Hotel Astrodome?

The Astrodome has been home to many things. It bore witness to the highs and lows of the Oilers and Astros. It has been credited with helping to change the face of men's college basketball and March Madness. People roped dogies, jumped over cars on motorcycles, cheered on Ronald Reagan and promised to kick things in on the floor of the Eighth Wonder of the World. More recently, it has sheltered evacuees during Hurricane Katrina and even been home to the World's Largest Indoor Carnival.

Since the opening of Reliant Stadium, the future of the Astrodome has been in doubt. Given the history of the world's first indoor domed stadium which, among other things, gave us Astroturf, Houstonist has always thought it would be a shame to tear it down. Rumors have circulated about what the Astrodome might become now that it has retired from sports. From amusement parks to shopping malls to event facilities, everything has been on the table.

One rumor that has been around for a while now and seems to be gaining strength is the idea of a hotel inside the stadium. The Houston Chronicle is reporting that the Astrodome Redevelopment Corp. is proposing turning the facility into a hotel that includes a 2,100 space parking garage that would wrap around the facility and an off-ramp from nearby Loop 610 to keep traffic from interfering with Reliant Stadium events.

The Texans, however, have concerns about how a giant ramp might effect the look of Reliant Park. An alternate proposal includes a tunnel that would double the cost of the access road. It is expected that the group will sign a letter of intent with Harris County, who owns the property, allowing them time to arrange for financing and come to agreements with the Texans and Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo for compensation.

While the city has the Hilton Americas hotel downtown that serves the George R. Brown Convention Center, this hotel would be modeled after hotels that provide all-in-one hotel and convention facilities to visitors. The county's Reliant Center already competes often with the city-owned George R. Brown and this should continue to fuel the rivalry between the two.

Perhaps a themed hotel might be more fun like they have in Las Vegas. Maybe this hotel could pay tribute to all of the heartbreak caused by the Oilers and Astros over the years playing in the stadium. On second thought, maybe not.

Photo: flickr user mrp1001.