HOUSTON, Tex.—Astrodome Conservancy unveiled Vision: Astrodome to the people of Houston and Harris County, a redevelopment plan meant to breathe new life into the world’s first domed stadium.
The Astrodome opened its doors in 1965 and was once home to the MLB Astros and the NFL Oilers. However, since the Astros left in 1999 it’s been sitting idle for more than 15 years after its doors were closed in 2009. Last year, the Astrodome Conservancy asked Gensler Architects to come up with a design plan for it. The design they created provides 450,000 square feet of revenue-generating space including four buildings inside the Astrodome with flexible arena space for events and entertainment at its center, surrounded by restaurants, retail, office and commercial, hospitality, and cultural spaces. A boulevard will connect the Dome with adjacent facilities within NRG Park.
“The Astrodome can and should be the heartbeat of a new, global entertainment destination at NRG Park,” says Judy Nyquist, a founding board member of the Conservancy. “It will serve as an exciting catalyst for future development in and around the Park.”
Nicknamed the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” the Astrodome had a huge impact on sporting events in Houston for about 40 years. In 2017, the Texas Historical Commission designated it as a state antiquities landmark, protecting it from demolition. There have been a number of ideas for the landmark’s revival, but they’ve fallen through because of a lack of public funding.
A “Future Dome” public engagement survey commissioned by the Conservancy concluded that more than 86 percent of respondents believe that the Dome should be reused, and 81 percent believe that public dollars should support it.
“We are confident that because of the Astrodome’s designation as a historic landmark, an Astrodome redevelopment can leverage significant private dollars—dollars that are not available for new construction or other improvements to NRG Park—to minimize public investment. We can create a successful public-private partnership to ensure this Houston treasure will have a bright future,” says Phoebe Tudor, Astrodome Conservancy chairman.
