Make the Astrodome Great Again with Transparency and Courage

HOUSTON – (Commentary by Ralph Bivins, Realty News Report) – The Astrodome can be great again. All it needs is visionary leadership that can articulate a bold Astrodome concept for the future that matches or surpasses the original vision voiced by Judge Roy Hofheinz.

As the Astrodome creator Roy Hofheinz’s plan for a roofed, air-conditioned stadium, was powerful. Called the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” the Astrodome was perfectly in tune with the Houston vibe of the 1960s.

The whole world knew it on April 9, 1965 at the Dome’s first game when 22 NASA astronauts threw out ceremonial first pitches and Mickey Mantle hit the first home run.

As the Astrodome remains vacant and the years roll by, it’s obvious that too many of the recent redevelopment schemes have been weird, boring or unimaginative. The worst proposal in recent years called for stripping the Dome down to a skeleton, leaving its structural bones standing like a ghostly relics to celebrate the Day of the Dead or something.

Thank God, the Dome was designated as a “State Antiquities Landmark” by the Texas Historical Commission. That means (hopefully) that the stadium cannot be demolished or altered without the approval of the state commission.

The historic designation thwarts the desires voiced by a few citizens to demolish the Dome and pave over its footprint with even more surface parking.

By the way, the Dome is in sound condition. Walter P. Moore Engineers deemed the Dome to be in “remarkable” condition, according to the Astrodome Conservancy organization.

The cost of demolishing the Astrodome is estimated $100 million.

So Dome backers are asking again: Why spend $100 million to demolish Houston’s most famous building when it could redeveloped into greatness?

A few years ago, former Harris County Judge Ed Emmett led an effort to redevelop the Dome, which sits next to NRG Stadium, on a METRO rail-connected site about a mile south of the Texas Medical Center. The 350-acre county-owned NRG complex, located near Loop 610 at Kirby Drive, is dominated by a flat, ugly parking lot with 26,000 parking spaces that sit mostly vacant on most days.

ULI Advisory Panel tours the empty Astrodome in Houston in December 2014. Photo by Ralph Bivins of Realty News Report. Copyright 2024

While County Judge Emmett held office, an Urban Land Institute advisory panel of developers, architects and even a New York parking expert, visited the Astrodome in December 2014. As the only journalist embedded in the ULI advisory group sessions, I was amazed at the level of insights voiced by these professionals from out-of-town. The ULI experts determined the Dome was worth saving and worth redeveloping and landscaping the was sorely needed in the surrounding acres now dominated by impervious parking.

The old Harris County Dome redevelopment plan was approved by the county while Emmett was in office. The Emmett-era plan called for transforming the underground levels of the Astrodome into two levels of 1,400 below-grade parking spaces. The 500,000-square-foot ground-level floor of the Dome was proposed as a site for exhibits or entertainment.

Emmett’s plan was too utilitarian and lacked a soaring vision. Creating parking in the underground levels of the Dome was brilliant. But the rest of the plan never reached the Hofheinz-level of a climbing-Mount-Everest challenge. After Emmett was defeated by Lina Hidalgo in the Harris County Judge election in 2018, Astrodome headlines were a rarity in local media for years.

Even though the Astrodome is the most famous building in Houston, the historic stadium was forgotten by some community leaders. They seem to have no idea what a force a revitalized Dome could be in job creation, economic development and the enhancement of tourism or even the birth of tourism at a level never before seen in Space City.

Although it’s about five years late in making the move, the Astrodome Conservancy organization has finally introduced a Dome redevelopment concept with substance.

Initially, the new plan calls for carving out about 1 million SF of air-conditioned space under the Dome’s sacred roof. The space that used to be rows of the stadium’s indoor seating could be filled with a hotel, office space, a NASA exhibit and retail. A wide elevated walkway, drawing inspiration from the New York City’s High Line, will bisect the Dome. A new event arena with perhaps 10,000 seats would take up a circular chunk of floor space. Gensler, the largest architecture firm in the world, has drafted the new beginnings of the revitalized Astrodome, which has been vacant since 2009.

Under the new Astrodome Conservancy plan, historic tax credits and private capital would provide a large percentage of the redevelopment cost, along with county funds. A former Hines executive, Ryan LeVasseur of LeVass Ventures, is assisting the Astrodome Conservancy with the redevelopment.

Speaking at a press conference last week, Phoebe Tudor, Astrodome Conservancy chair, said “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.”

Tudor reminded the press conference crowd that the Astrodome and the surrounding 350 acres are owned by the people of Harris County. The non-profit Rodeo organization and the NFL’s Houston Texans are tenants on the government owned property

Immediately after the Astrodome press conference, the Rodeo voiced opposition.

Opposition Voiced Immediately

“The proposed plan by the Astrodome Conservancy does not align with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s strategic vision and operational requirements,” said a Rodeo statement from Rodeo Chair Pat Mann Phillips and President and CEO Chris Boleman.

“The Rodeo, Texans, and Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation (HCSCC) have been working on plans for NRG Park’s future. We are actively participating in Park studies and comprehensive analyses regarding the future of NRG Park,” the Rodeo said.

Even though the taxpayers own the property, not much is known about what’s being planned by the Rodeo, the Texans and Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation. A confidentiality agreement has been signed. It’s hard to understand why the citizens shouldn’t know what’s going on with this important public property.

What about the owners? Yes, You.

As the process moves ahead, the Rodeo and the Texans NFL team will have full opportunities to make their needs and desires known. And the passel of hired consultants will bring their concepts to the table.

But what about the owners of the 350 NRG acres and the Dome? You know, the people of Harris County – the citizens paying taxes. After everything is decided and the contracts are signed, maybe then Harris County residents will be allowed to chirp a little bit.

The Elephant Not in the Room

The Astrodome Conservancy says it would like a seat at the table to speak on behalf of the beloved historic structure.

“The existing Tri-Party Agreement between Harris County and the primary tenants of NRG Park, the Texans and the Rodeo, sunsets in 2032. The parties have entered into a Confidentiality Agreement to negotiate a future contract and the future of NRG Park, including the Astrodome. Harris County and the tenants have requested designs and plans for NRG Stadium, NRG Center, and most recently a new NRG Arena and support services. The Astrodome is left out. Who is representing the Astrodome in these conversations?” said the new press materials from the Astrodome Conservancy.

Full transparency should be required. It should come natural to the county government officials. And you would think the Dome tenants, the Texans and the Rodeo, would not keep their fans in the dark as the future is planned. After all, the Rodeo and the football team have a loose public-private partnership with the fans who buy tickets, wear their jerseys and pay $13 for a beer.

It’s time to get serious with the Astrodome redevelopment efforts.

One of the first things I want to see is the removal of the fencing around the 350 acres. It’s the people’s land and they should have access to it. It’s called “NRG Park” and there should be trees and grass in this park and children should be welcomed to run and play there 365 days a year.

The redevelopment plan can’t stop with the Astrodome. The entire 350 acres (formerly known as the Astrodomain) needs to be transformed

The Dome story should be studied by our kids, who need to learn to dream big and reach for the stars. Houston is the home of Astronauts, Mission Control and space explorers who want to walk on the moon again, or even visit Mars. Houston is the place where Dr. Michael DeBakey pioneered the development of the artificial heart in the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical center in the world. This where the Astrodome opponents miss the point – the Dome is the embodiment of the Houston’s optimistic and brave identity.

The Astrodome houses the soul of my city. It’s not an old stadium. It’s a temple for entrepreneurship and ambition that does not crumble as naysayers deride and ridicule the holder of a true vision of revitalization.

The Astrodome will stand for a thousand years. The fans of the wrecking ball will never win. Green space and shade trees will overcome the proponents of pavement and parking.

The Astrodome – an accomplishment in engineering and human willpower that symbolizes Houston’s can-do spirit – will never die.

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