Here’s yet another demonstration that Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation really truly wants to trash the Astrodome if November 5th’s bond election doesn’t go its way: According to teevee reporter Ryan Korsgard, seats, concession equipment, AstroTurf squares, and a whole bunch of other pieces that can be extracted from the Dome’s dusty interior will be put on sale 3 days before the voting is completed — on November 2nd. The corporation, which has been carefully guarding all that rotting sports memorabilia for more than a dozen years, still hasn’t yet decided whether to sell the items in an auction or outright, however.
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A baseball collector from Clear Lake who invites Korsgard to sit in bleacher pieces from various lost stadiums arrayed in his Clear Lake home claims an Astrodome seat could go for $250 to $300 each. If there’s truly enough demand for fold-up orange seating in local living rooms (Houston-proud interior designers, prepare your sketches!) at those prices, the sales event might end up generating a significant amount of cash. That could help support the Astrodome’s transformation into a convention-center space — or pay a portion of the bill for its dynamiting.
- You could soon own a piece of the Astrodome [Click2Houston]
- Astrodome coverage [Swamplot]
Images: Candace Garcia (Astrodome interior); Harris County Sports and Convention Corp (New Dome Experience)
If the dome is to be a convention center, why would you want items like seats still in place?
I don’t see the story here…
That there is a hot market for this kind of crap leaves me flabbergasted. Same for autographs. Just more garbage to hang on rec room walls. Memorabilia? Meh.
Is it just me or shouldnt we be holding some sort of memorial service at the dome before all this goes down. Let the public see her for one last time? They could charge admission? I am sure that would be too much trouble though. Why think of create ways to get cash when you can just ask millions for $8 a year?
I think it’s a pathetic joke that most Houstonians can all of a sudden turn into preservationlist mode and debate literally for YEARS about what to do with an outdated sports facility, when tearing down even older, more historically significant homes, neighborhoods and commercial buildings has been and still is perfectly acceptable. Talk about twisted priorities!
I’d buy a piece of the concrete once the implode this thing already and we can move on with our lives.
Granted all these items must be removed for the conversion, but the rush to do all of gigs before the election is political theater. It’s actually quite a good move by the commissioners, it reminds people of the nostalgia they have for the dome and it feels like a dress rehearsal for tearing down the dome, which could galvanize those on the fence to vote in favor of saving it.
I’m not sure there is a controversy here. Either way, the seats have to go. Why not sell them for the best price? It’s win-win, the county raises money, and people like me can something we want. I don’t care if people think it’s tacky or garbage for the rec room, I want a row of seats from the Astrodome, and am willing to pay the price.
@hooligan,
Pretty much the story is that much like the demolition that’s going on now on the dome (exterior ramps, ticket booths etc.), the seats will have to be removed whether it becomes a convention center or gets demolished. So they might as well start selling and removing them.
The glass half full view: At least SOMETHING is finally getting done, one way or the other.
I’d like some of the astroturf to use as a floor mat for my entry.
If it weren’t for the fact that Vitruvius designed the Astrodome I would say let it go, but as it stands, I think we should keep it.
All the stuff mentioned; seats, Astroturf, concession equipment, is going to be removed regardless of the election. It’s pretty obvious the seats and the turf aren’t going to be used in the Dome unless it’s “reused” as a stadium. The convention plan suggests all of the seats and concourses are to be removed and the field raised up.
At least some action is being taken on the Dome. Perhaps it’ll gain attention of the voters. I get the impression that most Houstonians don’t even know about the Astrodome Proposition. The idea hasn’t been given much publicity via the Chron and haven’t heard one word on the radio.
By the way, if the price is right, I am willing to spend to buy a piece of the Dome. A classic sign from the concourse works for me.
So, the story is that the county is selling off the parts of the building they won’t need even if the bond passes and the dome is renovated into a multi-function event space, but you’ve decided to make it some sort of conspiracy theory drama. I tell ya, not that swamplot was ever real journalism, but it used to be the place to go for up to date news about real estate happenings in houston. I don’t know what happened, but you sound like your articles are written by drama queen shut-ins these days. Silliness like this make you less relevant every day. Not sure I can justify spending time here in the future.
There’s a brick from the old Savoy sitting in my kitchen. Wouldn’t mind me some Astrodome pieces to line my parking lot with…
Uh oh we may lose Rusty
IF RUSTY GOES, I GO!!!!!!!!!!
Vitruvius. LOL.
I’d buy a couple seats, mount them to a platform and use it on the back deck outdoor seating. But not at 2-300 each
This is the lAstros not the Yankees.
Talk about greed (overall – the $200 for two seats and $20 for astroturf will allow many fans to obtain a piece of the Astrodome); the County knows they could have provided much more care to this historic landmark! For 2M a year, there were plenty of businesses willing to whitewash the exterior, clean the interior a bit, and even patch the windows that blew in during Ike (FAR less than the 2 huge panels that broke off the newer Reliant Stadium). And if you’ve driven by the Dome during the summer, you know that roof glows from the reflecting sun; how about placing solar discs on the new Dome so it can can be self-sustaining and provide a electricity to the entire Reliant complex? The county will vote that down to ensure that citizens will continue to pay for their poor business management skills. Personally, I feel an amusement park would ensure the complex would have a long term rental of the facility rather than ‘spurts’ with OTC, the Rodeo, seasonal sports (?), and commencement programs…
I live in Pennsylvania. I have never been to Texas thus can I say I never saw or been in the Astrodome. Mention Houston, you think of the Astrodome, where Mickey Mantle hit the first home run. You think of the Astrodome when you think of John Wooden’s UCLA and their loss to Houston in the Astrodome. When you think of New York, you think of Madison Square Garden. I hope it stays.