Via Max Power, comes this story concerning the sad end of the Astrodome: a stadium once considered the "Eighth Wonder Of The World," but now relegated to hosting law firm softball games and bar mitzvahs.
It costs local authorities $1.5 million per year to keep the Astrodome going, with misplaced civic pride the only thing preventing the locals from tearing the place down. I got my first gander at the Astrodome in the early 90s, and the first impression I remember was thinking that it looked like what an air conditioner might look like if it were turned inside out.
Astros and Oilers long gone, the Astrodome sits empty and unloved.
Bottom line: this is America, and we're used to tearing down and rebuilding everyday. Get rid of it and put the land it sits on now to a more profitable use.
Good points, Eric, but don’t underestimate the attachment Houstonians have to this place. It might hang around a while – there is even a proposal to turn it into a casino. That said, the place is a dump. My only visits inside came a couple years ago when I went to a couple high school football playoff games. (This being Texas, the place was about half-full for title game) The bathrooms, concourses, etc. were ancient and the place just felt old and run-down, especially when compared to the palace that is Reliant Stadium next door.
Marc, I live in Houston, and I can tell you, the place is probably toast. Reliant Stadium needs the parking space, and no amount of nostalgia will hold that back. Truthfully, I think there’s less nostalgia than you might think at this point. The place is a dump as you say, it’s already had its farewell tours for baseball and the rodeo, and Houstonians just aren’t that attached to the past. It’s possible that something may come along to give it a new purpose, but I wouldn’t bet on it.
Very true, Reliant does need the parking (On my one trip to Reliant, for the Rolling Stones concert, I didn’t even bother trying to park within the Reliant grounds and instead went to an nearby office park and paid the same $10 charge. The ‘Dome’s last gasp probably took place when Houston failed to make the cut for the 2012 Olympics. Proposal was to turn it into the Olympics’ first indoor track and field venue.