston, said the Astrodome has tremendous historical significance and is worth saving.
“It’s our fault for neglecting it or not investing in it. But there is a turnaround now. We’re going to get this done,” Brinkley said.
But it remains to be seen whether there will still be enough support in Houston to renovate and save the Astrodome. It costs between $100,000 and $200,000 per year to maintain the stadium.
The Astrodome is owned by Harris County and operated 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, president of the sports and convention society, said in a statement that he respects the conservation’s efforts, but “over the past few years we have seen several concepts that, while challenging, have not not resulted in viable financing 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 that “the solution for the Astrodome must be decided in 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 in what to do with the Astrodome, disagreed with the conservation proposal.
“The Astrodome Conservancy’s proposed plan does not align with the strategic vision and operational requirements of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo,” Chris Boleman, the group’s president and CEO, said in a statement.
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