County gives green light to Astrodome redevelopment

Harris County Commissioners Court gave the go-ahead for a private firm's proposal to redevelop the Astrodome as a mega-hotel, saying the 41-year-old stadium will no longer be a part of the county's disaster shelter plans.

During future emergencies, other facilities, including the George R. Brown Convention Center and Reliant Center, will be the region's primary shelters, Harris County Judge Robert Eckels said.

The Dome "is too expensive to maintain as a potential shelter space that you might use every four, five or 10 years," Eckels said.

The hotel plan, which would involve turning the Dome into a 1,000-plus-room hotel with convention facilities, restaurants, nightclubs and shops, still has some roadblocks to get over before it becomes a reality — among them how to build an off-ramp from 610 into a new garage that would wrap around two-thirds of the building's exterior. The letter of intent the county approved yesterday says Astrodome Redevelopment Corp. must secure financing for the project and the approval of the Texans and the Rodeo (Reliant Park's tenants) by March 2007; if it does, construction could begin as early as late 2007.

Harris County would lease the Dome to Astrodome Redevelopment for 50 years for $2.5 million a year plus 2 or 3 percent of gross revenues. And don't worry: Astrodome Redevelopment will be barred from operating any casinos or sexually oriented businesses in the refurbished Dome. We know you're relieved.