Houston Considers Astrodome Revival

Former 'eighth wonder' may steal a page from Gaylord's playbook

By Rachelle Crum -- Tradeshow Week, 10/25/2004

Within the next month, a Houston redevelopment committee will decide if feasibility studies confirm that the Reliant Astrodome should be reincarnated as a multi-use complex with 150,000 square feet of multi-level ballroom and meeting space, a 1,000-room hotel, retail shops, restaurants and theme park attractions. If plans are approved, a $400-million redevelopment of the domed structure will commence within six months.

The inactive facility's current 140,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space will be converted into meeting, ballroom and theme park space. A portion of the exhibit space will remain and additional exhibit space will be constructed.

Renovation proposals for the 39-year-old stadium complex began to surface about a year and a half ago. A proposal by the year-old Astrodome Redevelopment Co., a 20-person team of architects and engineers led by President Scott Hanson, was chosen from among seven received by Harris County Sports & Convention Corp. If the redevelopment committee and the Harris County Commissioners Court approve the final proposal, Hanson — former CFO of the management company that once ran NASA's Johnson Space Center — said the Astrodome remake could be completed as early as 2008.

The SMG-managed Reliant Park encompasses the Astrodome, Reliant Arena, Reliant Stadium and Reliant Center. The Astrodome is the former home of the Houston (now Tennessee) Oilers football team and the Houston Astros baseball team (which has moved to Minute Maid Park).

"The idea is to create convention demand," Hanson said, adding that the new Astrodome will "really bring a lot of synergy" to its sister facilities. Rethinking Reliant Park as "more of a full-service location" like the $480-million Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine was a key part of the process, he said.

In fact, Hanson's redevelopment team includes three former Gaylord Entertainment employees. Others involved in the project include theme park attraction designer Falcon's Treehouse, engineering firm Oceaneering Entertainment Systems and architectural group URS.

Jordy Tollett, president and CEO of the Greater Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau, agreed that the one-stop shop concept of the Gaylord Texan, which opened in May, offers some inspiration for a retooled Astrodome.

Tollett also noted that the Gaylord facility's "very appealing" resort packaging "makes you rethink" venue construction options.