What I would do is turn it into Howard Hughes museum. Knock down half of it, create a giant glass window on the open half. Landscape the land in front and make it a giant park that dips below the astrodome to make it appear even bigger because right now Reliant dwarfs it. Add some water features. On the inside, top floor, relatively open space, park a deceased space shuttle on the top floor looking out at reliant stadium, as well as some of Howard hughes planes, and Bush's air force one inside for tourists to roll through. All with an overview the Houston Skyline and park through the giant glass window. The remainder of the inside would be primarily Hughes museum, and part astro-dome tribute. I think this maintains the iconic view and history of the dome, doesn't force you to maintain the entire dome as a useless stadium, continues to draw tourists from around the world and the usa, and gives you some private funding. Folks will enjoy the park, the history, and will be drawn to the space shuttle, planes, and air force one. It will generally be open and spacious, blending the indoors and outdoors. The key I think is you need people to have this as the number one thing on their tourist list. Not knowing Houston that well, my guess is the biggest draw now is NASA. But I don't see a lot of competition for tourists, so seeing the astrodome could be up there if there is more of a one of kind experience like air force one or the shuttle or some new space ship.
I should have know that JR would be on it already but here's a couple of articles about a possible future for the dome... The Best Plan Yet to Save Houston's Astrodome also Report: $243M to turn Astrodome into large park, civic space
Joint-venture, multi-institutional, 24 hour lending library with wi-fi, or just sell tickets to the demolition and wire each individual explosive to a personal detonator.
Astrodome open to the public for 50th anniversary party. The free event on Thursday, April 9 includes music, food and drinks. http://www.khou.com/story/news/loca...d-to-astrodomes-50th-birthday-party/70849276/
I like the park Idea. Make it something everyone can enjoy instead of a convention center or something only a limited number of people can enjoy. It might actually spur some economic development over there kind of like how minute maid and tc did for the east part of downtown.
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Emmett let us vote to make us feel good about it. When it didn't go the way he wanted, he said eff you to all of us and went ahead anyway.
I like this plan and think it is a good idea to consider multiple functions in the dome including parking. If they are dong an indoor park I hope that Harris County studies Singapore's Gardens by the Bay for some ideas. http://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/en.html
http://www.chron.com/houston/articl...-turn-the-landmark-8196601.php#photo-10360650 http://www.adomepark.org/ Spoiler
LOL. I've always advocated turning it into an outdoor pavilion/park/public use space, but holy jesus that spiral boardwalk is the dumbest idea in the history of dumb ideas. Hot as hell, awful scenery, and dangerous to boot.
Speak for yourself. Some people think its not hot enough and want to be closer to the sun when they reach the pinnacle of the 8th Wonder of the World. But yeah, I could see some suicide/homicides
Those pics of it as some sort of ice skating rink... wtf. If Turner backs that, it'll flop and we'll see the headline "Ice Town Costs Ice Clown His Town Crown"
