Houston to bid for Super Bowl LI (UPDATE: Houston lands 2017 Super Bowl!)

You think of the history of the Dome from the first game (Mickey Mantle 1st home run in the dome) to the last and all games in between. From Evil Knievel, Game of the Century (Father of March Madness), Battle of the Sexes (huge for women's sports), Wrestle Mania (8th Wonder of the World!!!), all of the concerts (Elvis, Madonna, The Jacksons, Rolling Stones, Selena, etc...), Hurricane Katrina, etc... All of that plus factor the impact it had on the sports world, ushering in a new era of domed sports that dominate still today. Which is amazing considering the inspiration for the Dome was the Roman Coliseum and it's shades. That is a massive history worthy of a proper museum.

The Dome needs to continue it's history with a new chapter. I truly believe if it became Houston's version of an Eiffel Tower and Champ De Mars with a proper museum people would visit. It would become a jewel for the city.

 

I don't think any Houstonians would be visiting it and I don't think it has anywhere close to the appeal of an Eiffel Tower type landmark.

"Oh ma! Let's travel to Houston this year which has very little to offer us as a tourist city but they have this really big leftover stadium converted into a museum where cool stuff used to happen! You can't miss it! It's right next to the stadium that is bigger and better! It's JUST like the Eiffel Tower!"

 

Very true. Despite some people's romantic ideas about the dome, it isn't going to bring people to come see it and make it economically viable.

 

yea women's lib, equal rights, and women's sports, march madness, domed sports, katrina refugee camp, cool stuff...

and the Eiffel is in reference to the steel structure obviously

 

Why not?

 

Convert the dome to a high security condo, with private restaurants, gym, jogging trails, etc.

 

Anything that puts cars in the area on a regular or semi-regular basis is off the table unless it is cars parking for a Texans game in a parking lot.

 

Houston is many things, but nostalgic is not one of them. We will bulldoze anything over as soon as we can get the equipment on sight and approved.

 

Well we aren't a tourist city and we aren't an "old city." Houston doesn't have some rich cultural history, nor is it littered with legacy families, old money or celebrities. We are not a cultural center either.

The idea that we could have our own Eiffel Tower in the Dome is laughable.

 

what's laughable is trying to be anything as a city without starting somewhere.

what's laughable is complaining about not being an tourist city when you don't provide anything for the tourist. complain about horrible traffic, but we don't have mass transit and don't want any.

also laughable is proclaiming we are not a cultural center or have cultural history. today houston is the most diverse city in this country according to a rice study link here, http://kinder.rice.edu/uploadedFile...Region Grows More Ethnically Diverse 2-13.pdf . if done right houston could market itself as such.

I think you have vision to see the potential and if you want to become something you have to start somewhere.

 

Houston does need an Eiffel Tower, Space Needle, Statue of Liberty, Gateway Arch--heck I'd even settle for something like the Reunion Tower in Dallas--that people instantly associate with the city but the Astrodome won't be it.

I was fully on board with doing something with the ol' girl but it's time to let it go since it's been so long and it goes further and further into disrepair.

 

It's about time to split this thread, huh mods?

 

It will be dismantled just as fast as six flags astroworld was and look so similar just a parking lot. You will reminisce when you drive by saying that's where the astrodome was and that's where six flags was.

 

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Yeah I'd love any of those things, but like you said the Astrodome isn't going to be one of them.

 

I think this was apparently misunderstood. I didn't mean we aren't a place with different cultures, I meant we are not some cultural landmark where people are coming from around the country or the world to see our museums, our fine art performances, our landmarks, etc. in masses.

People travel from around the world to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower, go to the museums, see the architecture, the Arc de Triumph, etc. Houston doesn't have any of that. We are a different city than Paris and the idea that the Astrodome is going to become a feature like that is silly.

 

I'm not looking forward to all the traffic that comes with the super bowl.

 

Houston is definitely a horrible tourist city. There are no landmarks here. The George R. Brown convention center though better get a facelift. I understand that the location is great but that building is ugly as sin, both inside and outside. One of the ugliest convention centers I have seen.

 

No, the problem is that everything is so spread out and nobody promotes some of the wonderful attractions around the area, granted it doesn't help that the city demolishes anything that has any history in favor of "progress.

Tell me the Fred Hartman Bridge in La Porte/Baytown can't be a cultural icon associated with the area:

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Granted the view of the plants is not exactly the Golden Gate from the Golden Gate Bridge but the bridge is as fascinating architecturally as it.

The San Jacinto Monument also suffers aesthetically because it's right next to the petrochemical plants but it's still a solid attraction. To the south along 146 is Kemah and then there is of course Galveston, which should be promoted with Houston. There's Johnson Space Center as well, which is severely underpromoted.

Fact is Houston needs a signature tower/landmark and perhaps an area to put it in, a tourist trap dare I say, to draw people in just to see how overrated it is. Disappointed, they then go to the real attractions. You'd almost wish the Williams Tower in the Galleria was it and an area with a solid vibe developed around it.

The attractions are here, even if to the Southeast away from the city, they just have to be better promoted and we have to hook people into coming here.