Last Chance To See 600 sq mi: Hidden
Missed Connections: Gefilte Fish...and "Chain Connections"
H-Town Rock
Rock Talk, Vol. IX
The Texans and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo publicly stated opposition to the proposed redevelopment of the Astrodome into a hotel and convention center. Giving the reason that it would have negative effects on the Texans and the HLSR, spokesfolks didn't actually release details yet to back it up.
Since the Astros' abandonment of the Astrodome, it has been tough to try to agree and finance good uses for it year-round. The hotel and convention center is the latest of a couple different hotel ideas. The idea of a parking garage completely surrounding the dome is not the most architecturally pleasant idea to us, but we have yet to see renderings showing how much it would actually cover. Let us know ideas for the best use for our aging landmark and who should fund it - we particularly like past ideas about a moonwalk, aquarium, and a crazy stunt arena.
Update: The Chronicle decided to add content and change the headline of the linked article to "Astrodome redevelopment plan may be dead," pointing the finger at the Texans' and Rodeo's opposition.
Reasons for opposition include:
-Money spent at the hotel is money not spent at the Rodeo
-The hotel could disrupt the flow of Texans fans to and from the game on the ten game days
-Restaurants buying space at the rodeo "could stop leasing if business was siphoned off by the hotel's food court"
-Rodeo vendor exclusivity rights could be harmed
Finally, the Texans and the HLSR have contracts with the Astrodome that allow vetoes of new development there.
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
I'm curious to see what people have to say about this because I understand how much the Astrodome is beloved by Houstonians.
My stance however, is that it should be knocked down and converted into a parking lot or garage. I take this position because I've seen how these battles play out over the course of time with old sports arenas. In Buffalo, NY, the War Memorial Auditorium, where the hockey team used to play, has been closed for 11 years, and it's a standing skeleton.
"For the last few years plans were in the works to renovate the Aud and re-purpose it as a Bass Pro Shops store, however on March 29, 2007 these plans were officially abandoned. Instead it was announced that Bass Pro will build a new building on the Buffalo waterfront near the old Aud. The Aud is now planned for demolition. Although there is no scheduled date for the demolition, it is expected to cost 10 million dollars and be done by early 2009." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Memorial_Auditorium)
This is what happens to old buildings when there are govt restrictions, unwilling to compromise govt's and/or strong opponents of the projects that are planned.
It is sad that we cannot save the things we love, but progress must also be made in a timely fashion and eventually, people also get tired of hearing about this plan and that plan - just do something with it already.
I don't understand the opposition. The Texans and the HLSR would benefit more than anyone from an Astrodome hotel. Just got to love that myopic Houston vision.
It should be bulldozed and paved over just like other historical landmarks. The real questions is what happens next. Here are some options:
- Perhaps a townhome/condo developer could buy it and then require occupants to buy Permanent Seat Licenses to access it on game days
- Two words: world's largest "gentlemen's club"
- Osteen could build an indoor church/theme park - ChurchODome Houston
- Dynamo HQ
-JBGod forbid Rodeo attendees and Texans fans have more reason to stick around the Reliant complex during events. Of course, a top-notch convention hotel would have absolutely no positive effect on attendance.
Let's see . . .
-Money spent at the hotel is money not spent at the Rodeo
What exactly will the hotel offer that will cut into the Rodeo's revenue? I don't know many convention hotels that serve fried crap with chili and cheese. Or did I miss that at the Hilton-Americas?
-The hotel could disrupt the flow of Texans fans to and from the game on the ten game days
Are you kidding me? You call that flow?
-Restaurants buying space at the rodeo "could stop leasing if business was siphoned off by the hotel's food court"
Hotel food court? I assume these restaurants will be on-site locations. I doubt many people are going to get to the Rodeo earlier so they can eat in the hotel. I mean, c'mon!
-Rodeo vendor exclusivity rights could be harmed
If the Rodeo can't compete with a hotel, that's their problem. Grow some juevos hombres.
Saving the Dome isn't about historical preservation, and it's not about saving ourselves the sadness of tearing down one of our most hallowed landmarks. The redevelopment of the Dome is a Houston thing to do. Only in Houston is something this crazy a possibility. It's how we roll.
Please. The Texans actively encourage tailgating before, during and after the games. There is no "flow" to be disrupted. Most people are out of there within a half-hour of the most recent devastating loss. A few fans stopping for a beer at the hotel bar to drown their sorrows isn't going to upset anything. Especially since they stop selling beer at the end of the third quarter.
And the person eating sausage on a stick or ginormous turkey legs or fried coke isn't going to be the same person dining in a hotel restaurant. In fact, the person dining in the hotel restaurant may be encouraged to go ahead and see a few shows, ride a few rides and otherwise have a nice night at the rodeo because there's a nicer, relatively healthy place to eat in the vicinity.
I'm still baffled at how having a place on site to stay "hurts" the rodeo. Fuck, no traffic, an easy place to crash after too many times on the cyclotron or too many beers while watching the miracle of life, and a place to change clothes after it gets a little chilly before the Reba show, I'd be a little tempted to rent a room there and actually go to the rodeo more often than I usually do.
I say knock it down and build more Perry Homes!!!
They should fill the 'dome with an automated parking system. You just pull your car up and the automated valet does the rest. You could have multiple vehicle drop off points and sell the parking at a premium, being so close to the stadium. No valets to tip, just drop off the car and go.
Amen, stina!
The drive behind all of the opposition is the HLSR.
From what I understand, they're being unrealistic in demands to the redevelopment company.
The reasons listed for their opposition are simply illogical; along the lines of "I don't like you and I think you're ugly." Quite contrary to their statements, the Houston Rodeo and the Texans will probably benefit the most from this plan.
If the Astrodome is to stay put, redevelopment as a convention center is the best option for utilizing this unique property. Unfortunately I don't see the HLSR relenting unless the hotel offers up some obscene concessions like profit sharing.
What's asinine is that The Rodeo only rents space at The Park for 30 days out of the year, yet they wield a disproportionate amount of influence over the county's property.
You mean kinda like this, Groovehouse? I'd pay money to see that.
Pigeon-hole parking (then, now) would be interesting, but someone (meaning us, probably) would have to be free-flowing with the money.
What a waste this would be, though - I wonder how many incarnations the redevelopment plan will go through before the powers that be just give up and demolish the Dome for more surface parking (hello, Astrohall) - it's really too bad that smart, sensible, thoughtful, and resourceful people can't come together on this and make something great happen.
Jim, I'm thinking something more along the lines of that episode of the Jetsons when they visited Las Venus; the hotel room that came to the lobby? That would be pretty suite! :P
Ouch. Watch where you sling those puns, you could hurt someone.
The Dome WOULD work as a permanent home for the Dynamo. But that makes sense, so it won't happen.
Suite, indeed. Remind me to slap you the next time I see you, Urban Houstonian.
My redevelopment plan for the Astrodome: Build a twin dome next to it and open both of them up as the world's largest gentlemen's club. I trust I won't have to explain the symbolism.
But why would two domes be a gentleman's club, that would just look like...oh. right.