"I think the dome has served its purpose, but I'll say this: I'm not going to support tearing it down and then covering the hole with $20 million in dirt and a parking lot," county commissioner Steve Radak said. "If that's all, it can just stand there."
It gave a lot of folks who had evacuated from Hurricane Katrina a last ditch shelter to stay in -- some are actually still living there.
Isn't the Roman Coliseum, a rotted stadium, one of the most-visited tourist sites in the world? Long-term, decades down the line, Houstonians will wish they still had their prime tourist attraction. Appreciation for historical significance takes time. Houston's just got a different mindset.
Heck, Barcelona turned a former bullring into a successful and trendy mall: http://inhabitat.com/architect-rich...-bullfighting-ring-into-epic-shopping-center/
If only we had persecuted Christians in it in a bizarre spectacle of publicly sanctioned callous inhumanity . But maybe we should hold off a bit though to see if NFL head injuries will qualify.
The Italians are worthless. Houston however has a productive and thriving economy -- I doubt I will live to regret my vote to not fund the Astrodome's renovation.
Whatever happened to Ryan Slattery's idea to strip it down to just the steel frame and use it as a park? How much would that cost? http://www.khou.com/news/cnn/UH-gra...is-on-saving-iconic-Astrodome--200138171.html
It may cost more than people expect. You still have to fill in the giant underground portion of the dome to bring it to street level (which is the largest cost of the "implosion", "blow it up" plan). And "deconstructing" a structure is very complicated... especially a 65 year old structure that was not built in a way to be easily "deconstructed".
He meant Houston's economy is fortunate to be tied to the energy industry, primarily due to the whims of nature. A retort to Coho's hubris that Houston is prosperous because we are the Master Race and Italians are universally sub-human. If I were in charge, I would strip it down to the structure, leaving the roof and use it for an semi-outdoor space for tailgating, shows, a space for the F1 pits etc.. It's not that expensive to fill in the hole since every development in town now needs to dig detention ponds and then pave it over. I'm sure you could find a corporate sponsor for something like that.
In all seriousness, Katrina was a fitting end to the Astrodome's functional legacy. It's also an artistic masterpiece and incredibly culturally significant. The Astrodome is ugly as sin and will probably collapse in on itself before reaching a fraction of the Collesium's age. Even if the cost to build such a thing were equal to the convention center idea, I'd support it. You could create a cultural and historical landmark that would last for centuries. The maintenance cost would be minimal, and it could be enjoyed by everyone. It's a fitting and venerable retirement for the Dome.
I probably would as well... but that wasn't what was up for the vote. Making it into a convention center was not a great plan.
That is your opinion don't state it as a fact. The Colosseum was a sports stadium. I wonder if they thought it was art back then. If they did why did they pretty much let it decay? I am pretty sure the dome will be around for a long time if they just allow it to just stand. It is an engineering marvel.
Do you say the same thing about getting worked up over a professional sports team? I mean what worth is there in NBA basketball?
Exactly. I like basketball, and I will watch the Rockets beat the Lakers tonight, but there is a time and place for everything. The Dome's day has come.
