I drive by Lakewood Church every day and Im often reminded that the Rockets used to play there...I guess Im in the minority, ha, but my love of basketball developed within the walls of that building, so I guess I have different feelings towards it. And the same with the Astrodome...I cant imagine it not being there.
Also, Some people really don't know what the hell they are talking about. A few blocks North of Reliant, the real estate gets very pricey.
Funny thing. My brother in law plays drums for the Spanish service Worship band and he told me Joel was a huge Rockets fan. He's left the Original Rockets locker room untouched.
Same here about EVERY sports building in town. Are there other cities trying to "revamp" their broken down stadiums like Houston was trying? Are we the only ones doing this? Out-of-towners? Anyone? Both sides, or just one side? Which side is doing that more? Sad stuff either way.
I think they're making a distinction because the Astrodome has historical significance from an architectural standpoint. Above and beyond merely being a sports stadium. And honestly, unless it's a Dome structure, you can't really preserve a baseball/football stadium for anything. I keep hearing the talk about Yankee Stadium...but Yankee Stadium could only be a baseball park. When it ran out of its useful life as a baseball park, it needed to go. The question is whether or not the Dome can be of use going forward, even if very different from what it was prior. There's argument as to whether it could even have a useful life...but there's at least an argument there...there's no legitimate argument to support keeping a structure like Yankee Stadium once the baseball team moves out.
No, but funny you should mention Katy. One report I saw a few years back places the population center of the entire region as squarely on I-10 and the Katy area. What that means is, that would have been the ideal area to place Reliant, as it would have been the most convenient place the the most people in the region. However, they didn't do that, they plunked the new mega-stadium right next to the old one, in a run-down area that very few people in the region would go to if not for the stadium and rodeo being there. As far as being near the Medical Center, and some real estate prices being high in the area.. so what? The actual area itself around the Dome and Reliant is a dump, pure and simple, and the BEAUTIFUL 12-foot-tall fence topped with barbed wire surrounding the whole thing, that just makes it all so cheery, I would just be chomping at the bit to bring my family down there. Almost like taking a field trip to Huntsville. Just don't pick up hitch-hikers.
Its not the Katy Texans. Its HOUSTON! I hate team stadiums that aren't even in their own cities. If you don't like the city don't come to the games and stay in Katy, Kingwood or whatever sub you stay in.
It's never been squarely on I-10 and Katy. You're probably thinking of I-10 and the Beltway which is not Katy.
Actually, you're right, my bad. It has been a while since I saw it, but now you say that, I remember it, and you are exactly right.
Yep. Reliant Stadium in Katy would be ridiculous. And he is certainly overstating the dump aspect of where it currently is. But he also does have a point. Reliant Stadium near I-10 and the Beltway west, maybe on the north side of I-10... probably would have been a better location.... ... but who cares. The Astrodome's best current use seems to be as a parking lot... as in torn down.
Honestly this feels like I got punched in the gut. Even though I don't live in Houston anymore I would've sent the county what I would pay in property taxes if I still lived in Harris County to save the dome. Muerto
Yeah, the NW corner of I-10 and Beltway would have been nice. Or tear down that god awful GRB and build it there.
- The Kingdome wasn't the first dome. - Yankee stadium probably needed to be torn down due to NYC's congestion. It's amazing not long ago we had the Astrodome and Astroworld.
I-10 West would be a worse location. Sure, more people live in the area, but more people would have to drive farther. The current location is far more centrally located.
None of those were as historically and architecturally significant as the Astrodome. Also Boston and Chicago have approved renovations to Fenway and Soldier Field respectively. In fact in 1999 Bostonians rejected a proposal to demolish and rebuild a new Fenway. The Astrodome architecturally is more significant than those stadiums. It was the first domed stadium and at the time the largest dome in the world. It's roof is unlike any other stadium in the world and is more in line with buildings like the Pantheon in Rome, Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, and Gothic Cathedrals than it is sports stadiums. Frankly in architecture terms this would be like if Rome decided to tear down the Coliseum for more parking.
