Harris County officials consider the future of the Astrodome

[TexasTowelie]

There are currently four different options for the future of the Astrodome. One of them is to keep with the current plan, which is to do nothing. This will cost Houston more than $2 million a year in maintenance.

The second option is to cover the footprint of the dome with a green space plaza. But even this option is startlingly expensive, costing an estimated $84 million, due to some unusual circumstances. The dome cannot simply be imploded, county officials say, because that might damage the nearby AstroArena and Reliant Stadium.　

<<snip>>

Third, the city could gut the dome and leave the shell. This option would also include construction of a technology center and a planetarium inside the old stadium building. The roof would be covered with solar panels that look like a map of the world when viewed from the air. The estimated cost: about $324 million, including the $40 million in old Astrodome bond payments.

The final option, Astrodome renaissance, is the most expensive plan, costing more than a half-billion dollars. It would include everything in the third option, but private investors would be invited to build everything from an alternative energy center to a movie studio. The estimated cost: about $324 million from taxpayers and about $264 million from private sources.

http://www.khou.com/news/Harris-County-officials-consider-the-future-of-the-Astrodome-145849295.html

[font color=green]When it was built the Astrodome was billed as the eighth wonder of the world. It is a shame to see such an architectural marvel turn into a dilapidated shell unsuitable for any useful purpose.[/font]

[Blue_In_AK]

1. I remember when it was brand new.

My alma mater, University of Houston, used to play their football games there. The dome was built in 1965, and I went to UH from 1964 to 1968. It was awesome in its day.

[TexasTowelie]

2. My oldest sister is a Cougar alum (1975).

I only went there one time which was for a high school football playoff game in the late 90s. My brother still will belt out a verse of Houston Oilers #1 on occasion.

[ashling]

3. Used to go there for Astros games

was there for the circus once and, of course, the rodeo. I remember one Ringling Bros Circus in which they lifted some feme fatale
(sp?) by her hair from the platform at the top of the dome.

My dad worked for Gulf Oil and they had a skybox. We sat there two or three times.

Before the dome I saw the Colt 45s play the LA Dodgers in their dinky little stadium (I was about 10) Sandy Kofax pitching for LA