Astrodome plan pitched to county commissioners

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Yet another plan to save the Astrodome is now being pitched to county commissioners.

A panel of experts from a national group called The Urban Land Institute have been studying the Astrodome for months now and presented recommendations.

There are no real cost estimates at this time, but these experts say the dome can -- and should be -- saved.

"It's about you. It's about whether you have the community will to make this happen," said Tim Murphy, with the UIL. "Are you satisfied with this? You've invited us because we believe you're not but you've

been willing to live with it for a decade. You ought to be embarrassed by it, quite frankly."

UIL experts recommend turning the dome into a park and civic space. It's a plan similar to what the county judge has also been trying to sell for months now.

The experts proposed paying for construction and upkeep with a combination of private and public funding; it's going to depend on that combination on whether this will go to the voters of Harris County to approve or reject.

"Multiple sources are required to create great civic places," said Cory Hirschstein, with the UIL. "They range from public sources to private sources. On a public end, general funds, bond allocations, special

levees. To the private end: philanthropy, corporate sponsorships, and licensing."

The experts presented a timeline where this could be completed before the Super Bowl in 2017, but County Judge Ed Emmett says that may not happen.

"The Super Bowl is coming regardless of whatever happens to the dome. We need to make it more presentable between now and the Super Bowl for sure. But I do think like any park, it can be done in stages. So if you have a big open space relative to the Super Bowl, so I sincerely hope that's at least that part of it is done by the Super Bowl," Emmett said.

Officials with the Houston Livestock Show And Rodeo and the Houston Texans say they have no comment on the plan for now.

The UIL study cost $125,000, which was paid for with grants and souvenir sales of seats and other items from inside the Astrodome.