Want to help decide the fate of a Houston landmark? Owners of the Reliant Astrodome are considering three possible options for one of Houston’s icons and are asking the public for feedback.
The Astrodome is the first Houston monument I remember seeing in a movie. I was watching The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training, which had been re-released in technicolor several hundred years prior to the first time I watched it, (I kid…a little) and thought more movies should be made in the Dome. Then last year the idea of using the Dome for movie-filming came around again, but the latest ideas include:
- Green Space Plaza – Demolish the dome. Build a park-like setting.
- Multi-Use Venue – Keep the dome. Gut the inside. Raise the floor.
- Nerdtopia! – Keep the dome. Build a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Institute. Include a planetarium. And more.
I’m 100 percent for “NERDTOPIA.” However, that’s not the official name. In fact, nothing’s set in stone just yet. Right now, the Reliant folks are really interested in hearing ideas on the three options they’re considering for the Houston landmark. They’re asking for feedback, and have dedicated a space on the Reliant site for visitors to send their own ideas or comment on the current ideas. (Remember: there’s no such thing as a dome idea.)
Astrodome History: The Wonder Years
Houston is a city prone to 80 degree weather at 6am, on any given day of any season. And that’s just no bueno, especially for baseball. The Astrodome, the world’s first air conditioned, indoor baseball stadium became the solution to protect Houston fans and players from sweltering heat and rained out games.
It was initially called The Harris County Domed Stadium, and nicknamed The Eighth Wonder of the World. The doors opened Apr. 9, 1965, and the Houston Astros played their last game on Oct. 9, 1999. Since then, the Dome has been used for a number of functions including The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
