I think they can put a new stadium on the old Astroworld lot. However, the Astrodome is long over due to be demolished. Lena Hildaldo is in her 2nd term and she hasn’t made mention of a plan for demolishing the place and renovating the area.
I think they can put a new stadium on the old Astroworld lot. However, the Astrodome is long over due to be demolished. That would be a good location too, for a new venue....just thinking, outside of the box. Lena Hildaldo is in her 2nd term and she hasn’t made mention of a plan for demolishing the place and renovating the area This had to be about 7 - 8 yrs ago. They've changed plans in that area so many times, its hard to keep up.
It's out of local officials hands. NRG has a better chance of being torn down in 10 years than the Astrodome. https://www.thc.texas.gov/news-even...-state-antiquities-landmark-designation-texas The Texas Historical Commission (THC) voted to designate the Houston Astrodome—the first fully enclosed, domed, multipurpose sports stadium in the U.S.—a State Antiquities Landmark (SAL). The Astrodome joins other SAL-designated sites like the Alamo, the State Capitol, the Cotton Bowl and many other iconic Texas landmarks. “The Astrodome is not just an important part of Houston’s cultural history,” said Mark Wolfe, THC's Executive Director. “Architecturally, it is one of the most significant sports and entertainment venues in history, setting the standard for modern facilities around the world.” Completed in 1965 by Harris County, the Astrodome (officially the Harris County Domed Stadium) is the first enclosed and air-conditioned sports stadium in the U.S., boasting the largest clear span dome at the time of its completion (642 feet). Dubbed the "Eighth Wonder of the World," by the influential Houston Judge Roy M. Hofheinz, the Astrodome provided more than 60,000 seats while it served as home playing field to Major League Baseball’s Houston Astros until 2000 and the National Football League’s Houston Oilers until 1996. Along with hosting the Astros before their first World Series in 2005, It hosted concerts by Elvis Presley, Muhammed Ali boxing matches, Evel Knievel stunts and the 1970’s “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. In 2005, the building provided temporary shelter to thousands of residents displaced by Hurricane Katrina flooding. The SAL designation stipulates that a historic property cannot be removed, altered, damaged, salvaged, or excavated without a permit from the THC. Archeological sites, shipwrecks and historic buildings on non-federal public lands in Texas are eligible to be designated as SALs. Historic buildings must be listed in the National Register of Historic Places before they can be designated as SALs, but archeological sites do not have the same prerequisite.
This is very interesting. Eventually something has to be done, it can't continue to set and rot. But this definitely pose a problem with any kind of development plan.
She has been blocked from doing anything with the Dome. Some people just want to keep it and let it rot and claim “history”.
Its amazing that Houston has nothing of note outside of NASA and great food! That area of town use to be the pinnacle of Houston....it needs to be revitalized
Which area of town was the pinnacle? Also what Houston should be known for mostly is the medical center. Its far/away one of the most impressive areas of hospitals in any major metro city in the WORLD. Each institution has its own major strengths that are recognized nationally, hence why they can all co-exist next to each other. Sorta like Vegas and casinos... but hospitals. Add the surrounding museum district, park, and then shopping/eating venues surrounding that... then universities and green space surrounding that... I'd consider that or memorial park (not 610/telephone road/OST) to be pinnacle Houston.
The only thing NRG doesn't have that a lot of newer venues are generating is a surrounding entertainment/hotel/retail center that the team usually owns and gets revenue from. The newer "domes" (translucent roof) are reminding me more and more of the older domes that started to age pretty quickly after the Astrodome (Kingdome, Superdome, Hoosier Dome, SilverDome, Metrodome, Georgia Dome...). A lot of those hosted super bowls, final fours, other events... but were easily replaceable when the time came. Granted, the SuperDome was built to excess at the time, every gold-plated item went into it, and its actually held up well as a major event venue with all the renovations. Every now and then, a city gets a copycat stadium "right"... The Astros did that with MMP, the Superdome, the Dallas basketball/hockey arena (begrudgingly)... stadiums/arenas that with just a few occasional renovations, should age very well and end up timeless. NRG is not one of those... but minus the outside entertainment venue, its not missing anything that any of the other new stadiums have come up with since. Also, as long as the TV money keeps rolling in, teams will value the media market far more than the actual stadium. Doesn't work as well in places like Nashville and Jacksonville that will need to squeeze every penny out of their location that isn't as large as other markets.
Im not sure how we got to 610 and Telephone Rd. When I initially made this post, I was referring to the Astrodome and NRG. And when I referenced that area as being the Pinnacle of Houston at one point, again I was referencing the Astrodome area, not 610 and Telephone. If Im not mistaking, Telephone is 10 miles further. And that area was known as Gulfgate. The area Im speaking of was an attraction! People would come from all over the world to see the Astrodome and people would come from all over Texas, Louisiana and other parts of the south to visit Astroworld. Together it was an attraction. I'm not saying Houston is a dump, by no means, but outside of NASA and having great food, what else is there. And to the gentleman that referenced the Medical Center, Im sorry but people are not planning summer vacations or weekend getaways to come to see the Medical Center and our Museums. I'm proud of the Medical Center and I will visit the Museums but its not something as an out of towner, I would plan a summer trip around.
Not all cities are designed to be "vacation spots". He is designed for business. Always has been. People want to work and go home to the suburbs. It is the reason that it is spread out. They don't want to leave on top of each other like older cities, in the northeast...for example.
Nobody is planning summer trips to Houston for any reason... but if you are, its Galveston/Surfside/Bolivar and nothing else. Houston is a city people live in... not visit. And in actuality, more people from around the world come to "visit" the medical center... albeit for not so much "fun and game" reasons.
There was a time when families were planning trips to Houston and there was a time when area was an attraction. And it can become that once again, I think that's why Travis Scott started the Astroworld Concerts, because he feels similarly to how I feel. Its just a talking point on how to make Houston better
Why would anybody come do another domed stadium? yes, maybe when it was the only one… it was a novelty. Now? at the very least, they’ve gotten Super Bowls and final fours… which they didn’t get when it was just the Astrodome.
We all agree astrodome needs to go - Is it a matter of cost or a matter of “I have no idea what to put here” or a combination of the two?
