Harris County residents cannot let the Texans (re: Bob McNair) and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HSL & R) tear down the Astrodome. There is zero benefit to this solution, and if we let them (the Texans and HSL & R) go through with it, we are being robbed.
Before I slay the argument of tearing down the only iconic building in this city's histroy, let's look at the benefits of demolishing the now dilapidated monument. First, there's the 2,500 extra parking spaces for 30-40 dates out of a 365 day year. For the 10 (12 if they ever don't fade in crunch time) Texans games a year, and 20 or so Rodeo days, Bob McNair and the Cowpokes (rodeo people) would get to charge us 40 or more per car to park within walking distance of Reliant Stadium! That's an extra $100,000 per date of sold out parking!
All this extra cash help the Texans bring in free agents, right? No. The Texans already operate at or near the NFL salary cap. More revenue won't make a difference. Any extra income would go solely to the Texans Organization, HSL & R bigwigs, and the two organizations' investors. Will the price of beer, or soda, or peanuts, or cotton candy, or official gear, or even water, for that matter, get cheaper? I don't think so, Tim. Essentially by tearing down the Astrodome, we're paying $60 million to line our tenants' wallets.
Oh, but wait Scotty. The Texans and HSL & R say it will only cost us $30 million - give or take - to wreck the place. The problem is Harris County still owes around $30 million in construction debt (from when we refurbished the place back in the 90's), and that bill ain't going away. Plus, you have to expect that taxpayers will be on the hook for the demolition too... so, there you have it: $60 million.
Ahhhh, but the NFL says we have a better chance of landing another edition of the super Bowl if we clear the space for more parking.
Really? We are considering dropping to the ground the lone world-famous, iconic building in this metroplex's history for a few extra spots for limos - once every 15 years at most? That makes total sense... to no one at all.
The strongest argument for getting rid of the Astrodome is that unused, it is costing us millions for upkeep. To me, this is short-sighted at the least, and nefarious at its worst.
It's short-sighted because while the amount we pay to keep the building standing gets us nothing in return, neither does demolishing it. The Cowpokes broke yet another attendance record this year. Not once did I see on the news a story about how parking near all the ropin', ridin', and country music festivities was a problem. In fact, I used to live on a neighborhood street within walking distance to Reliant Stadium, and not once was Reliant overflow an issue. Never. Ask people that live near Fenway Park or Wrigley Field, or most other stadiums what it's like when it's gameday. They'd kill for our parking situation.
On the other side of levels of integrity, the Texans and HSL & R have LET (and are perfectly fine with letting) the dome go to shit. You know they've been eyeing that acreage since the construction of Reliant Stadium began. Keeping the Astrodome dark for so many years creates a very favorable situation. As it gets to be in a greater state of disrepair, the better the likelihood that it is razed and turned into a new revenue source for McNair and the boot-scootin-boogiers. Sounds like an attractive solution... for them.
You're probably thinking to yourself right now, "OK, destroying a Houston landmark doesn't seem like the best idea, but what do you, Scotty, think would be an ideal answer?"
Anything.
All I want is a plan that will keep the external structure of the Astrodome intact. Tearing it down gets rid of the ONLY famous thing about this city. 40 years ago, people around the world came to Houston to get a glimpse at this building some said could never work. What I want is to once again make the site of the Astrodome a place where people from any corner of the planet would want to see.
When out of town friends ask you where to go while in H-town, what is your response? Some awesome steakhouse, maybe, the park at Discovery Green, or... wait I'm out of ideas. If the Astrodome were converted to something useful, we'd actually have something iconic (ala Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, etc.) to send them to. You can't send friends to a parking lot.
But what would work on that site?
Again.. anything.
The idea I like most is an indoor ski-park in the winter and a open air water-park in the summer. I realize what that would run financially, but hey, I'm not married to that idea. I'd be happy with a hotel/mall. Turn it into a casino, or a museum, or aquarium, or a Grand Central Station-type rail hub, or whatever. Hell, I'd be fine with HISD or HCC taking it over and making it into a learning facility. Either way, clearing the way for more parking seems like the least valuable option for the people that own the land.
At the very least, if it's decided to make the Astrodome into a parking space, let's figure out a way to keep the outer structure. That way, the iconic image from this city stays in place... and Mr. McNair and the Rodeo get to make their money. It would be one of the strangest looking parking facilities, but at least the "Dome" would still be standing.
It would be much better for everyone if the Astrodome were once again a revenue stream for the county. We'd have something to show our friends, the land would get used way more often than it does right now, and the city would, for once, show an interest in maintaining history.
Let's keep the Astrodome standing. Bringing it down does you and me no good.
