A proposal to convert the Astrodome into a giant indoor park came one step closer to reality as Harris County commissioners ordered a study to determine how much it would cost to raise the dome's floor.
The move was celebrated by Astrodome boosters, who seized upon it as a sign the historic stadium will be preserved for future generations.
"Fantastic!" said Regina Seale, a preservationist who founded a group called Keep the Astrodome. "We love the Astrodome. We knew that Astrodome wasn't going anywhere."
The dome sits atop what's basically a giant hole in the ground. What was once the playing field of the Astrodome lies about 25 feet below ground level, an architectural feature that county officials believe needs to be changed no matter what happens to the stadium.
"Pretty much everybody that's been looking at the Astrodome and what to do with it has come to an agreement that in order for it to be usable, the floor needs to be raised up to ground level," said Harris County Judge Ed Emmett. "That way you don't have to go down and back up. And it would create nine acres of open space. So the question is, what do you do with the 30 feet below?"
Photos: Inside the Astrodome
Two ideas are under discussion: An underground parking garage that would create about 1,200 new spaces or an underground storage place.
"Do we put storage under that ground level or do we turn it into parking?" Emmett asked. "The parking, of course, would be a revenue source. The storage would actually be useful to the county and perhaps the rodeo."
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo officials have spent years pressing the county government to do something with the derelict dome, pitching plans that called for its demolition. Emmett suggests the rodeo could use the dome as an indoor venue for events now held outdoors.
"That decision is for the livestock show and rodeo to make, not me," Emmett said. "But personally, the food court right now is out subject to the elements. The kiddie rides are subject to the elements. If those are under cover, that's got to benefit the patrons. It's got to benefit the institution of the rodeo. And it gets life back into the dome."
The county engineer is expected to deliver his report on the plan to raise the dome's floor by June.
Historic photos: 50 years in the Astrodome
