91视频

By Juan A. Lozano
The Associated Press

HOUSTON 鈥� The聽Houston Astrodome聽has been in limbo, waiting for a second life since being shuttered more than 15 years ago.

It was a technological marvel when it opened in 1965 and was called the 鈥淓ighth Wonder of the World.鈥� But its heyday ended long ago, and the stadium hasn鈥檛 been home to a sports team since the Astros left in 1999. Then it was closed to all events a decade later.

Over the years, ideas for the structure鈥檚 redevelopment and rebirth have been plentiful, from turning it into an indoor water park to flooding its sunken floor to reenact naval battle scenes. But no plan garnered聽enough public support聽or financing.

The latest proposal to refurbish the Astrodome was unveiled on Wednesday by a nonprofit. The Astrodome Conservancy proposes redeveloping the inside of the domed stadium to create new areas for restaurants, retail spaces, offices and cultural spaces. But like the others before it, this plan could face a similar fate, with a $1 billion price tag and an initial lack of support from local entities that would need to give their OK for the project to go forward.

Beth Wiedower Jackson, the conservancy鈥檚 executive director, said that unlike previous proposals, her organization believes theirs is backed by data and would be economically viable in part because there would be enough private investment to support it.

鈥淭his is a big, big, bold vision,鈥� Jackson said. 鈥淎nd those previous plans, even admitted by Harris County officials, were a first step towards a future Astrodome. And this is the full swing of the bat. And this gives people something to be excited about.鈥�

The plan, 鈥淰ision: Astrodome,鈥� proposes the construction of four state-of-the-art buildings inside the stadium that would hold restaurants, stores and offices. Similar spaces would also be located around the Astrodome and connected to other facilities nearby. The Astrodome is at NRG Park, a 350-acre complex that includes NRG Stadium (home of the NFL’s Houston Texans) as well as an arena and exhibition halls.

鈥淭he Astrodome is ready now for its next chapter 鈥� redevelopment,鈥� said Phoebe Tudor, the conservancy鈥檚 chairperson. 鈥淚t is time for all of us in Houston to come together and do something hard, working together to repurpose the Astrodome.鈥�

The Astrodome ushered in a change in how people attended sporting events. It also hosted various cultural events, including concerts by Elvis Presley and Tejano music star Selena as well as the 鈥淏attle of the Sexes鈥� tennis match between Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King in 1973.

Some people have called for its demolition. But a 2017 designation by the Texas Historical Commission as a state antiquities landmark essentially protects it from wholesale destruction. The stadium also maintains a strong聽foothold in the memories聽of many Houstonians and others.

Rafi Kohan, whose 2017 book 鈥淭he Arena鈥� explores the place that sports stadiums hold in American culture, said the Astrodome鈥檚 construction came at a time of incredible technological innovation in the United States, and it helped transform Houston from what some observers considered a 鈥渂ackwoods cow town鈥� into a leader in technology. Houston became the home of the space program with the opening of Johnson Space Center in 1964.

鈥淭here was and continues to be a lot of civic pride around the Astrodome, what it represented, the sort of space age feat, you know, in stadium form,鈥� Kohan said.

Douglas Brinkley, a historian and professor at Rice University, said the Astrodome has tremendous historical relevance and is worth saving.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been our fault that we鈥檝e neglected it or not invested in it,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut a turnaround is upon us right now. We鈥檙e going to get this done.鈥�

But whether there continues to be enough support in Houston to refurbish and save the Astrodome remains to be seen. It鈥檚 owned by Harris County and managed by the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation. Maintenance of the stadium costs between $100,000 and $200,000 per year.

The office of Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the county鈥檚 top elected official, declined to comment on the conservancy鈥檚 proposal.

James Dixon, the sports and convention corporation鈥檚 chairman, stated that he respects the conservancy鈥檚 efforts but 鈥渙ver the last few years, we have seen several concepts that, while thought-provoking, haven鈥檛 resulted in viable funding and maintenance solutions.鈥�

Dixon said his organization and the county are working with other stakeholders on a plan for the future of NRG Park and 鈥渢he solution for the Astrodome must be decided within that context.鈥�

One of those stakeholders, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which holds its annual event at NRG Park and would have a say on what to do with the Astrodome, was not on board with the conservancy鈥檚 proposal.

鈥淭he proposed plan by the Astrodome Conservancy does not align with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo鈥檚 strategic vision and operational requirements,鈥� Chris Boleman, the group’s president and CEO, stated.