[Urbannizer]

Plans to use the Astrodome as indoor parking and event space have been scrapped.

What happened to potential plans for the Astrodome?

Houstonians began 2019 with a plan to repurpose the Astrodome, but like many plans before, that too failed to come to fruition. KPRC 2 wanted to know happened and if there are any new potential plans for the Astrodome on the table?

Commissioners Court signed off on a $100-million plan to raise the Dome’s floor to ground level, providing close to 9-acres of covered space that could be used for a variety of events. Below this would be a parking garage.

“What people have to understand is the Dome belongs to the taxpayers of Harris County, it’s fully paid for and it’s an integral part of what goes on at that whole NRG complex,” said former Harris County Judge and KPRC political analyst Ed Emmett.

According to officials with the County Engineer’s Office, $6.1 million was spent on design and planning for this project and construction was scheduled to begin after this year’s Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The plan was brought forth by Emmett after years’ worth of other ideas failed to either gain traction or find financing and the voters rejected a bid to turn the Dome in another convention space. However, the responsibility of seeing this plan to fruition fell largely to the office of the County Judge.

When Lina Hidalgo was elected to the position, she and her staff looked at this plan.

“The plan that had been designed wouldn’t have yielded, truly a usable building,” said Hidalgo. “It’s just not something that would have made it competitive against convention centers elsewhere.”

Hidalgo said she also felt the idea for a parking garage would not work.

“If you put in more parking you’re just going to get more congestion,” said Hidalgo.

In other words, that plan died.

“Right now we don’t have specific plans for the Astrodome,” said Hidalgo. “It’s just not a priority right now.”

I miss the movie studio and indoor park proposals, otherwise I would rather see it demolished.