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New Plan to Save the Astrodome

Even though I use to sell Real Estate for a living, that was a long time ago in an entirely different region of the country.
Today I have some knowledge of what houses in my sub-division where I call home are worth, but beyond that I know very little about R/E values in Houston.
Does anybody have any idea of what the market value, just the ballpark value (no pun intended) of the land that the Dome sits on is worth ?
 
Do these people realize that nobody is traveling to this part of town to go shopping, eat, or whatever it is they're planning? I mean other than the 10-12 dates the Texans play, the 3 weeks the Rodeo is there and a handful of monster trucks rallies, and soccer matches throughout the year, no one is going to that part of town. If they want to spend their own money on it, fine, let them do what they want. But to spend taxpayer money on something that has very little chance but to fail, no thank you. Tear the damn thing down.

It was pretty sad during the Sunday Night game that all the aerial shots showed the Dome completely dark and they tried hard to angle the shot where there wasn't a lot of the Dome in it.

I get the sentimentality. I loved attending games at the Dome. The cushioned, roomy seats, the cold ass A/C, a lot of great memories, but it's just building. And anybody under the age of 40 has probably never even been in the building, much less remember anything that ever happened in it.

Tear it down, make a green space out of a lot of it, a little park with some Dome history scattered throughout, an Earl Campbell statue, LYB pom-poms, a Supercross dirt hill, an old monster truck, a mini exploding scoreboard, George Strait statue, Nolan Ryan, Bud Adams urinals, stuff like that.

Enough of this trying to turn it into something crap thinking people will flock to it 365 days a year. It's not going to work.
 
It's a good idea. It'll be part of a complex.

The outside of the structure would include a year-round retail village for restaurants, hospitality, exhibitions and shopping.

After football games or concerts at NRG, attendees will no longer be stuck taking Ubers, cabs, or the train to hotels, bars, and restaurants. They'll be able to walk across the lot to this new complex. Developers should have done this a long time ago.

The dome is a perfectly stable steel structure on a good foundation. There's plenty of good uses for it.
 
It's a good idea. It'll be part of a complex.



After football games or concerts at NRG, attendees will no longer be stuck taking Ubers, cabs, or the train to hotels, bars, and restaurants. They'll be able to walk across the lot to this new complex. Developers should have done this a long time ago.

The dome is a perfectly stable steel structure on a good foundation. There's plenty of good uses for it.
Nuclear silo.
 
And how much would Houston/Harris county taxpayers be on the hook for this
latest scheme by a bunch of hustlers to fire up the Dome again ?
 
It's a good idea. It'll be part of a complex.



After football games or concerts at NRG, attendees will no longer be stuck taking Ubers, cabs, or the train to hotels, bars, and restaurants. They'll be able to walk across the lot to this new complex. Developers should have done this a long time ago.

The dome is a perfectly stable steel structure on a good foundation. There's plenty of good uses for it.
"It's a good idea" ?
Hey man this crew of promoters has another good idea involving some Louisianna swamp
ground they want to talk to you about.
 
Do these people realize that nobody is traveling to this part of town to go shopping, eat, or whatever it is they're planning? I mean other than the 10-12 dates the Texans play, the 3 weeks the Rodeo is there and a handful of monster trucks rallies, and soccer matches throughout the year, no one is going to that part of town. If they want to spend their own money on it, fine, let them do what they want. But to spend taxpayer money on something that has very little chance but to fail, no thank you. Tear the damn thing down.

It was pretty sad during the Sunday Night game that all the aerial shots showed the Dome completely dark and they tried hard to angle the shot where there wasn't a lot of the Dome in it.

I get the sentimentality. I loved attending games at the Dome. The cushioned, roomy seats, the cold ass A/C, a lot of great memories, but it's just building. And anybody under the age of 40 has probably never even been in the building, much less remember anything that ever happened in it.

Tear it down, make a green space out of a lot of it, a little park with some Dome history scattered throughout, an Earl Campbell statue, LYB pom-poms, a Supercross dirt hill, an old monster truck, a mini exploding scoreboard, George Strait statue, Nolan Ryan, Bud Adams urinals, stuff like that.

Enough of this trying to turn it into something crap thinking people will flock to it 365 days a year. It's not going to work.
Let the McNair's pay to tear it down.
 
I still believe they really missed out on making the Astrodome a complimentary entity next to NRG Stadium. I really wanted to see a hotel with an indoor water park. It allows football fans that travel with their team to bring the family since there’d be an option for the family to attend the game or stay back and enjoy the water park while the fans enjoy the game. It’d become another major attraction in Houston when folks come to visit. Not to mention it would offer cool lodgings for all the other events NRG Stadium host(s) and the folks that would travel provided a place to stay is convenient. Could eliminate the additional cost of taxi’s, Ubers, etc.
 
And how much would Houston/Harris county taxpayers be on the hook for this
latest scheme by a bunch of hustlers to fire up the Dome again ?
Probably all of it. If someone wants restaurants and hotels nearby, take the dome down and build them. The time is come move on. Shed a tear and be done with it.
 
Probably all of it. If someone wants restaurants and hotels nearby, take the dome down and build them. The time is come move on. Shed a tear and be done with it.
These entertainment centers are not for us residents. They are for younger crowd and the people traveling to Houston for the games, rodeo, and other random spit.

Uncle/Grandpa what's good place to go hangout.

"I think people go to that new place that used to be the Astrodome"

That been my experience with underground atlanta and whatever the thing is called attached to the Cowboys Arlington stadium. Send people who don't know better there.

Is that worth 1 billion to the city of Houston? Not sure
 
These entertainment centers are not for us residents.
They are if you enjoy getting out and experiencing all that this city has to offer & not being couped up at your end of town going to the same strip/outdoor malls. I say this as a 45 year old man who is probably 1 of the last generation of residents of this city to step foot inside the dome for an actual event.

What are taxpayers not being told????
And how much would Houston/Harris county taxpayers be on the hook for this
latest scheme by a bunch of hustlers to fire up the Dome again ?
Enough of this trying to turn it into something crap thinking people will flock to it 365 days a year. It's not going to work.

Funny the things people in this town/state get worked up about when it comes to how our tax dollars get spent..Don't know if you guys know this, but there's a burgeoning young adult crowd in this city. If the right thing is put there it absolutely would be a destination place for people in the city to go and hang out 365 days a year. Just like that space where Astroworld used to be.......which is where your proposed green space could go. Discovery Green downtown is always popping on the weekends with young families and the like. All the money that flies out of this city headed to the Golden Nugget and Delta Downs and other casinos, If the city & certain groups of people got out of its own way, they'd be able to make a killing off that alone. The issue has always been folks like yourselves complaing about tax dollars...as if you know how they're being spent/wasted now on all these half measure freeway expansion projects that take FOREVER and still only halfway address the issues......rather than just spending the money to put in a decent mass transit rail system that services all of Houston. This is why this town/state's electrical grid is a rusting bucket of bolts and we all have to spend 2 weeks in the dark every year. This is why this city's flood water drainage is TERRIBLE. If all you care about is you not having to pay more in taxes, then no project will ever be worthy & this city will continue to slide further and further behind than it already is compared to its comparable counterparts. I welcome them do anything with that building BUT tear it down b/c if that happens, ultimately someone's gonna come along and use tax dollars to put something up there ANYWAY & it will likely cost more than whatever this latest proposal is just purely from an inflation standpoint. The longer city officials & the preservation committee allow the penny pinchers to hold them back, the more its gonna cost us all in the end..PERIOD.
 
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"It's a good idea" ?
Hey man this crew of promoters has another good idea involving some Louisianna swamp
ground they want to talk to you about.
You underestimate the propensity of ~80k slightly (to very) innebriated people to spend money on food and drinks.

A concentration of people in one location is always a commercial opportunity.

More so with booze in the mix.
 
It's a good idea. It'll be part of a complex.



After football games or concerts at NRG, attendees will no longer be stuck taking Ubers, cabs, or the train to hotels, bars, and restaurants. They'll be able to walk across the lot to this new complex. Developers should have done this a long time ago.

The dome is a perfectly stable steel structure on a good foundation. There's plenty of good uses for it.
Isn’t that lot surrounded by very busy streets? People still have to cross them to get to their hotels. My understanding it is extremely costly to tear the Dome down for those who have mentioned that. As someone else said, there needs to be reason(s) to go there.
 
They are if you enjoy getting out and experiencing all that this city has to offer & not being couped up at your end of town going to the same strip/outdoor malls. I say this as a 45 year old man who is probably 1 of the last generation of residents of this city to step foot inside the dome for an actual event.





Funny the things people in this town/state get worked up about when it comes to how our tax dollars get spent..Don't know if you guys know this, but there's a burgeoning young adult crowd in this city. If the right thing is put there it absolutely would be a destination place for people in the city to go and hang out 365 days a year. Just like that space where Astroworld used to be.......which is where your proposed green space could go. Discovery Green downtown is always popping on the weekends with young families and the like. All the money that flies out of this city headed to the Golden Nugget and Delta Downs and other casinos, If the city & certain groups of people got out of its own way, they'd be able to make a killing off that alone. The issue has always been folks like yourselves complaing about tax dollars...as if you know how they're being spent/wasted now on all these half measure freeway expansion projects that take FOREVER and still only halfway address the issues......rather than just spending the money to put in a decent mass transit rail system that services all of Houston. This is why this town/state's electrical grid is a rusting bucket of bolts and we all have to spend 2 weeks in the dark every year. This is why this city's flood water drainage is TERRIBLE. If all you care about is you not having to pay more in taxes, then no project will ever be worthy & this city will continue to slide further and further behind than it already is compared to its comparable counterparts. I welcome them do anything with that building BUT tear it down b/c if that happens, ultimately someone's gonna come along and use tax dollars to put something up there ANYWAY & it will likely cost more than whatever this latest proposal is just purely from an inflation standpoint. The longer city officials & the preservation committee allow the penny pinchers to hold them back, the more its gonna cost us all in the end..PERIOD.
Spend baby spend!
 
Why don’t they tear down the dome to build a new stadium and turn the current stay into something?

We know it’s only a matter of time before the McNairs say they need one. And trying to update the dome while keeping its structural integrity? Nah. Don’t risk it. I bet that building doesn’t even have any Cat5 cables in it. The cost of doing anything to the dome will probably escalate to a similar cost of building something new.

It would be easier to turn NRG into something.
 
Spend baby spend!
It’s not even about that so much as it is about making sure this city keeps its foot on the pedal in continuing to modernize itself to keep pace with its ever growing population. The numbers suggest that that growth is mostly happening in the burbs and outlying counties due to cheaper real estate, but inside the loop Houston itself is approaching 5 million people. Furthermore, it doesn’t matter if the growth is happening inside the loop or the surrounding burbs/counties that everyone considers Houston anyway….EVENTUALLY, this growth is going to lead to more expensive living for everyone..so as far as the city is concerned u might as well get ahead of it now and get the requisite things in place to accommodate that population and start making it attractive for folks to want to stay and or chill in the city as opposed to expanding further & further out.

This project along with a few other things could be the start of helping that become the case.
 
It’s not even about that so much as it is about making sure this city keeps its foot on the pedal in continuing to modernize itself to keep pace with its ever growing population. The numbers suggest that that growth is only happening in the burbs and outlying counties, but inside the loop Houston itself is approaching 5 million people. Furthermore, it doesn’t matter if the growth is happening inside the loop or the surrounding burbs/counties that everyone considers Houston anyway….EVENTUALLY, this growth is going to lead to more expensive living for everyone..so as far as the city is concerned u might as well get ahead of it now and get the requisite things in place to accommodate that population and start making it attractive for folks to want to stay and or chill in the city as opposed to them.

This project along with a few other things could be the start of making that be the case.

If Houston wanted organic growth in Houston then they should focus on HISD, HPD, and HFD.

No one wants to live where there is crime and poor education.

Not saying you are saying that one way or the other.
 
I think they should spend the billion dollars to fix it AND THEN TEAR THE THING DOWN!

By the way...I didn't get a "harrumph" out of that guy!
 
The cost of doing anything to the dome will probably escalate to a similar cost of building something new.
What you’re saying has and will always be the case no matter what they choose to do with it & There will never be a time whether now, or in the future when the costs to do ANYTHING with it will be cheaper than it is now..even if it is just a demo; The time value of money just dictates that. So whatever a demo costs now, it will surely cost more 5-10 years from now as i'm sure it costs more than it did back in 2008 or whatever. And this notion that tearing it down is the best way to go b/c its the cheapest option is short-sighted. A building that size....the clean up afterwards....& b/c it was built before 1980....it might also carry the added cost of asbestos removal. & what, you think they're just gonna leave it as a big ass 400,000 sq ft pothole next to NRG? SOMETHING is gonna have to go there...May as well be something worthwhile that has the potential to showcase the city. Furthermore, even it that cost comes in nice and cheap, that money, whatever it is is still gonna likely come from taxpayers. May as well bite that bullet now & go all in & try to turn the space into something that has the potential to make the city money.
If Houston wanted organic growth in Houston then they should focus on HISD, HPD, and HFD.

No one wants to live where there is crime and poor education.

Not saying you are saying that one way or the other.
Tell that to the millions stacked on top of each other in other comparable cities like NYC, LA. Besides that, with increases in population comes increases in crime. & as i noted earlier, the counties outside of Houston are growing faster than inside the city at this point, so the notion that you're escaping any of that by staying outside the city is incorrect.
 
I still believe they really missed out on making the Astrodome a complimentary entity next to NRG Stadium. I really wanted to see a hotel with an indoor water park. It allows football fans that travel with their team to bring the family since there’d be an option for the family to attend the game or stay back and enjoy the water park while the fans enjoy the game. It’d become another major attraction in Houston when folks come to visit. Not to mention it would offer cool lodgings for all the other events NRG Stadium host(s) and the folks that would travel provided a place to stay is convenient. Could eliminate the additional cost of taxi’s, Ubers, etc.
Agreed 100%. Retail outlets, lodging, roller coasters, whatever. It's a paid-off steel structure on a foundation. It has a use for a million things unrelated to sports.
 
I'm thinking we should use it for Gladiator Games or start up our own Hunger Games tournament. Maybe have a Purge night. Everyone likes blood & gore these days. It'd sell out for every event & in that part of town, you'd have no problem finding willing participants. :corrosion:
 
What you’re saying has and will always be the case no matter what they choose to do with it & There will never be a time whether now, or in the future when the costs to do ANYTHING with it will be cheaper than it is now..even if it is just a demo; The time value of money just dictates that. So whatever a demo costs now, it will surely cost more 5-10 years from now as i'm sure it costs more than it did back in 2008 or whatever. And this notion that tearing it down is the best way to go b/c its the cheapest option is short-sighted. A building that size....the clean up afterwards....& b/c it was built before 1980....it might also carry the added cost of asbestos removal. & what, you think they're just gonna leave it as a big ass 400,000 sq ft pothole next to NRG? SOMETHING is gonna have to go there...May as well be something worthwhile that has the potential to showcase the city. Furthermore, even it that cost comes in nice and cheap, that money, whatever it is is still gonna likely come from taxpayers. May as well bite that bullet now & go all in & try to turn the space into something that has the potential to make the city money.

What I am saying is the cost year down the dome and to build a new stadium and turn the current stadium into something is near the same as compared to rebuilding the dome because eventually you are going to have to build a new stadium. And then you are left with the current stadium and the question of what to do with that. Thats just how it’s going to work out eventually.
 
It’s not even about that so much as it is about making sure this city keeps its foot on the pedal in continuing to modernize itself to keep pace with its ever growing population. The numbers suggest that that growth is mostly happening in the burbs and outlying counties due to cheaper real estate, but inside the loop Houston itself is approaching 5 million people. Furthermore, it doesn’t matter if the growth is happening inside the loop or the surrounding burbs/counties that everyone considers Houston anyway….EVENTUALLY, this growth is going to lead to more expensive living for everyone..so as far as the city is concerned u might as well get ahead of it now and get the requisite things in place to accommodate that population and start making it attractive for folks to want to stay and or chill in the city as opposed to expanding further & further out.

This project along with a few other things could be the start of helping that become the case.
Good discussion
 
They are if you enjoy getting out and experiencing all that this city has to offer & not being couped up at your end of town going to the same strip/outdoor malls. I say this as a 45 year old man who is probably 1 of the last generation of residents of this city to step foot inside the dome for an actual event.





Funny the things people in this town/state get worked up about when it comes to how our tax dollars get spent..Don't know if you guys know this, but there's a burgeoning young adult crowd in this city. If the right thing is put there it absolutely would be a destination place for people in the city to go and hang out 365 days a year. Just like that space where Astroworld used to be.......which is where your proposed green space could go. Discovery Green downtown is always popping on the weekends with young families and the like. All the money that flies out of this city headed to the Golden Nugget and Delta Downs and other casinos, If the city & certain groups of people got out of its own way, they'd be able to make a killing off that alone. The issue has always been folks like yourselves complaing about tax dollars...as if you know how they're being spent/wasted now on all these half measure freeway expansion projects that take FOREVER and still only halfway address the issues......rather than just spending the money to put in a decent mass transit rail system that services all of Houston. This is why this town/state's electrical grid is a rusting bucket of bolts and we all have to spend 2 weeks in the dark every year. This is why this city's flood water drainage is TERRIBLE. If all you care about is you not having to pay more in taxes, then no project will ever be worthy & this city will continue to slide further and further behind than it already is compared to its comparable counterparts. I welcome them do anything with that building BUT tear it down b/c if that happens, ultimately someone's gonna come along and use tax dollars to put something up there ANYWAY & it will likely cost more than whatever this latest proposal is just purely from an inflation standpoint. The longer city officials & the preservation committee allow the penny pinchers to hold them back, the more its gonna cost us all in the end..PERIOD.
If you talk to small businesses, large businesses, restaurants, entertainment areas.................you would understand that the reason why most close by 10:30 PM is that they cannot justify/support their expenses beyond that time. This is not NYC.
 
What I am saying is the cost year down the dome and to build a new stadium and turn the current stadium into something is near the same as compared to rebuilding the dome because eventually you are going to have to build a new stadium. And then you are left with the current stadium and the question of what to do with that. Thats just how it’s going to work out eventually.
Just doing some short hand estimates with recent stadium numbers...i don't think so. Jerry World as nice as it is cost 1.5 billion............................... & it's already 15 years old. Allegiant Stadium where the Raiders play ran around 2 billion in 2020.....SoFi out in LA ran 6 billion. So, to build ANY new stadium on its own these days or in the future, you're looking at a minimum 3-4 billion dollars & that's conservative. Now, If we can't get folks in this town to pony up the money to repurpose or do ANYTHING with an iconic Houston symbol like the Astrodome, what makes you think that they'd be willing to go more in on a new entertainment sportsplex area likely costing upwards of 4-6 billion......... + whatever it may cost to tear down the Dome and repurpose NRG as you're suggesting?

NRG still has another 15-20 years in it. Leave it be and let the McNairs deal with it when the time comes. The current proposal to do something with the dome is about as good as its gonna get.
 
Tell that to the millions stacked on top of each other in other comparable cities like NYC, LA. Besides that, with increases in population comes increases in crime. & as i noted earlier, the counties outside of Houston are growing faster than inside the city at this point, so the notion that you're escaping any of that by staying outside the city is incorrect.

Really can’t compare NYC and LA to Houston.

NYC and LA fans are idiots so I would expect that same of those city residents.
 
Just doing some short hand estimates with recent stadium numbers...i don't think so. Jerry World as nice as it is cost 1.5 billion............................... & it's already 15 years old. Allegiant Stadium where the Raiders play ran around 2 billion in 2020.....SoFi out in LA ran 6 billion. So, to build ANY new stadium on its own these days or in the future, you're looking at a minimum 3-4 billion dollars & that's conservative. Now, If we can't get folks in this town to pony up the money to repurpose or do ANYTHING with an iconic Houston symbol like the Astrodome, what makes you think that they'd be willing to go more in on a new entertainment sportsplex area likely costing upwards of 4-6 billion......... + whatever it may cost to tear down the Dome and repurpose NRG as you're suggesting?

NRG still has another 15-20 years in it. Leave it be and let the McNairs deal with it when the time comes. The current proposal to do something with the dome is about as good as its gonna get.

Iconic stadiums get torn down right and left. Yankee Stadium, Three Rivers Stadium, soon to be Arrow Head.

You are going to have to build and new stadium either way. And like you said - it’s cheaper to do it sooner than later. So waiting to do it increases the costs.

Tear down the dome so the site for a new stadium is ready for the new stadium and repurpose the current stadium.
 
If you talk to small businesses, large businesses, restaurants, entertainment areas.................you would understand that the reason why most close by 10:30 PM is that they cannot justify/support their expenses beyond that time. This is not NYC.
You're right, its not NYC or LA or even CHI...... but it isn't Jasper, Texas either where there's 1 or 2 family owned local hang outs that shut down at 8 and everyone's in the bed. There's alot happening around this city well after 10 & it is becoming more and more closely aligned with those other bigger cities than say a place like Seattle; A place where the city doesn't even get up & going until like 9am and then is dead by like 9pm.
 
Really can’t compare NYC and LA to Houston.

NYC and LA fans are idiots so I would expect that same of those city residents.

Lol, you must not have attended a Texans game recently. Plenty of idiots in our stands too buddy. We had a prime time game at home last Sunday and it seemed like we were in Detroit as the Detroit fans cheering was palpable and came through the broadcast EASILY. Our "fans" would rather stay out in the parking lot of the stadium and get drunk at their tailgate than actually get in the stadium...or sell their tickets. Game time atmosphere in the stadium is buttoned up and trash.
 
Game time atmosphere in the stadium is buttoned up and trash.
I agree with this. Cant tell you how many times I’ve been asked/told to sit down because they couldn’t see.
Uh, hello!! We are on defense. It’s 3rd and 8 for the visitors, we are only up 1, not much time left….
In other words, a critical part of the game where I’m supposed to stand up and be loud!
It’s frustrating as hell!
 
In all seriousness, if this was more of an investment where the county would generate revenue that could lower taxes in the county, I'd be all for it. They will tell us whatever we want to hear to get it passed, then they will switch it up on us. Don't believe me? I'm old enough to remember when the toll roads were supposed to be "temporary" and as soon as it was paid off, it would be converted to a normal highway. That was in 1983. (source: http://abc13.com/archive/8671067/)
 
Iconic stadiums get torn down right and left. Yankee Stadium, Three Rivers Stadium, soon to be Arrow Head.

You are going to have to build and new stadium either way. And like you said - it’s cheaper to do it sooner than later. So waiting to do it increases the costs.

Tear down the dome so the site for a new stadium is ready for the new stadium and repurpose the current stadium.

Still gonna run into the same issue of asking taxpayers to fund it in which case you're gonna run into the same griping...only this scenario you'd be asking them to foot the bill for an additional 5-6 more billion instead of just the current1 billion...& you'll have to do that all the while telling them that the current stadium, which is not even 25 years old yet, is no longer viable and you'd like to do some repurposing of it too.

Meanwhile the cities electrical infrastructure...1731622972173.png

If they're not going for a tax hike off a 1 billion dollar proposal, they damn sure ain't going for 1 that will have them foot the bill for a 5-6 billion dollar one...at least not now anyway lol.
 
In all seriousness, if this was more of an investment where the county would generate revenue that could lower taxes in the county, I'd be all for it. They will tell us whatever we want to hear to get it passed, then they will switch it up on us. Don't believe me? I'm old enough to remember when the toll roads were supposed to be "temporary" and as soon as it was paid off, it would be converted to a normal highway. That was in 1983. (source: http://abc13.com/archive/8671067/)

That's just politics in America. This stadium thing is a little different tho and is actually more on the up & up in that you know exactly what's going to happen with this money and the project itself.
 
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I thought Tex
In all seriousness, if this was more of an investment where the county would generate revenue that could lower taxes in the county, I'd be all for it. They will tell us whatever we want to hear to get it passed, then they will switch it up on us. Don't believe me? I'm old enough to remember when the toll roads were supposed to be "temporary" and as soon as it was paid off, it would be converted to a normal highway. That was in 1983. (source: http://abc13.com/archive/8671067/)
And that's why the Dome is still an ugly rusted heap setting there because nobody yet has come along with an economically
feasible plan, i.e, some kind of going concern (with out public subsidation) that generates enough cash flow that's atleast above beak even.
Maybe the city should just commission a group to build a minature caricature of the Dome, in plywood or plastic, then build them in volume and sell them to Houstonians who are still sentimental about the Dome who could then place them in their own residences some place and admire them in their own time.
 
I thought Tex

And that's why the Dome is still an ugly rusted heap setting there because nobody yet has come along with an economically
feasible plan, i.e, some kind of going concern (with out public subsidation) that generates enough cash flow that's atleast above beak even.
Maybe the city should just commission a group to build a minature caricature of the Dome, in plywood or plastic, then build them in volume and sell them to Houstonians who are still sentimental about the Dome who could then place them in their own residences some place and admire them in their own time.

IDKTexan that's a great idea- how much would you sell them for and where would the funds go?
 
I thought Tex

And that's why the Dome is still an ugly rusted heap setting there because nobody yet has come along with an economically
feasible plan, i.e, some kind of going concern (with out public subsidation) that generates enough cash flow that's atleast above beak even.
Maybe the city should just commission a group to build a minature caricature of the Dome, in plywood or plastic, then build them in volume and sell them to Houstonians who are still sentimental about the Dome who could then place them in their own residences some place and admire them in their own time.

Economic feasiblity? You can't truly assess that until you actually put something into action. I don't think these folks coming up with these proposals are coming at this lightly. They have some idea of what would work. What's been going on the last 20+ years regarding these Dome proposals is folks panning every idea put forth and not even seriously willing to entertain any proposal...Mostly b/c they know it's gonna take taxpayer funds to fund it. That dovetails into the anger alot of the older residents are still holding onto about Bud Adams leaving the city to foot the bill for Dome renovations he took back in 1989 only to take his team to Nashville just 7 years later. Then there's the group who live on the outskirts and don't come into the city for anything whatsoever...
 
Why would they want to pay? I'm curious. More parking or Texans related structures?
They stopped the dome from being repurposed back when the dome was still operational. Now if they want it gone then they can pay for it. Sad if the McNair's hadn't gotten in the way, the dome could have been made into a tourist attraction and regentrified that side of town.
 
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The stopped the dome from being repurposed back when the dome was still operational. Now if they want it gone then they can pay for it. Sad if the McNair's hadn't gotten in the way, the dome could have been made into a tourist attraction and regentrified that side of town.

tourist attraction lol? I can see it now..."and right over here is where Elvin Hayes dunked over Kareem Abdul Jabbar in the game of the century...& if you look over here, this is where Billy jean King..."
 
They stopped the dome from being repurposed back when the dome was still operational. Now if they want it gone then they can pay for it. Sad if the McNair's hadn't gotten in the way, the dome could have been made into a tourist attraction and regentrified that side of town.
I need a link for this. Dome was shut down in 99 & was barely operational then. Aside from that, weren’t residents still paying off the prior renovations? If there was already money slotted for it to be repurposed, how then could the McNairs stop that?

What you’re saying doesn’t make sense in light of the recent failures of all these other proposals for repurposing. IOW’s, why would residents be willing to cough up the money for it then, but not now?
 
These entertainment centers are not for us residents. They are for younger crowd and the people traveling to Houston for the games, rodeo, and other random spit.

Uncle/Grandpa what's good place to go hangout.

"I think people go to that new place that used to be the Astrodome"

That been my experience with underground atlanta and whatever the thing is called attached to the Cowboys Arlington stadium. Send people who don't know better there.

Is that worth 1 billion to the city of Houston? Not sure
Texas Live
 
I need a link for this. Dome was shut down in 99 & was barely operational then. Aside from that, weren’t residents still paying off the prior renovations? If there was already money slotted for it to be repurposed, how then could the McNairs stop that?

What you’re saying doesn’t make sense in light of the recent failures of all these other proposals for repurposing. IOW’s, why would residents be willing to cough up the money for it then, but not now?
Search plans for astrodome repurpose. There were a lot of cool ideas back then. CnD sent me a link to this stuff yrs ago.

Maybe he can send them to you. The McNair's have a lot of say so when it comes to the dome, so does the HLS&R/ Harris County, they're basically partners.
 
These entertainment centers are not for us residents. They are for younger crowd and the people traveling to Houston for the games, rodeo, and other random spit.

Uncle/Grandpa what's good place to go hangout.

"I think people go to that new place that used to be the Astrodome"

That been my experience with underground atlanta and whatever the thing is called attached to the Cowboys Arlington stadium. Send people who don't know better there.

Is that worth 1 billion to the city of Houston? Not sure

Like I said, 10-12 dates over a 5-6 month period for the Texans, 20 dates or so in March for the Rodeo, and then a handful of dates for concerts, soccer games, monster truck rallies, Texas Bowl, isn't enough to make this rad new "hangout" profitable. Even if you add dates from things going on at the convention center.

People aren't driving in from Sugar Land, Cypress, The Woodlands on any random night, not to mention them no longer going to Midtown, the Heights, or wherever the "hangouts" are these days, to go hangout at Fannin and Holly Hall, Kirby and Westridge. It's just not going to happen.

Take a look at the area around MMP. That area is still as much of a dump as it was before the park was built 24 years ago. Even the few little things they did have around there, the B.U.S. and the Home Plate restaurant across the street, Jackson St. BBQ on the other side, which had the best ribs on the planet BTW, all long gone, replaced by nothing. Because when there's not an event at the park, no one is going there to hangout. I've heard Cobo's grill and bar, in between MMP and the soccer stadium, will be closing soon because when there's no events they have no business.

The Dome has been empty for over 20 years now. If someone thought they could seriously make money with it, it would have been done already. Tear it down, make a green space with statues and things to represent the history, maybe a miniature dome structure like the old amphitheatre at Astroworld where you used to lie down and watch the Milky Way or some movie on the ceiling or whatever it used to be, and play old Astros, Oilers, Billie Jean King and Evel Knievel highlights, have a miniature scoreboard go nuts, and be done with it.
 
If that were true, no NFL stadium would be able to sustain itself outside of the football season. Reality is there would be PLENTY of businesses, events and organizations in and around this town and nation that the space could draw on to put together a profit. All types of local and national conferences and conventions, staging areas for fun runs walks, concerts & festivals..

As to everything else? Covid wiped out more than a few of those places…2, Cobos is 100 years old and hasn’t really changed since I was going there in the early 2000’s..its BEEN a basic setup and played and there are better places to hang out in/around the same area that offer more. Sambucas, Vic and Anthony’s….Fabians…been there forever too and haven’t had any issues with business. that’s b/c they offer more.


3, I’ve driven by MM on Congress just about everyday for the last 20 years. & some of those places you mentioned that were DIRECTLY around MM weren’t actually good or even looked like any place I’d wanna hang out. Gotta offer more than a beer and some decent ribs these days and it’s no wonder at all why they’re not around anymore. Aside from that, there was/is not nearly the same amount of space around MM for many hangout spots and the like to be there as there is where the dome currently is.

You can miss me with the whole “area around the stadiums being a dump” crap tho. The same folks you talking about who WOULDN’T commute in b/c of how bad the area supposedly is around there….are the same ones who will flock to New Orleans to party, hang out & get wasted out on the street… knowing full well the hood is literally just a block or 2 over from Bourbon Street and the French quarter. Ditto for Vegas.

So Im sure a lot of the older stuffy folks from outside areas wouldn’t commute in on a night in night out basis.. good, go to your local Buffalo Wild Wings or Applebees and call it a night 😂. but I’d bet a helluva lot more would if the right project is put into place that not only honors the history of the dome but is reflective of the new diversity and dynamism of this town.

So imo just Tearing it down and putting a bland, generic ass “green space” would actually be more of a waste of tax dollars b/c Noone’s DEFINITELY coming to hang out there for “Astrodome history”..especially in the dead heat of a Texas summer.

& to be honest, this topic follows along the same lines as the the new uniforms topic. You got folks here who are clinging to that old basic version of what this town USED to be & the reality is it’s just not that anymore. It’s much more diverse & dynamic than it’s been in its past.
 
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