Astrodome or Minute Maid

[Wild74]

Consultants hired by the Harris County Sports & Convention Corp. this afternoon recommended a $270 million plan to renovate the Astrodome for multi-purpose use and a $385.4 million plan to replace Reliant Arena.

 

After use of tax credits, consultants peg the net cost to taxpayers to renovate Astrodome and replace Reliant Arena at $523 million.

 

The Dome has been a subject of hand-wringing within the county for years. The last professional sports team to play there was the Astros in 1999, and the facility has been deemed unfit for occupancy since 2009. The county still owes $29.9 million on the building, thanks to 1987 renovations aimed at keeping the Oilers in town.

 

According to the consultants, demolishing the dome would cost $64 million.

 

The options unveiled through a $500,000 study — to which county taxpayers contributed $50,000, the second such study since 2010 — roughly align with the ideas for the Dome that have been discussed in recent years.

 

Old options for the site have included:

(1) Reliant Park Plaza plan: Raze the Dome for $128 million (includes debt on the building); replace Reliant Arena and make other improvements to park; build a hotel (with no public money) with as many as 1,500 rooms. Total price tag is $873 million.

(2) Astrodome Multipurpose: Gut the Dome and add a new level of floor space, a science and technology center, a planetarium, solar panels on the roof that form a world map for $324 million to $374 million; keep other elements of plaza plan. Total price tag is $1.08 billion to $1.13 billion.

(3) Astrodome Renaissance: Multipurpose plan plus add more Astrodome features, including conference space, a series of interactive exhibits that would allow users to simulate space travel and deep sea exploration, museums, an alternative energy center and a movie studio. The Astrodome portion would cost $588 million. Total price tag is $1.35 billion, with $700 million of that taxpayer money.

 

The study, approved by Harris County Commissioners Court in June 2011, also was funded by the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, Houston Texans, Harris County-Houston Sports Authority and Aramark Corp. CSL/Populous were the consultants who led the work.

[DaveTV1]

Insurance cut that out sold I been told not sure how true that is.

 

It's opening Friday : http://blog.chron.com/newswatch/2012/05/galvestons-pleasure-pier-to-open-this-weekend/

[sackem]

Nothing like free beer all night and a good dome dog

 

You would think it was free every game if you compared the price of a beer in the late 60s to the price now.

[RETIREDFAN1]

Consultants hired by the Harris County Sports & Convention Corp. this afternoon recommended a $270 million plan to renovate the Astrodome for multi-purpose use and a $385.4 million plan to replace Reliant Arena.

 

After use of tax credits, consultants peg the net cost to taxpayers to renovate Astrodome and replace Reliant Arena at $523 million.

 

The Dome has been a subject of hand-wringing within the county for years. The last professional sports team to play there was the Astros in 1999, and the facility has been deemed unfit for occupancy since 2009. The county still owes $29.9 million on the building, thanks to 1987 renovations aimed at keeping the Oilers in town.

 

According to the consultants, demolishing the dome would cost $64 million.

 

The options unveiled through a $500,000 study — to which county taxpayers contributed $50,000, the second such study since 2010 — roughly align with the ideas for the Dome that have been discussed in recent years.

 

Old options for the site have included:

(1) Reliant Park Plaza plan: Raze the Dome for $128 million (includes debt on the building); replace Reliant Arena and make other improvements to park; build a hotel (with no public money) with as many as 1,500 rooms. Total price tag is $873 million.

(2) Astrodome Multipurpose: Gut the Dome and add a new level of floor space, a science and technology center, a planetarium, solar panels on the roof that form a world map for $324 million to $374 million; keep other elements of plaza plan. Total price tag is $1.08 billion to $1.13 billion.

(3) Astrodome Renaissance: Multipurpose plan plus add more Astrodome features, including conference space, a series of interactive exhibits that would allow users to simulate space travel and deep sea exploration, museums, an alternative energy center and a movie studio. The Astrodome portion would cost $588 million. Total price tag is $1.35 billion, with $700 million of that taxpayer money.

 

The study, approved by Harris County Commissioners Court in June 2011, also was funded by the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, Houston Texans, Harris County-Houston Sports Authority and Aramark Corp. CSL/Populous were the consultants who led the work.

 

As if the tax payers aren't getting screwed enough already....

[643]

Guess I'm on the outside looking here. I prefer Minute Maid. Went to a half dozen games at the dome. Liked it just fine but it was mid-late 80's then and dome was already run down. Not an Astros fan, just a fan of baseball when I went down there. My only gripe is parking.

[DaveTV1]

From what I'm hearing all this is about the proposal to rebuild the Astrodome : http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans/2012/05/houston-plans-to-bid-for-2017-super-bowl/ I realize this includes the talk about Super Bowl LI. As I've said since we moved here, there's not much to do in Houston as a tourist type city. Everything is too spread out for the limited attractions that Houston has (which have been dwindling). Reliant and the Astrodome are too far south (Astroworld is just a field). The major concert venue is in the Woodlands. The Galleria is too far to the West. Downtown is a joke, especially the Aquarium. The Zoo is one of the worst places to visit. Galveston/Kemah are too far south, and the beaches are similar to many lakes even with the addition of the amusement parks. NASA is dead. Houston simply hasn't tried to cash in on the entertainment venues that would cause people to come to tour the 4th largest city in America. Even driving out to La Porte to see the San Jacinto Monument and Battleship Texas is a drive from the hub of Houston. Then if you want to see the Sam Houston Monument you have to take another hour and a half drive.

[THSfanatic]

Guess I'm on the outside looking here. I prefer Minute Maid.

 

I've got fond memories of the Dome, but Minute Maid is a much better place to watch a game. The Dome just had so much ground-breaking history to it

[rattler88]

From what I'm hearing all this is about the proposal to rebuild the Astrodome : http://blog.chron.co...017-super-bowl/ I realize this includes the talk about Super Bowl LI. As I've said since we moved here, there's not much to do in Houston as a tourist type city. Everything is too spread out for the limited attractions that Houston has (which have been dwindling). Reliant and the Astrodome are too far south (Astroworld is just a field). The major concert venue is in the Woodlands. The Galleria is too far to the West. Downtown is a joke, especially the Aquarium. The Zoo is one of the worst places to visit. Galveston/Kemah are too far south, and the beaches are similar to many lakes even with the addition of the amusement parks. NASA is dead. Houston simply hasn't tried to cash in on the entertainment venues that would cause people to come to tour the 4th largest city in America. Even driving out to La Porte to see the San Jacinto Monument and Battleship Texas is a drive from the hub of Houston. Then if you want to see the Sam Houston Monument you have to take another hour and a half drive.

 

Very good post. Houston has done nothing to keep the image of the 4th largest city since the 80's! That is why I would rather live in Dallas. That city has done a good job making it tourist friendly. When the mall in Grapevine was going in the direction of closing they got bold and brought in things to bring people in. They put in a lego city for the kids and a neet aquarium tour. I don't know how long the Aquarium has been open downtown Dallas but it is one of the neatest places you can take your children. The zoo in Dallas is below par and Ft. Worth is alittle above par. Some might say I am wrong on that but being so close to the Tyler Zoo and going to that the last 15 years I have gotten spoiled!!!!!!! I think it is in the top two if not the top Zoo in the state! Don't know how S.A. zoo is, been along time since been there. Plus in Dallas it looks like eveytime I go to Dallas at night a new building has lights on it now and I believe that really sets the attitude of a city.

[THSfanatic]

Houston has done nothing to keep the image of the 4th largest city since the 80's!

 

Dallas is only 2 places above Houston as the fastest growing cities in US. I'm not sure I agree with your premise. Both are booming. Personally prefer Houston, but hurricanes would keep me from living there.