National & International News

Astrodoomed? Famed Houston Stadium May Fall To Wrecking Ball

By Mark Memmott

Published November 6, 2013 at 9:30 AM EST

1 of 10 — An interior shot of the Houston Astrodome taken in 1990. The stadium was "the first fully air-conditioned, enclosed, domed, multipurpose sports stadium in the world," according to the Texas Historical Association.

An interior shot of the Houston Astrodome taken in 1990. The stadium was "the first fully air-conditioned, enclosed, domed, multipurpose sports stadium in the world," according to the Texas Historical Association.

2 of 10 — Grass is replaced with Astroturf in 1966. The grass that was originally used dried out under the dome.

Grass is replaced with Astroturf in 1966. The grass that was originally used dried out under the dome.

View of the Astrodome from above in 1968. Earlier this year, <em>The New York Times</em> wrote that the Astrodome "gave us domed, all-purpose stadiums and artificial turf and expansive scoreboards." The dome went on to host a variety of sports events, large concerts and a political convention.

3 of 10 — View of the Astrodome from above in 1968. Earlier this year, The New York Times wrote that the Astrodome "gave us domed, all-purpose stadiums and artificial turf and expansive scoreboards." The dome went on to host a variety of sports events, large concerts and a political convention.

View of the Astrodome from above in 1968. Earlier this year, The New York Times wrote that the Astrodome "gave us domed, all-purpose stadiums and artificial turf and expansive scoreboards." The dome went on to host a variety of sports events, large concerts and a political convention.

4 of 10 — Guy V. Lewis, University of Houston basketball coach, is carried to the dressing room by happy fans after the Cougars' upset win over UCLA in an NCAA college basketball game at the dome on Jan. 20, 1968. The game was known as college basketball's "Game of the Century."

Guy V. Lewis, University of Houston basketball coach, is carried to the dressing room by happy fans after the Cougars' upset win over UCLA in an NCAA college basketball game at the dome on Jan. 20, 1968. The game was known as college basketball's "Game of the Century."

5 of 10 — Billie Jean King plays in the "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match against Bobby Riggs on Sept. 20, 1973. King went on to beat Riggs in the highly watched match.

Billie Jean King plays in the "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match against Bobby Riggs on Sept. 20, 1973. King went on to beat Riggs in the highly watched match.

6 of 10 — The West's Karl Malone (left) goes eyeball to eyeball with the East's Michael Jordan while Akeem Olajuwon looks down on the scene in the second half of the NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 2, 1989.

The West's Karl Malone (left) goes eyeball to eyeball with the East's Michael Jordan while Akeem Olajuwon looks down on the scene in the second half of the NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 2, 1989.

7 of 10 — President George H.W. Bush addresses the crowd as he stands with his family on the podium at the Republican National Convention on Aug. 19, 1992.

President George H.W. Bush addresses the crowd as he stands with his family on the podium at the Republican National Convention on Aug. 19, 1992.

8 of 10 — Hurricane Katrina evacuees sit on makeshift beds on the Astrodome's floor on Sept. 9, 2005. The stadium sheltered thousands of people fleeing from the devastation in New Orleans.

Hurricane Katrina evacuees sit on makeshift beds on the Astrodome's floor on Sept. 9, 2005. The stadium sheltered thousands of people fleeing from the devastation in New Orleans.

9 of 10 — Rows of dirty, tattered seats ring the Astrodome in Houston in 2012. Once touted as the "Eighth Wonder of the World," the nation's first domed stadium was last used in 2009.

Rows of dirty, tattered seats ring the Astrodome in Houston in 2012. Once touted as the "Eighth Wonder of the World," the nation's first domed stadium was last used in 2009.

10 of 10 — The Astrodome is illuminated on Tuesday. Voters in Houston rejected a bond referendum that would have allowed Harris County, Texas, to borrow $217 million that it could then spend to turn the stadium into one very large convention and exhibition hall. The building is likely to be razed.

The Astrodome is illuminated on Tuesday. Voters in Houston rejected a bond referendum that would have allowed Harris County, Texas, to borrow $217 million that it could then spend to turn the stadium into one very large convention and exhibition hall. The building is likely to be razed.

Voters in Houston on Tuesday rejected a bond referendum that would have allowed Harris County, Texas, to borrow $217 million that it could then spend on turning the Astrodome into one very large convention and exhibition hall.

The vote was 53 percent against the referendum, to 47 percent in favor.

Now, our friends at KUHF report, it will be up to Harris County commissioners "to decide the iconic building's ultimate fate."

The Houston Chronicle says it's likely the arena once known as the "Eighth Wonder of the World" will be razed:

"County commissioners have said they would recommend the wrecking ball if the bond failed. 'We're going to have to do something quick,' County Judge Ed Emmett said afterward. 'We can't allow the once-proud dome to sit like a rusting ship in the middle of a parking lot.' "

The Astrodome hasn't been used since 2009, KUHF says. It opened on April 9, 1965, with an exhibition game between baseball's New York Yankees and the local Astros.

There's talk that it should be declared a historic site. As the Texas Historical Association notes, the Astrodome was "the first fully air-conditioned, enclosed, domed, multipurpose sports stadium in the world."

Earlier this year, The New York Times wrote about how it "gave us domed, all-purpose stadiums and artificial turf and expansive scoreboards."

Billie Jean King beat Bobby Riggs there in 1973's "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match. The University of Houston and UCLA played in the dome in 1968 in what was then college basketball's "Game of the Century."

President George H.W. Bush was nominated there at the 1992 Republican National Convention. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Astrodome offered shelter to evacuees from Louisiana.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation includes the Astrodome on its 2013 list of "11 most endangered historic places" in the U.S.

It has seen better times, though.

The NFL's Houston Oilers left town after the 1996 season. A new football team, the Texans, started playing in Houston in 2002. But the Texans' home is at the newer Reliant Stadium.

Baseball's Astros moved out of the dome after the 1999 season and since then have played in the city's Minute Maid Park.

The last concert at the Astrodome was a 2001 show by country music star George Strait.

About all the building is being used for these days is to store equipment and other goods used at Reliant Stadium.

KUHF's Houston Matters show says it would cost about $64 million to demolish the Astrodome. Talk of its being torn down makes us wonder what everyone thinks.

If the Astrodome is demolished, of course, we will be on the lookout for videos and reports from the scene. As longtime Two-Way readers know, we do like controlled implosions.