There's so many elements that go into stadium appreciation. Winning is just one of several. What have the Cubs won in Wrigley Field? Boston in Fenway Park before 5 years ago? But then actual championships were won in The Summit with not much "preservation" talks when Rockets moved out. Florida Marlins have 2 World Series pennants in Dolphins Stadium and cant wait to get the heck outta there. Astrodome has the majesty of being the first of its kind, a true worldwide recognized landmark. Enough to get people into believing it as some wonder of the world like the great pyramids! Quality of actual stadium has been an issue. And its now essentially looked at as more a "rough draft" for better future designs than having its own stand-alone relevant value. Its more rotary phone in a cell phone world. Though the dome shouldnt have to go down easy. Its at least earned that respect.
It's not LA based, all the people involved are from Houston and Texas. My brother told me about this idea and frankly it's the one that makes the most sense to me. So many blockbuster movies are made in Australia, Canada, England, and Prague and that's money that is leaving the US to pay people there. If the Astrodome became a sound stage, it would be the biggest and dwarf all sound stages multiple times over. Opportunities for new businesses as movies need equipment rental, set builders, catering, trailers, electricians, transportation, etc. What a boon it would be to U of H and other local schools with film and tv production programs to have a movie studio in their backyard to get work/internships/experience. Before you know it, you could get some nice donations to maybe build a strong film and tv program at U of H. The idea of a casino inside the dome sounds terrible to me. I can't imagine how depressing it would to look out the window of your hotel and see the rainbow seats instead of the sky or a pool.
I remember going to the dome when I was a kid. The Astros, sunset colored seats, the HUGE flags, the cannon shooting off for home runs, the score board, the roof. I was just mystified. I was back there for a high school football game several years after Minute Maid opened, and it's amazing how quickly all of that grandeur faded away. As a non-Houstonian (now, at least) I am slightly indifferent to whether they tear it down or not. I wish they could find a better use for it, preferably the casino or resort, because I liked those. Hell, they should build a new Astroworld in there.
Didn't both the Oilers and Astros win a bunch of games at the Astrodome too? My point was, he said nothing was won at the Astrodome thus it wasn't memorable and he wouldn't mind if it was torn down. And yet, Minute Maid park apparently held all these wonderful winning memories. And yes, I love that they went to the World Series. But that's still nothing winning anything. I was at game four so I remember.
This is awesome ... so much nostalgia ... I may not have been born in Houston and I may not live there now, but that is where I spent all of my formative years throughout my life and I will always be a Houstonian. Going to my first Texans game at Reliant in a few weeks and I am just as excited to see the Dome again as I am to see Reliant for the first time.
I've kind of leaned in the direction of tearing it down, mostly because no one can seem to figure out what to do with it. I sure wish someone could figure something out because it's sad to see it how it is now: unused and forgotten.
