Making the Case: Why Save the Astrodome?
When the Harris County Domed Stadium opened in 1965, it changed what architects and engineers believed possible. The world’s first fully enclosed, air-conditioned sports stadium pioneered a new approach to large-scale structures and set the precedent for the age of modern indoor arenas. Yet what would later become known as the Astrodome achieved something larger than sport.
Over its life, the Astrodome was the backdrop for historic achievements and pivotal cultural moments. It was the first fully integrated public sports and entertainment venue in the South. Billie Jean King beat Bobby Riggs in the “Battle of the Sexes.” Evel Knievel set a world record. A sitting president accepted his party’s nomination beneath its roof. And after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, the Dome provided refuge for thousands of evacuees.
Today, the Astrodome sits empty. Closed to the public since 2009, it costs Harris County taxpayers an estimated $150,000 to $400,000 a year to maintain. Dozens of proposals have envisioned new uses, yet stakeholders and county officials have not reached consensus on its future.
Why not demolish the Astrodome and rebuild on a clean slate? “The greenest building is . . . one that is already built,” as architect and former AIA National President Carl Elefante stated. His observation recognizes the embodied energy in existing structures: the materials, resources, and energy already invested in their construction.
The Astrodome’s enormous structure represents such a substantial investment of materials and energy that Jim Blackburn, environmental lawyer, planner, and Rice University professor, has proposed the first-ever building reuse carbon credit for repurposing the Dome. These proposed credits, combined with historic tax credits, energy-efficiency financing, and private investment, could create a competitive advantage for reuse.
Beyond Houston, the Astrodome is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and holds National Historic Landmark status. Many would argue that the Astrodome is as widely recognized as the Alamo. Sentimentality aside, the question remains: Is the Astrodome worth saving, and what do we stand to gain by doing so?
Architecture Center Houston will host a panel discussion with Ed Emmett, former Harris County Judge, Stephen Fox, architectural historian, Ann Taylor, Astrodome Conservancy Board Member, and moderated by Raj Mankad, Deputy Opinion Editor at the Houston Chronicle, to explore these questions and make the case for giving the Astrodome a new life.
This program is in conjunction with Big Dome, Bigger Dreams, on view at the Architecture Center Houston through January 22, 2026
Exhibition Sponsors
Big Dome and Bigger Dreams is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance. Fabrication and installation provided by Innovative Environments
WSP
Hoar Construction
I. A. Naman + Associates, Inc.
DLR Group