Tag Archives: Reliant Stadium

A lot of people wanted a piece of the Dome

Unfortunately, most came away empty-handed. Wearing a floppy orange hat and an Astros baseball shirt, Dene Hofheinz grabbed a front-row seat for Saturday’s auction of iconic items from the domed stadium her father built more than four decades ago. She … Continue reading

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Here comes the Dome renovation committee

I was wondering when we’d see this. Reliant Park and Harris County officials on Thursday announced the launch of a campaign to garner voter support for a plan to redevelop the Astrodome, with Harris County Judge Ed Emmett and Precinct … Continue reading

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Hoteliers for the Dome plan

Count the Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Houston among the supporters of the Astrodome renovation plan. Harris County Sports and Convention Corp. Chairman Edgar Colón, with back-up from Deputy Executive Director Kevin Hoffman, presented the agency’s vision for revamping … Continue reading

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Interview with Willie Loston

Willie Loston is the Executive Director of the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation, which is the not-for-profit company that operates and maintains the public facilities at Reliant Park, including Reliant Stadium and the Astrodome. It was the HCSCC that … Continue reading

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More on the New Dome Experience

The Chron’s subscription site story adds some more details to the news about the New Dome Experience. [Harris County Judge Ed] Emmett said that if the court signs off on the plan next week, it likely would ask the county … Continue reading

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The New Dome Experience

Behold: If the future of the Astrodome has been keeping you up at night, you’ll rest easy knowing that a major step was taken in favor of preservation at a board meeting on Wednesday afternoon: The Harris County Sports & … Continue reading

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MBIA appeals lawsuit dismissal

Here’s the brief that MBIA has filed with the First District Court of Appeals to overturn the dismissal of their lawsuit against the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority and the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation. The issues presented for review … Continue reading

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The Texans and the Rodeo will have their say on the fate of the Dome

There’s this little matter of their lease agreement to deal with. Five years ago, Harris County appeared on the brink of striking a deal with a group of entrepreneurs to turn the Astrodome into a 1,300-room hotel and convention center, … Continue reading

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It’s about use, not just sentiment

NYT reporter Jere Longman, who hails from Houston, penned a love letter to the Astrodome after hearing about its possible impending demise. So it was despairing to hear that the vacant Astrodome might be torn down and its site paved … Continue reading

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Does the Super Bowl doom the Dome?

The Texican ponders what the announcement about Houston landing Super Bowl LI means for everyone’s favorite unused arena. So what does this mean for our Dome? A parking garage would be an ignoble end for the Dome, though I am … Continue reading

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Florida’s failure to be insane is our gain

Good news if you’re rooting for Houston to host Super Bowl LI. Houston’s bid for Super Bowl LI received a major boost Friday when Florida lawmakers ended a 60-day legislative session without approving a plan that would have provided a … Continue reading

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MBIA lawsuit against Sports Authority dismissed

I haven’t seen a story about this in the print edition for whatever the reason. A state district court judge on Tuesday ruled that the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority cannot be sued by the company that insures the $1 billion … Continue reading

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A STEM vision for the Astrodome

Tory Gattis has an idea for what to do with the Astrodome. Where can America’s kids go to be inspired toward careers in our country’s most crucial need: science, technology, engineering and math (aka STEM)? Something far beyond their little … Continue reading

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Feeling good about the Super Bowl bid

The city of Houston has submitted its bid to host Super Bowl LI in 2017, and they feel pretty good about their chances. Houston’s competition will be San Francisco or Miami – the city that fails to get the coveted … Continue reading

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County disputes cheaper Dome demolition price tag

It’s on. Harris County officials on Thursday disputed an estimate released this week showing it would cost $29 million to implode the vacant Reliant Astrodome and build a 1,600-space parking lot in two and a half years. The figure, calculated … Continue reading

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Maybe it wouldn’t be so expensive to demolish the Dome after all

Hey, look! It’s another What To Do With The Astrodome study! Woo hoo! The Houston Texans and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo have commissioned a study showing it would cost $29 million to demolish the 48-year-old stadium and build … Continue reading

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No Dome referendum yet

If you’ve been waiting for a chance to vote on the fate of the Astrodome, you’ll just have to keep waiting. Harris County officials unveiled options for the future of the long-vacant Astrodome last summer, with some members of Commissioners … Continue reading

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The Summer X-Games

Another sporting event that could be coming to Houston. The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority is making a bid for ESPN’s action sports event, an annual competition that began in 1995. “It’s definitely another feather in our cap,” said Janis Schmees, … Continue reading

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Sports Authority gets sued

MBIA, the company that insures the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority’s bonds, has filed a lawsuit to force the Sports Authority to collect more money to pay its obligations. If MBIA must cover payment shortfalls and cannot reimburse itself from the … Continue reading

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Reliant gets its new scoreboard

As expected, and in time for the next push to get a Super Bowl in Houston. The state-of-the-art digital scoreboards will be manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric’s Diamond Vision Systems Division and installed for the 2013 season in place of the … Continue reading

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Rodeo buys part of old Astroworld site

Unclear what this means. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is acquiring half of the old Six Flags AstroWorld property for $42.8 million. The organization’s board of directors on Thursday authorized show officials to acquire 48 acres of the former … Continue reading

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Could this be the catalyst for Astrodome redevelopment?

Maybe. The city of Houston and Harris County are preparing to create a mammoth, two-part economic development zone covering more than 11 square miles along the South Loop and at the northeast end of downtown. The plan stems from a … Continue reading

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Maybe the fourth time will be the charm

The city of Houston is once again bidding for a Super Bowl. If everything goes according to an ambitious plan devised by city and county leaders, Houston will host its third Super Bowl in 2017. The NFL informed the Texans … Continue reading

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The bid is in for the NCAA Champions game

We are officially bidding on the new Champions Bowl, the 2014 replacement for the BCS Championship Bowl, for Reliant Stadium. We heard about this in July, and it makes sense that Houston was solicited for a bid and that we’d … Continue reading

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Houston to compete for new college football championship game

Sure, why not? The city of Houston and Reliant Stadium plan to make a push to host college football’s new football championship game, the head of the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority said Tuesday night. “We decided we want to aggressively … Continue reading

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Meet the new “What To Do With The Astrodome” report

Not that much different than the old “What To Do With The Astrodome” report. The Astrodome, a now-empty showplace that has hosted everyone from Elvis Presley to Hurricane Katrina evacuees, should be turned into a multipurpose facility that could spark … Continue reading

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The Grand Prix is back

For those of you who are into that sort of thing. After a six-year hiatus, the Grand Prix of Houston will be returning in 2013. With city and race officials on hand, IZOD IndyCar Series CEO Randy Bernard announced Wednesday … Continue reading

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Reliant drainage deal?

Will wonders never cease? There may be a resolution to the spat over whether the county has to pay the city drainage fee imposed on Reliant Park – an annual bill of $353,000. Tuesday’s Commissioners Court agenda includes an item … Continue reading

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From the “And I wish for a pony, too” department

Hey, you know that annual UT-A&M game that’s not going to be played again any time in the near future? Let’s bring it to Reliant Stadium! Why not have Texas and Texas A&M meet at Reliant Stadium every Thanksgiving? It … Continue reading

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County will seek legislation to evade drainage fee payment for Reliant

As expected. Harris County Commissioners Court today voted unanimously to instruct the County Attorney and the Legislative Relations office to work with the Texas Legislature to adjust current law to compel the City of Houston to collect and immediately remit … Continue reading

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More on the county going after city sales tax revenue

And on we go. Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday will decide whether to seek legislation to capture city of Houston sales taxes generated at county facilities, including Reliant Park. Commissioner Steve Radack floated the idea at the court’s last … Continue reading

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Houston to get 2013 NBA All Star Game

Assuming the lockout has ended by then, of course. The game will be played Feb. 17 at Toyota Center, which also hosted the 2006 game. “It’s a done deal,” a person familiar with the bidding process told the Chronicle on … Continue reading

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Responding to The Response

I almost forgot that Rick Perry’s Prayerpalooza, also known as The Response, is this weekend. Fortunately, some other folks are more on the ball than I am about this. On Tuesday, more than 50 Houston-area religious and community leaders disseminated … Continue reading

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Time for another “What to do with the Astrodome?” study

It’s been two years since we had one of these. The Astrodome’s next incarnation — planetarium? hotel? heap of dynamited rubble? – will be the subject of yet another study ordered up by Harris County Commissioners Court this week. What … Continue reading

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